Hatrick and Joint Top

The Prince (Lisa's Invader) won his 13th race yesterday at Monmore and now joins Comical Raffles on top on the leader board with an amazing 13 wins.

Despite taking on dogs such as Nancys Mentor who has previously been in A1 class, he broke again and led all the way to win by two and a half lengths in 29.07.

With 13 wins recorded from just 55 starts he has won just over 1 in 4 of all his starts. The normal record if you are lucky is 1 in 6. He has won in 6 different grades, A8 to A4 over 480 metres and S4 to S5 over 630 metres. Another strange about the Prince is that his brother has sired 17 offspring in South Africa!! perhaps they fancy the Prince as the Springbok Top Honcho!!!

I purchased the Prince as a sapling for song with my Kerryman friend Ray Allen. We don't know how we know each other so don't ask. Any he sent my wife and I a cracking email this morning shown below, reproduced for this benefit only, you best speak to him direct if you need him to write any press releases for your company. One line was deleted to protect an innocent 3rd party.

Hi MA hope your doing well its been long time no email.
Anyway what did you make of the prince yesterday leading a high class A4 field a merry dance in the 2.27 at monmore and in doing so equalling the long standing Comical Raffles record of 12 wins (recording a slightly better win/run ratio taking Comical 59 runs and the Prince only 54 races)

Im guessing like my office yours shut down for 10 minutes so you could all pile into your local betting shop to watch. Corals in High Holborn are reporting losses of near on £1 million their highest ever loss for a “BAGS” race

Moving on just showing how one thing leads to another I had a pretty rough day yesterday “career wise” too many meetings et al!

So when I spoke to the wozza (chicka) last night I was doing some moaning about the day that was. Then I mentioned the Prince was the only good thing too have happened to me today (quickly correcting myself to include “ah talking to you twice of course today” were the other positives of Monday) so I proceeded to tell her that not only had the prince won but he had done so in style on the TV!!!!!!!( I didn’t mention that it was in fact on the bookies telly where I along with 2 other punters 1 eating a Big Mac watched the race)

My god, she replied “…..I feel like a WAG”…………….” You never tell me anything………go on tell me about the race”

Understandably I went into overdrive giving it loads………………………..

Then I had another taught…………..to make a long story short M Burt reckons the prince is showing marked improvement for 1 of 2 reasons
1. Flynn insisting on him having Milky Bar Stars instead on buttons on his Sunday walk

2. The Prince being shacked up in his kennel with a new female dog

I forgot to mention the milky stars but emphasised point 2……………………………..

I could feel the wozza picking herself up at the other end of the phone

“yes she replied that can make a huge difference bringing the correct female dog into the Princes life……………..perhaps shes doing some smooching in the kennel with him” she went on. She firmly believes the Prince to be at ease with himself being extremely happy in his everyday life……………..she said she had seen it happen with others in the past

By now I was understandably taken in by the Prince and his state of mind so I posed the question

“do you think we should change the female dog kennelled with the Prince in the foreseeable future to keep his mind active coz Martin has got loads more…………I continued saying you cant beat a bit of variety kind of seeing whats out there”

The answer of a resounding noooooooooooooooooo came down the phone stressing that it was important for the Prince to have some continuity and support in his racing! She went on to suggest that the female was defo getting something out of this as well, the female may be quiet and reserved but obviously showed major signs of liking “her prince” and for e.g showing no signs of jealously when understandably the prince would have several more choices available to him when he would collect Greyhound of the month at Monmore for feb ( Oi Oi)

To be fair I was intrigued in the conversation its bizarre how much some people know about their greyhounds but it was getting late so I said goodnight and went to sleep with James Whale and Talk sport radio

Belle's Brother Flies Yet Again

It was great to see the videos from Shelbourne Park last night featuring Blue Amarillo's brother Line of Fire. Over an adequate trip of 525 metres he showed his amazing back straight pace to win his heat of the Shelbourne Tote Gold Cup. Line of Fire has already won the 2007 25,000 John J.Casey Open 575 at Shelbourne Park and holds the Lifford 575 track record 31.05. Paul dropped me a text today to say Belle flew up the gallop and really showed the pups how to gallop. Coming in to season as often as she did we never really could get to the bottom of her but she did have some serious pace. I'm sure all the pups will be the same. Being out of Boherduff Light they should have lightning early pace.

Sunday Report

Had a cracking morning up at Martin's this morning walking the Prince and Sammy. Prince had extra Milky Way Stars after winning on Thursday.

Tomorrow see's them both in action. Prince has been upgraded to A4!!! Come on!! Whilst Avenue continues in A5.

