A Day Off!

Colette is currently off, as the schools are closed for Halloween holidays, so we set off for a day trip to Murvagh Beach with Ben. It is a beautiful unspoilt cove off the Donegal Bay about 45 mins drive from home. Sometimes I think we don't appreciate the fantastic scenery on our own doorsteps as we are spoilt by seeing it so often. It was great to get a day away from home, many thanks to my cousin for keeping an eye on things back at the kennels. We came home tired but in great form. Its great to feel the salt spay and smell the sea air, it has a great revitalising quality.

Amarillo Update

Its hard to believe that over three weeks have past since Belle delivered her litter as the time has flown in. Its been very pleasing to watch their progress as everything has went like clockwork. The weight has piled on and they are a good size now. There is one bitch in particular who I am very taken with, she is pictured above nearest the camera, and the two dogs are very impressive at this stage.

Belle has taken to mother hood very well and is doing a great job feeding the pups. She still has plenty of milk so I will hold of on weaning the pups for as long as possible. She has regained her sparkle and I take her out into a paddock every day to stretch her legs and relieve the boredom.

Elite State x This Is Mine

This lady just turned 12 months a couple of weeks ago and has now been lead trained and brought into in the main kennel block. I have to say I like what I have seen from her to date. She walked like a pro within 10 mins and hasn't let a yelp out of herself since being kennelled.

She has been hunted and she definitely has a nice turn of pace so fingers crossed it can be transferred to the track. I would think "brownie" will race at around the 60lb mark and she is very easy on the eye with a sleek racy physique. You never know she could be the female Catunda Harry.

Kennel Cough

When I went into the kennels for roll call this morning I heard a noise all people involved with dogs dread to here, a dog coughing. I checked all the dogs over and although there is only one coughing there appears to be a few who are below par as tonsils are swollen etc. I have separated them from the general population as best I can and fingers crossed it wont spread to all the dogs. It's surprising that the dog who is coughing hasn't left the yard for 2 months but he could have caught it off one of the saplings who went for schooling this week. Fingers crossed that its not too severe a strain.

Frustration

It was a case of less said easier mended last night. There was a runner out of the home kennels on the card in Lifford last night. He had been entered for a Sprint, he is a doubtful stayer, and much to our surprise when the card was published he was in an A3 525. This was more than a little annoying but I began to question the intelligence of those involved when I rechecked his form and saw that he doesn't have an official 525 trial in his form. This meant that he was ineligible to run and it was going to be a wasted journey. I have yet to here what was said when he was presented at the weigh in last night but I would think it was "colourful" to say the least.

I'm not one for conspiracy theories as I understand that the RM has a difficult enough task, however, that's the last three greyhounds entered by connections who have been put on the card over a different distance to that which they where entered for. Keeping the dogs sound and running can be a difficult enough task without them running over unsuitable distances but if you don't show when on the card you are stood down for a fortnight, unless the dog is trained by a "high profile" trainer but that's a story for a different day.

Bond x Droopys Kidman

I sold a nice unnamed black bitch from this litter to a Crayford based syndicate headed up by Les Meridith a few weeks ago as an unschooled sapling. She has been moved into the kennel block and been put in training since then and has took it all in her stride.

She has had 2 handslips to date and was put through the boxes for the first time at Lifford yesterday. She stopped the clock at 18.72 which is 4 lengths inside the grading time and there appears to be plenty left in the tank yet so she looks to be a nice buy for the lads. Judging by her style of galloping, and her breeding, she will have no problems seeing out a stiff 4 bends and with a bit of patience her future could be over extended distances.

A sprint trial in company is next on the agenda before stepping up to 4 bends. I will keep you all posted on her progress.

A return to blogging

After a fairly hectic period I have returned to update the Kennel Blog. Please take some time to read my rambling posts and if you have any comments or suggestions then feel free to write away. I have included a picture that Colette sneakily snapped, I'm very camera shy, that she says shows me at my happiest and I cant say I disagree.

Faraday

Patch as she is better known to the team at Drumscraw left last week for her racing career in the UK. Anyone who I talk to regarding the dogs knows how high a regard I have for this lady and I think she could do big things if she progresses from her schooling as she should.

I have entrusted her to the care of Lance and Pam Burford and the team at iceman racing. She has been leased to Neil Duggan of yoursitedesigned.com for her racing career and will return to Drumscraw for a breeding career in the paddocks along side her dam Maureens Angel. She will get the very best of care at the Burford's fabulous kennel complex and I'm looking forward to paying her a visit once she has settled and found her feet.

