Week ending 11th October 2009

Monday 5th
Firstly sorry to skip a couple of weeks on the blog. Thing's have been rather hectic of late but hopefully I should be able to keep up to date with it now.

Today turned out to be a great day for the kennel with 4 winners.

Burnpark Amy continued her march up the grades with a good win in A4. She came from last to first again to win in 29.61. Amy looks to be shaping into a tidy stayer and will be stepped up in distance shortly.

Gutsy Girl won her first race for us today when leading all the way in her A5. She won in 29.80.

Trade Paco probably stole the show though when winning his A3 in good style, posting a decent 29.32. Paco had been given a Puppy Open at Hove the week before and he certainly benefited from the experience and done the job well at Swindon. He's only had 5 races and will continue to improve.

Lady Jaro completed a fantastic day when just getting up to win her A2 in 29.50. Jaro is a really nice youngster who has done remarkably well since returning from her cracked shoulder blade.

Stanton Jerry came close to making it a five timer for us when just getting caught close home to be denied in his A2.

Tuesday 6th

A busy trial day with 11 dogs all having sprints.

Queue Pea Are returned from a bout of tonsillitis with a good 16.83. Stanton Ollie had been off a month with the cough but moved well enough to record 16.94. Stanton Buddy had been given a 6 week break and it appeared to have done him some good as he recorded a fastest of the day 16.48.

Stanton Bluebell was given a full 3 month seasonal break and she recorded a good 16.63. Bluebell is a really decent bitch when she's on form and she will be heading out on the Open Race scene when fully fit again.

Our 7 new Cork recruits all moved nicely in their first look at Swindon and it will be great to see them progress over the coming weeks. There certainly looks to be one or two top grade hounds amongst them.

Wednesday 7th

A quiet night with only a few runners. Enchanted Cashel was our best result when finishing a close 2nd in his A2.

Thursday 8th

Tonight we took a trip to Hove with Superstar Lily to compete in a Puppy Open. Megan had a look at Hove last week when posting a fastest of the session 30.03 in a trial and ran a blinder to finish 2nd in her race tonight.

We were unlucky to find ourselves in such a good class Open but she more than competed against some top youngsters. This was only Megan's 4th race of her life and will continue to improve. She wont be over raced though and a possible crack at the Oaks is very much in our plans if she continues going the right way.

Friday 9th

A fairly good day produced 2 winners and quite a few seconds!

Well Lilly has hit peak form again and won her A2 in 29.09. She'll be stepped back up in distance again now that she is back running well.

Forest Crash won an A3 in only his second ever race. He trapped fairly well and paced up to the bend nicely to turn second. He showed decent back pace to lead at the third and win well. He recorded a good 29.40 and will be one to watch out for in the coming weeks.

Special mention of Blue Turmoil who had his first race back tonight after exactly 5 months off with a badly injured wrist. He ran an absolute blinder to only be beaten a shd in the A2. Thank fully he returned safe and sound and will be back to winning ways soon.

Saturday 10th

Another excellent night returned 3 winners. Harlequin Heidi won the first race of her career when leading all the way in her A7. She won in 30.01. Heidi has been very unlucky with injuries but is hopefully over them now and she can have some regular running which will do her the world of good.

Hell Razor continues to surprise everyone and won again tonight in A3. He battled really hard to win and gives everything he has every time he goes on the track. He is a smashing little dog. He won in 29.67.

Calling Light completed the night's hat trick when leading all the way to win her A2 in 29.27.

*****September Dog of the Month*****

Hell Razor stands head and shoulders above anything else in this months award.

He won 3 of his 6 races during September and has risen up through the grades from A5 to A3.

He also recorded a personal best time of 29.39.

Week ending 20th September 2009

Monday 14th
A quiet day at swindon produced one winner. Stanton Denis returned to a bit of form when winning his A2 in 29.28.
Tonight we took a trip to Nottingham with Redstone Turk for the first round of the RGT Standard Trophy. We found ourselves in a very hot heat but managed to qualify for the final by finishing 3rd. Although beaten by around 6 lengths to Barrie Drapers hot pot, Turk would find loads of time for having a look round the place and it's great to make the final for a chance to compete against the Lister's of this world.
Tuesday 15th
A fairly busy trial session with 8 dogs going today. Calling Light (29.84), Lady Jaro (29.47) and Bers Rose (29.48) all returned to the racing strength and will be winning plenty of races in the near future. Youngsters Forest Crash (29.58), Forest Jessie (29.83) and Slaneyside Molly (30.26) all went plenty well enough in their first four bend trials. Bet Ya Clodagh (16.52) and Ballinihini Dini (16.51) moved very well in their sprint trials.
Wednesday 16th
A quiet night with only two runners. Ballyphilip Lady ran well enough when finishing 2nd in her A3. Parnell Lee had every chance when finishing 4th in a good A2. He's a nice dog but is struggling to cope with the fast going and is one who will suit the winter going.
Friday 17th
A good day with 3 winners and 3 seconds. Hell Razor continues to surprise everyone and won again today in A3. He ran a really gutsy race to win in 29.68.
Twiglish Whitty relished the inside draw she got for the first time to win her A3 well in 29.49. She's only had a handful of races but has done very well for us.
Superstar Lily got of the mark in only her second ever race, and what a race she ran. Slowly in to stride she suffered a bit of crowding on the run to the bend and took a whack on the bend to leave her in last place coming out of the second. However this didn't faze her and she unleashed her terrific back pace to get her back in to the race and stayed incredibly well to real the leader back just before the line. She took off after the line and was probably running faster in to the drop than at any point in the race. She won in 29.49 and is a really exciting prospect.
Trade Paco, Whateverittakes and Ah Sure Cool all ran well to finish 2nd in their races.
Saturday 18th
What a night this would turn out to be!
From our 9 runners we produced 4 winners and 4 seconds, 2 of which were beaten in photo finishes. With a tad more luck we could of easily walked away with 7 winners tonight.
Mutter To Razor got things off to a great start when winning her first race for us. She's only a baby at March 08 and at just 23kg she is by the far the smallest in the kennel but she has got one big heart! Completely unfazed by the whole night she pulled like a pit bull on parade and totally loves the game. She ran a brave first bend and stayed every inch of the trip to win her A7 well in 29.96.
Stanton Polly got the down grade that she needed to win her trouble filled A4 in a canter. She won in 29.46.
Lady Jaro showed terrific early pace to win her first race back after a short break. She really stretched them out down the back and won her A3 very well in a good 29.27. It was great to see her get her first win after suffering that cracked shoulder blade early on in her career. She is a really nice sort and should win plenty more.
Stanton Tom completed the nights four timer when leading all the way in his A2. He was never in danger of being beaten and won in 29.22.
Dance Izzy was again so unlucky in her A5. She fell out the boxes and was crowded around the bend to leave herself with a lot to do entering the back straight. She showed lovely pace down the back but again got crowded out rounding the third turn which cost her the race. She flew home again and stayed really well in to the drop. Surely she must win next time with just a bit of luck!
Bers Rose ran a blinder in her first race back from season and just got caught on the line to be beaten a short head. She will relish the excellent track conditions we now have at Swindon and will win plenty of races.
Easy Eight returned to something like her old self tonight when just being beaten in a photo finish. She showed her trademark early pace and ran away from them down the back. However she swung really wide off the last bend and gifted the race to the fast finishing 2 dog. It's nice to see her hit a bit of form again and it wont be long before she's back on the Open scene.
Stanton Jerry also ran a blinder to finish second in his A2. He didn't lead but showed a lot of guts to make a real race of it.
In a pre race trial, youngster, Forest Jessie qualified for racing when recording 29.69.

