Its been a fairly quiet week for once at Drumscraw with nothing much to report. The weather has taken a turn for the better and the grass has come well in the paddocks, makes a change from walking through the muck everyday. The only downside with this is that the ground has got fairly hard and there isn't much of a covering of grass at the minute.
The pups are all doing well and are making the most of the fine weather by sleeping outside at night and doing a bit of sunbathing. I lead trained 10 saplings on Saturday, I slept like a baby on Saturday night, and the majority took to the lead immediately. In particular the three Yeah Man x Express Wish walked like lambs as soon as the lead was strapped onto them, they impress me more every day. Their breeding got another boost this week when their dams's half sister won the Cork Oaks and half brother won the Munster Dash on route to a crack at the English Derby.
Patch, race name Faraday, continues to respond well to treatment for her injury and may make a sooner than expected comeback as her back is nearly right again. The swimming pool is really working the oracle with her as not only is it helping her back but its keeping her fitness levels up. Bullet is entered for next weekend in Lifford, she was slightly off colour last week but appears to be coming back to herself so will take her chances in either a 525,550 or 575 race on the Friday or Saturday. I'm currently scanning the upcoming sweepstakes to see if I can find anything suitable for the Boss but I have drawn a blank so far.
At this stage I'm 95% sure that Belle is in pup but after being caught out with her in the past i cant be 100% until she is scanned at 40 days but fingers crossed. Maldini is going well at this stage and he looks to be the natural successor to his sire who cant go on forever.
Sunday, 20 April 2008
Sunday, 13 April 2008
Family Ties
I take a keen interest in the progress of the offspring from the bloodlines that I breed from and there has been plenty of good news on that front lately.
Di's litter brother's, Ninja Jamie and Farloe Reason, have been going well in the UK and both have live chances in the English Derby which is due to begin at the start of May. In particular Farloe Reason set Hall Green alight in a heat of the Blue Riband this week. He stopped the clock in a sensational 28.11, tr is 28.04. That time is fantastic but when the going allowance of -10 is taken into account it ranks as one of the performances of the year for me. That took his race record to a very nice 10 wins from 14 with 3 seconds and one third, including a track record in Nottingham.
Also going well at present is Farloe Mirror, Di's big sister. She was one of the fastest winners in the first round of the Produce Stakes in Clonmel and I would think she should go a long way in the stake.
Di's litter brother's, Ninja Jamie and Farloe Reason, have been going well in the UK and both have live chances in the English Derby which is due to begin at the start of May. In particular Farloe Reason set Hall Green alight in a heat of the Blue Riband this week. He stopped the clock in a sensational 28.11, tr is 28.04. That time is fantastic but when the going allowance of -10 is taken into account it ranks as one of the performances of the year for me. That took his race record to a very nice 10 wins from 14 with 3 seconds and one third, including a track record in Nottingham.
Also going well at present is Farloe Mirror, Di's big sister. She was one of the fastest winners in the first round of the Produce Stakes in Clonmel and I would think she should go a long way in the stake.
Mineola Di
Di has been on the easy list since she picked up a niggle in a trial. I have took the decision to retire her to the breeding paddocks. She is due in season shortly and there would be no sense in regrading her with a mating to Hondo Black planned. There is no hurrying mother nature but I'm really looking forward to what the future holds with her.
Faraday
Patch has returned from the UK to Drumscraw. Things didn't work out as well as we had hoped for her but that's greyhounds! Her early schooling for me was very promising and I was pretty confident she was a bitch who as a minimum would pick up opens on the UK circuit.
I took her straight to Brian Jones from the boat and he has diagnosed a nerve problem in her back which will require careful rehabilitation if she is to race again. If she doesn't make a successful return then she is assured of a happy retirement in Drumscraw and I may take a litter from her at some time in the future.
I took her straight to Brian Jones from the boat and he has diagnosed a nerve problem in her back which will require careful rehabilitation if she is to race again. If she doesn't make a successful return then she is assured of a happy retirement in Drumscraw and I may take a litter from her at some time in the future.
The Boss
Moneyline is now qualified to race over 4 bends after clocking 2933 in Lifford on Thursday afternoon. I'm happy enough with the time and he will be graded A3 for middle distance races now. Hopefully there will be a confined sweepstake coming up shortly to suit. Hopefully he will come on for the run, he certainly stayed the trip which is encouraging.
Saturday, 5 April 2008
Money Line
The "Boss" made his debut on Saturday last on a very hot novice open sprint in Lifford. By my reckoning we would have to be breaking 19.00 to have a chance, which would leave the winner graded as open class!
We where drawn in a favorable trap 3 and I thought we had a sneak of a chance, however, I had to regrade him on Thursday just 48 hours previously and I had a nagging doubt that would have taken the edge of him that he would need over a shorter trip.