Barnfield Beaten

I went up to the track again this evening and there were a number of classy looking pups in the Puppy Derby Trial Stakes which was complimented by Barnfield on Air running in the final Open. I have known one of Barnfields owners, Steve Murphy, for a long time and he is one of real good guys of the sport. He has been lucky to own some super dogs including Ballymac Kewell and Ballymac Rooster. Any way we managed to catch up with each other news which was great. I didn't tell him about the Prince as I'm sure he knew any way about Barnfields major Derby danger!!! This was Barnfield first run of the season. He missed the break from Monmores shocking trap one box then showed great pace up only to slaughtered twice around the first two bends. He some how managed to grab third place only beaten 2 lengths and a short head!!!

In the Trial Stakes these were the ones that stood out to improve more :-

Burnpark Champ (Honcho Classic x Burnpark Circle) won in 28.50 despite running from a wide trap 6. Middle should suit him even more.

Barnfield Loreto (Droopys Maldini x Droopys Beauty) finished second after giving Droopys Ivanovic (Yeah Man-Droopys Roberta) a massive start. Huge improvement to come. No link on this one yet.

Coolavanny Train (Top Honcho-Coolavanny Blue) was bought out of Kerry and ran very well despite never being to Monmore before and being crowded.

Gold Whisper (Tucks Mein-Lethal Cludia May) showed rapido early and could well in the Derby at a big price. Top kennel hand as well!!

Perfect Prince

The Prince (Lisa's Invader) made a perfect return to the track on Thursday night. After being upped by 2 grades to a grade he had never ran in before by the Racing Manager, he showed great early pace to lead round the corner. The well backed favourite closed around the final bend yet the Prince kicked on to record his 12th career win and to move within one of Comical Raffles's Jimmy in Boys record of 13 wins.

The winning time was an amazing 28.96!! This is his fastest ever time and it looks very likely he will be upped in grade again.

How things turn around in a week!!

Up and Downs

Owning a greyhound of any age is like going on a rollercoaster, you are flying one minute and then crashing down hill the next.

Faraday has sprained her wrist so will be off for a month. At the same time she had a blood time but that has shown up clear. When she arrived we were full of hope, yet despite all Lance's good care and my endless enthusiasm she has just not had a things fall in place for her.

Then the "Prince" trials back last week and flies round and is up 2 grades after a lay off!! So frustrating!! Both trials have shown he is well over his injury and he should come back better than ever.

Growing Litter

Dave and I have selected "Socks" to be our representative from Belle's first litter out in Nothern Ireland. The pups look to be growing past and are big enough to go out for a hunt to keep them on their toes.
By the look of the photos they look to be having a great time.

Avenue breaks the 2008 Duck

Avenue Guide produced his quickest time since Deceber when winning this afternoon at Monmore Green at odds of 3/1. I didn't back him as I was unable to see the race live and his constant missed breaks don't really make him jump out to bet.

Clonmel Post

I have just returned from a fantastic week in County Tipperary. The coursing and the track racing was high quality. Sadly my Derby bet Sandy Sea got beat in the final to a deserving winner (in my five tipped) Razor Ashmore.

I had a bag full of winners at the track to pay towards the ever increasing rate of the weeks entertainment.

Rosco does it again

Iceman Ross returned from his winter break and yet again landed another major prize at Coventry, this time the Winter Derby to add to his Summer Derby. He has won 17 times now at the Brandon venve and is a real credit to Lance and Pam Burford who own him. He really must be a real dream to own. He is the real boss of Lance's kennels and is very partial to take any sandwiches that the local fisherman leave unprotected when he goes on his morning walk.

Clonmel at Last

This week see's me head to the Emerald isle for the National Cousing Championships at Clonmel. I will be cheering for the dogs that are based near to by adopted Irish home in Kerry.

These will be Ballyduff Magic + Flowonlovelyriver in the Derby and Tupele + Birds Baby + Speckled Wood in Oaks. Paddy's brood Giveittopaddy has produced 2 runners, Speckled Wood and Beautiful Sunset.

My own fancies are the following :-

Derby - Droopys Pete - Razor Ashmore - Scotch Action - Sandy Sea - Ballyduff Magic

Oaks - Crafy Kalisto - Multiplex - Droopys Scotch - Skellig Berg - Valentia Singer

Thee week is about seeing some great sport and meeting up with old friends over a few jars. I normally return totally shattered as there is coursing in the day, track on the night, then a touch of being social...............its tough going. We are staying over an extra day this year to go National Hunt racing on the Thursday.