Redstone Turk was due to run in the RGT Standard trophy final at Nottingham tonight, however he had to be withdrawn after suffering a small bout of the cough during the week. It's a real shame to miss out on the chance to run in a good quality final with him but I'm sure there will be plenty more opportunities in the future.

Week ending 13th September 2009

Monday 7th
A really good start to the week with 2 winners from our 5 runners. Stanton Sarah got the down grade that she needed and duly obliged when winning her A4 on the line in 29.53.
Ashby Crown provided the days other winner when comfortably scoring in his A2 in 29.16.
Tuesday 8th
Today's trial session couldn't have gone much better. Queen Merykara (29.79) and Burnpark Amy (29.70) both moved well and returned to the racing strength.
Bers Rose returned from her seasonal break to record a fast 16.55. Calling Light trialled for the first time in a couple of months since spraining a wrist to post 16.73.
Race dogs Ballinihini Dini (16.73) and Harlequin Heidi (16.86) went well after returning from injury.
Unraced pups Forest Crash (16.67), Forest Jessie (17.17) and Slaneyside Molly (17.08) delighted us with their first look at the track. Another set of promising youngsters.
Wednesday 9th
Tonight turned out to be a very good and profitable night!
Redstone Turk won his 509m Open Race by just a neck in the end. He hit the front going into the first bend and showed awesome pace down the back to race 6 lengths clear of a very decent field. However, he again showed that he doesn't run Swindon particuly well by running on the hare rail around the last two bends. The plan was to run him in the Pride of the West at Swindon later in the month but that looks doubtful now. The bookies kindly offered a huge 5/1 about Turk which we found a bit insulting, so we had the pleasure in taking them for a few quid. Turk will be off to Nottingham next for a small competition. This is a nice quote taken from the Racing Post website:
"Redstone Turk (5-2 from 9-2) landed a substantial gamble in a 509m open at Swindon in a contest that proved an unhappy first return to action for last month’s Totesport Gold Collar winner Southwind Harry who was all but brought down at the opening bend and trailed in fifth."
Hell Razor, who never runs a bad race, won an A4 at the first time of asking. He nipped inside on the first bend to take the lead and never looked in danger of being beaten. He won well in a personal best 29.39. He's really learnt the game now and the excellent condition of the track at Swindon now has certainly made a huge difference to him.
Friday 10th
Another very good day with 3 winners and 4 seconds. Stanton Sarah made it two wins in the week when winning her A3 in 29.69. Ah Sure Cool ran a lovely race to lead all the way in his A5, he recorded 29.91. Dance Izzy was a good runner up to Ah Sure Cool and would have gone very close to winning herself but for hitting the rail on the run to bend. She will be well worth a bet next time out if getting a draw nearer the fence. Enchanted Cashel got off the mark for us in his 3rd race when leading all the way in A2. He won in 29.34.
Youngsters Gutsy Girl and Trade Paco both ran very well to finish 2nd in their races tonight. Paco stayed very well to the drop in his race and could be one for a stayers trip in time. Strictly Baileys ran another good race when finishing 2nd in his A2.
Saturday 11th
No winners tonight but again there were some good performances. Queen Merykara had her first start for nearly 9 months and finished a good 2nd in her A3. She led a long way before tiring on the run in. Also in this race, Superstar Lilly made her racing debut. She fell out the boxes as pups often do and lost her way around the opening turns. She showed terrific pace going in to the third bend but there was very little room for her to get through on the rail and she suffered some bad crowding. She's got a lot to learn about the game but is a really promising pup with a lot of ability. Ling ran well in her A2 but just got caught coming home and finished 2nd.
In pre race trials, Lively Lotte improved after her season break to record 29.48 while un raced baby, Mutter To Razor qualified for racing in 30.20