We where drawn in a favorable trap 3 and I thought we had a sneak of a chance, however, I had to regrade him on Thursday just 48 hours previously and I had a nagging doubt that would have taken the edge of him that he would need over a shorter trip.
My worst fears where confirmed when three other runners where bet for very good money with the trap 4 in particular bet as if it couldn't be beaten. We opened favourite but drifted out to 5/2 at the wiping of the boards.
The traps went up and it was encouraging to see Boss quickly into his stride. However, the trap 2 showed some great early to get first run of the bend and scooted clear. He chased valiantly up the home straight closing the gap all the way to the line to be beaten a length in 18.97, I wasn't wrong with the time, and he was in front at the pickup.
Walking off with Boss I was reasonably satisfied with his run. I got him washed off and watched the rerun in the kennels. I was even more pleased after that as Boss and the trap 4 rubbed against each other for the first 80/100 yards which really ruined the winning chance of either of the two. We live to fight another day and he will be stepped up to 4 bends for his next race as he came home with a real rattle.
I will be keeping my eye on the Trap 4, Six Pillars. She is beautifully bred, Droopys Maldini ex Ogillvie Teresa ,who won the NW Oaks, and has some very nice qualifying trials.
The link to the race is below.
http://www.greyhound-data.com/play.htm?video=/video/IE/LFD/2008/LFD-2008-03-29-HT03.flv&name=THE LIFFORD NO 350
Works Continue
We have completed the installation of a layer of insulation to the roof of the main kennel block and it had left it noticeably warmer, which will help cut down on the heating bill. Also on the agenda is a ceiling at a height of 2.1m above the floor to close the roof off.
Go Wild Teddie's
Pictured above with Drumscaw Bullet are the two dogs from the Go Wild Teddy x Mottos Friend June 07 litter. Their half brother Mottos Star is now with Charlie Lister and big things are expected from him. I have these two fellas trained to the lead and they are also being kennelled at night to get them into the habit.
They wont be big dogs, 65lb or so, but they are quick into their stride. It wont be to long before they hit the schooling tracks, probably when they are 14 months.
More Yeah Mans
On my advice and on the opinion that we all have formed on our first experiences with Yeah Mans pups the same connection have purchased another three from a different litter, all black dogs. They are around 7 months old and I'm really very impressed with them. To frank the breeding a little more their grand dam picked up her second consecutive brood bitch of the year award last week, Airport Express for those who don't follow breeding.
These pups have serious potential in my opinion. They have been reared to perfection to this stage and I feel a burden of responsibility to finish them off to let them produce what potential lays in them. Good eaters, quiet in the kennel, aggressive but not bullies I really could go on all day about them!
The test mating for the litter is below.
Filling Up
Over the Easter Weekend we had some welcome visitors to Drumscraw, one returning and two newcomers. Dave, Mick and John had come from Thurles and they brought the pups they had bought with them to be reared along with the Boherduff Light x Blue Amarillo pups they had purchased previously.
We had a good nights craic at Lifford on Easter Sunday night and say some high class racing, all the hotpots got turned over though, including Droopys Robinho and Forest Scholes. Farloe Black really caught the eye with a pre race trial where he clocked a very useful 2845 in his first trial since his injury.
The breeding of the pups the lads delivered, a dog and two bitches, is Yeah Man x Coppeen Flyer. This was my first experience of Yeah Man pups and everything they have done has impressed me.
The boys must have been busy around Tipperary before they came to me as they bought four more pups out of two different litters! A dog and a bitch from Yvonne Harrington's nicely bred Rum Pusher ex Droopys Scolari and a dog and bitch from fellow blogger John Moyles's Bantiss Jymmi ex Droopys Vieri. The test mating of all three litters is below.
http://www.greyhound-data.com/dbtestmating.php?&sireid=1026715&damid=1260655
http://www.greyhound-data.com/dbtestmating.php?&sireid=1076867&damid=1025132
http://www.greyhound-data.com/dbtestmating.php?&sireid=65365&damid=1125170
The remainder of the pups followed up the round the following Wednesday along with Belle and all have settled in perfectly. I will be very disappointed if some of these do not go onto very good things.
We had a good nights craic at Lifford on Easter Sunday night and say some high class racing, all the hotpots got turned over though, including Droopys Robinho and Forest Scholes. Farloe Black really caught the eye with a pre race trial where he clocked a very useful 2845 in his first trial since his injury.
The breeding of the pups the lads delivered, a dog and two bitches, is Yeah Man x Coppeen Flyer. This was my first experience of Yeah Man pups and everything they have done has impressed me.
