Terrible Weather

I had hoped to take some pups for qualifying trials today but all plans where put on hold due to the horrible weather. Heavy, prolonged showers that would have soaked you inside seconds lasted all morning and have left a soggy mess behind. It was even impossible to get any dogs walked this morning. The paddocks are holding up fairly well but I would like to see a good dry spell, even a bit of frosty weather!

The sparks where back today and fitted the rest of the outside lights. Its made a great job of the place as the outside turnout yard is now bright at anytime of the day. The kitchen was delivered yesterday, it came flat pack, and I hope to get it thrown together over the weekend, although joinery was never my strongpoint. I have also secured a hydrotherapy pool which will be a great acquisition when its up and running. All I will be missing will be an all weather gallop which is the last part of the jigsaw, I'm hoping to have progress on that in the middle of the springtime.

Moneyline

I handslipped this lad yesterday from about 50 yards back off the 1st bend as he is returning from a little niggle. He flew around and galloped really well, in comparison to his last trial when I noticed his problem, stretching out all the way into the pick up.

I clocked him from the first sectional mark to the 325 line and his time was pretty good, 3 lengths quicker than what he would need to be doing to win a good sprint. So its all systems go with this lad to get him race fit and ready to make his debut. His a Feb 06 so its time the cotton wool came off. If he fulfills his potential he could be the one that every dog man dreams about!

Its funny, the only one of this litter to race, Premier Fantasy x Maureens Angel, has already won in England. Between seasons and immaturity none of the other 5 have hit the track yet.

Faraday

By all accounts she has settled into her new surroundings very well, I thought she would but you can never be too sure with bitches. She has had three grading trials and all involved are happy with her progress to date. All being well she will make her racing debut within the next couple of weeks.

Drumscraw Bullet

Elite State x This is Mine.

I think I have named this lady correctly, at least I hope so! She has made up into a beautiful racey bitch who tips the scales at around the 59lb mark. I got her marked up two weeks ago after public trials in Lifford where she showed a keen interest in proceedings. She has had two handslips since then and I am very happy with the times clocked to date. Its early days yet but I will put her through the traps and then give her a public trial. If she shows what I think she is capable of then I will hold her back till the spring as she is still a baby.

A few goodbyes

A few friends have left us in Drumscraw for pastures new this week, with another due to leave shortly.

The Brett Lee x Winetavern Mini bitch has come under the ownership of Sammy Nicholson and will be trained by Terry Rafferty. A few of the litter have started schooling and all have graded in easily first time in the traps.

Mottos Friend has returned to Tipp back to the care of Ger O'Reilly. She leaves behind a beautiful litter of 7 pups by Go Wild Teddy who should provide us with some great excitement next year, fingers crossed.

Drumscraw Black, Bond x Droopys Kidman, is having her final schooling trials this week and will then be going to England and will join the racing strength at Crayford. She is a bitch with obvious 6 bend potential going by both her breeding and her schooling to date.

Puppys Thriving

Our litter of Boherduff Light x Blue Amarillo pups are doing very well as they approach 8 weeks old. I'm very tempted to let them outside for the first time as the weather is very mild this last few days but I will resist the temptation until they have had all their shots. At the minute they are tearing around the whelping block and will soon have outgrown it.

The breeding of both sire and dam has been doing well lately. Boherduff Light is starting to get a few very high class winners, all showing good early pace, and Belle's big brother was looking majestic in the Golden Jacket in Galway until injury forced his withdrawal.

It puts it all in perspective

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7092925.stm

Omagh has suffered its fair share of tragedy over the years and it returned with a vengeance last night. A whole family wiped out, Mother, Father and 5 children who where stepping stones from 9 months to 13 years old. The McElhills are from Ederney, just a stones throw over the hill from us here in Drumscra and our thoughts go out to those they leave behind.

A Genius at Work

Its not often that I can say that going to get a greyhound checked for an injury is an enjoyable experience but this was the case yesterday. I took two Premier Fantasy pups down to Tony Collins as there was something amiss with them. I could have spent all day talking to Tony and watching him at work. Thankfully he has found the problem with both dogs and cured the cause of the pain in their wrists. I have never seen a shoulder being rolled before and to say that I was impressed was an understatement, once it was done all pain was removed from the wrist. From this day on there will never be another muscleman who lays a hand on one of my dogs except Tony.

He has done it again!

Last night in Galway Line of Fire was given his debut at the College Road venue ahead of the upcoming 575 stake. He ran from trap 1 in a fairly hot race, which included the 2006 Derby finalist Bar the Devil, and romped home in a very impressive 31.26 setting a new track record along the way. He turned a handy second into the back straight and it was obvious there was only going to be one winner as he glided past BTD and really came home well winning by 3 lenghths. I would think the new track record will not last long as there will be a very high class entry for the stake but maybe he can lower it himself again as the track didnt look to be running fast last night.


http://www.igb.ie/view_results.aspx?track=GLY&date=03-Nov-2007