Lifford Tonight

Its off to Lifford tonight with two runners on an all graded race night.

Snake Barn takes his chance in the second race, an S9 350 yds. He is favourably drawn in T3 but tonight is really all about getting some race experience for this lad. He tips the scales at around the 77lb mark and his future is over 4 bends or possibly even 6 but if the race is won in the grade time he wont be too far away.
http://www.bng.ie/greyhounds.aspx?id=417F5663-B5B2-4094-81A0-801B6CF9CE9F

The second runner is Blue Vixen who takes his chance in the third race, an S7/S8. It will be very tough for this lad as he is making his debut and is in with some dogs who have 5/6 races under their belt, all be it with poor enough form. Poorly drawn in T1 it would be a big surprise if he figures. For some reason the dogs in T1 and T6 seem to be at a big disadvantage over this trip in Lifford, this may not be borne out by the stats but from being there at least two nights a week its an observation that I have made. "Vixen" tops the scales at around the 76lb mark and will make into a decent 4 bend dog in time. For those of you looking in wondering why a dog ended up being called "Vixen" its a strange one! The names of some of our dogs over the years are worthy of a post all of their own!
http://www.bng.ie/greyhounds.aspx?id=DF6FCB29-F60F-481A-B49F-12378CDE4447

These two dogs both have a future over 4 bends and I have been asked in the past why all our young dogs start of by running in sprints. My feeling on it is that 350 in Lifford is a good fair trip to judge a dog on. It doesn't take to much out of young dogs learning their game and there is plenty of time down the line to step them up in distance. The splits between the 325 and 350 line tell me all I need to know about weather a dog will stay or not. Lifford is a great place for a young dog to start its racing career. It has a perfectly prepared surface anytime I'm there and it really is a good fair gallop, if you stay 525yds there you will anywhere as it has a decieving uphill finish. By that I mean there is room for dogs to gallop. A pup may be beaten a good distance in a race but he will have ample opportunity to show a turn of pace in company to see if he is worth persevering with.