The boys must have been busy around Tipperary before they came to me as they bought four more pups out of two different litters! A dog and a bitch from Yvonne Harrington's nicely bred Rum Pusher ex Droopys Scolari and a dog and bitch from fellow blogger John Moyles's Bantiss Jymmi ex Droopys Vieri. The test mating of all three litters is below.
http://www.greyhound-data.com/dbtestmating.php?&sireid=1026715&damid=1260655
http://www.greyhound-data.com/dbtestmating.php?&sireid=1076867&damid=1025132
http://www.greyhound-data.com/dbtestmating.php?&sireid=65365&damid=1125170
The remainder of the pups followed up the round the following Wednesday along with Belle and all have settled in perfectly. I will be very disappointed if some of these do not go onto very good things.
Belle Returns
Blue Amarillo returned from Portlaw in perfect order, hopefully with a litter of pups on board. I'm very happy with my choice of Droopys Maldini as he is really starting to produce the high class of winners that I had hoped he would. Its nice to note that a large proportion of the dams who have produced to Maldini are sired by Top Honcho. Thanks again to Lenny and Seamus for their reliable transportation.
http://www.greyhound-data.com/dbtestmating.php?&sireid=720266&damid=1217814
http://www.greyhound-data.com/dbtestmating.php?&sireid=720266&damid=1217814
Drumscraw Bullet
Bullet made her step up to four bends on 15/03 over 525 in Lifford and it was a case of mixed fortunes. Drawn nicely in trap 3 she opened odds on but good money came for trap 2 and at the bell our girl had eased to 4/1 with the jolly going off at 6/5.
At trap rise my hopes raised as she came out in front level with the nicely bred Minnies Svetlana with the favourite getting a nice tow in behind the Bullet. A nice turn of early pace saw our girl a length or so clear going into the first bend. At this point it all started to go wrong!
Either the trap 5 clipped her heels or she slipped but Bullet lost her action and at one stage I thought she wasn't going to get round the second bend. This cost her the race as the eventualy winner trap 2 bolted up the inside to take charge going into the back straight with trap 5 second and Bullet third about 4 lengths adrift. We made good progress down the back side but the same problems occurred at the third and fourth bend and more ground was lost.
However, the Bullet is made of very stern stuff and she put her head down in the home straight to catch Minnies Svetlana in the shadow of the post to steal second finishing 4 3/4 lengths behind the winner Stratus Faction in a time of 29.44, which leaves us with an estimated time of 29.77.
On returning to the paddock it was evident all wasn't well as she was trailing her right back leg although she wasn't visibly lame. The next morning told the tale as she was very sore on both her right shoulder and right hip. A trip to Declan McCambridge confirmed my thoughts and she has been on the easy list since. Two weeks on the lead coupled with daily massage appears to have done the trick as I gave her a couple of gallops and a handslip since and she is sound as a pound. I will give her a spin over 4 bends before re-entering her. Hopefully a nice sweepstake will turn up for her in the mean time.
Below is the link to the race courtesy of greyhound-data.
http://www.greyhound-data.com/play.htm?video=/video/IE/LFD/2008/LFD-2008-03-15-HT06.flv&name=THE LIFFORD A5 525
At trap rise my hopes raised as she came out in front level with the nicely bred Minnies Svetlana with the favourite getting a nice tow in behind the Bullet. A nice turn of early pace saw our girl a length or so clear going into the first bend. At this point it all started to go wrong!
Either the trap 5 clipped her heels or she slipped but Bullet lost her action and at one stage I thought she wasn't going to get round the second bend. This cost her the race as the eventualy winner trap 2 bolted up the inside to take charge going into the back straight with trap 5 second and Bullet third about 4 lengths adrift. We made good progress down the back side but the same problems occurred at the third and fourth bend and more ground was lost.
However, the Bullet is made of very stern stuff and she put her head down in the home straight to catch Minnies Svetlana in the shadow of the post to steal second finishing 4 3/4 lengths behind the winner Stratus Faction in a time of 29.44, which leaves us with an estimated time of 29.77.
On returning to the paddock it was evident all wasn't well as she was trailing her right back leg although she wasn't visibly lame. The next morning told the tale as she was very sore on both her right shoulder and right hip. A trip to Declan McCambridge confirmed my thoughts and she has been on the easy list since. Two weeks on the lead coupled with daily massage appears to have done the trick as I gave her a couple of gallops and a handslip since and she is sound as a pound. I will give her a spin over 4 bends before re-entering her. Hopefully a nice sweepstake will turn up for her in the mean time.
Below is the link to the race courtesy of greyhound-data.
http://www.greyhound-data.com/play.htm?video=/video/IE/LFD/2008/LFD-2008-03-15-HT06.flv&name=THE LIFFORD A5 525
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