GREYHOUNDS

AUTHOR: Star Sports Content

THE GREYHOUND WEEK BLOG: Julie Collier

THE GREYHOUND WEEK BLOG: Julie Collier with all the latest news from the world of greyhound racing…..


➡️ Connections of Droopys Nidge (right) were delighted when their lad clocked 15.77sec in a comeback sprint trial at Sheffield last week. Sadly, the star dog was lame afterwards with a slight tendon injury which Hayley Keightley and her team and are now treating in the hopes he can be ready for the Steel City Cup, otherwise, all roads will lead straight to the Star Sports Derby at Nottingham. He’s currently 66/1 with Star Sports.

➡️ It’s January and a lot of trainers prefer to hide their dogs away through the coldest winter months but Liz and Rab McNair have always believed if their dogs are fit, run them. And my goodness are they fit and well… King Sheeran became the first dog to break the 29.00sec mark with a flying 28.82 for the 500m trip at Hove last Friday. Sheeran is 100/1 for the Star Sports Derby. A couple of days before, the kennel’s King Axle rattled the clock at Central Park for the 480m trip before obliging on Sunday night at the Kent track after a slow start. 

➡️ Antigua Rum was the 8/1 winner of the Coronation Cup with a last to first performance for Mark Wallis. There was bunching in the race which suited the winner who clocked 35.06sec. Owners Amanda and Nic Jeal weren’t there as they have just had their first baby so it was celebrations all round with Nic later tweeting ‘fantastic performance and well done to MW and his team.’

➡️ Ladbrokes Coral also announced they were doubling the first prize money for the Coronation Cup with a £5,000 bonus, totalling £10,000. It’s part of the new 575m Triple Crown at the track which includes the Champion Stakes and Essex Vase. Next year the Coronation Cup will be formally raised to category one status.

➡️ This week I visited the kennels of Yarmouth trainer, Erica Samuels and met her Star Sports Derby hope, Jakes Magic (pictured above and below). He a gorgeous, big, white and fawn dog owned by Erica’s niece and kennel hand, Chloe Fairman. It’s a lovely story because Chloe bought the dog off the internet at four months old after she lost her previous runner and for a while, he didn’t even chase! Nick Savva worked his magic and her boy went on to win the Yarmouth Championship. Now the plan is Hove Winter Derby then all being well, all roads lead to Nottingham, by which time he will be two and a half. He’s currently a 150/1 chance with Star Sports.

➡️ I was pleased to read this week that Nottingham have decided to change their starting traps for the Star Sports Derby. Often I think stats can prove anything, but it did appear that the dogs drawn in traps three and four were at an advantage from an early stage in the 2019 renewal. Even Paul Hennessy, who took full advantage of any bias when his Priceless Blake pinged from trap three in the final, called for change. Once again, in my opinion, Nottingham have been as professional as ever and are doing things the right way.

➡️ I always like to follow nice litters and you don’t get much better breeding than this lot! 7 bitches and 3 dogs that are Magical Bale x Forest Nathalie, born a few days ago at Kevin Hutton’s!! Hands up who wants one of these!! Meeeeeee!!. .


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