Below are links to a few sites where Patches progress can be followed.
http://www.icemanracing.co.uk/
http://zigzagwookie.blogspot.com/

Boherduff Light X Blue Amarillo

We whelped a lovely litter of 2 Black Dogs, 2 Blue Bitches and 1 Black Bitch on the 05/10/07. Belle initially struggled with milk production but with a little help via supplementary feeding the pups thrived. By day 5 there was sufficient milk available to feed all the pups and I could catch up on the lost sleep, relax and enjoy a litter that I had been looking forward too for a long time.

The pups are now marching on for 3 weeks and I couldn't be happier with their progress to date. They have gained weight at a great pace and it would be very hard to choose between them at this stage, although I have a very soft spot for one of the two blue bitches who will definitely be staying at Drumscraw! There eyes are now open and this is where the craic begins.

The weekend that the litter was born Belle's big brother scorched around Lifford at the gala meeting in aid of the Zambian Orphanage Project smashing the track record in the progress. Below is a link to the video of the run and I will never tire of watching it.

http://www.greyhound-data.com/play.htm?video=/video/IE/LFD/2007/LFD-2007-10-07-HT08.flv&name=DERRYSLTDOPEN575

I had more than a few interested in a pup that night!

GWT Pup update

The litter of GWT pups x Mottos Friend are now just over 4 months old and I have to say I'm very pleased with them. They have everything you could ask of pups of their age and I really like their spirit. They run all day and are great eaters which is always a big plus for any pups. I have sold a dog to Andy Marsh from Bristol, he is staying on a Drumscraw to be reared with his litter mates and I hope he is the first of many that Andy entrusts to our care.

Reports have reached me of Mottos second litter who are just starting to school. Two in particular are scorching round and have been put away for the winter to mature which is a positive sign on its own. Fingers crossed.

Works Finished

I have finished the first phase of the my plans for the kennels. I now have the following facilities.

8nr single kennels
4nr double kennels
2nr whelping kennels
4nr turnout yards
A fitted kitchen and food preperation area
2nr large rearing pens
1nr medium rearing pen
All hardstandings and outside yards have been concreted to allow for regular cleaning and washing.

I'm very pleased with the quality of finish of the works to date and will sit tight with what I have until the spring time. Then, weather permitting, I will construct an additional 2/3 medium rearing pens/brood pens and convert an existing building into a covered turnout yard.

I will shortly be investing in a new 3 dog walking machine, I would prefer to buy second hand bu they are like the proverbial hens teeth. I have been pricing around for them and hope to have one fitted by the end of next week as the dark evenings have closed in and the winter weather is fast approaching. Fingers crossed I have managed to source a second hand swimming pool and if so will have it fitted asap. Also on the wish list is a Portamag box and an Ultrasound machine, are you reading Santa Claus?

I have grandiose plans for phase two of my facilities but will be keeping my cards close to the chest until I see how the scene in the UK plays out.

PS. Photos of all the works will follow in due course

Crack Commando

This lad left us after doing the business first time of asking and left to further a career over tracks in England that better suited his style of running.

http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?l=1340168

He duly did won first time up at Mildenhall and has had very little luck since, including a nasty fall. Hopefully he can regain his confidence and get back to winning ways.

His litter sister won first time up over 4 bends in Lifford in a very promising 29.31 at outrageous odds of 6/1. She had been entered for a sprint which explains why she ran friendless in the market but she is a nice bitch none the less and this was only her second attempt at the distance. Her race can be seen on the link below.

http://www.greyhound-data.com/play.htm?video=/video/IE/LFD/2007/LFD-2007-10-05-HT04.flv&name=THELIFFORDA8525

On the same card Pernicious, another litter sister, was an unlucky loser in a 350. She had been entered for a 525 and I think the racing office got the two mixed up as they both ended up in the wrong distances. She will win over 4 bends in the right grade but will be harshly penalised for her sprint time now. The link to her race is below.

http://www.greyhound-data.com/play.htm?video=/video/IE/LFD/2007/LFD-2007-10-05-HT01.flv&name=THELIFFORDS8350

Bower Venus

Venus was mated to Premier County on 13/08/07. It was a mating I had high hopes for as it doubled up on supersire Slaneyside Hare and also included two rock solid damlines in Wise Plan and the Minnies line. I was 100% sure that she was in pup, even getting her innoculated, but her due date came and went.

I took her to the vets two days after just to be on the safe side and they confirmed that she hadnt carried a litter. I am left with either one of two outcomes, either a phantom pregnancy or an aborted litter that was reabsorbed. Its all very puzzling.