November update

Boots finished 2nd in a stake at Tralee and after showing good early pace threw away his own race by not getting on with the job - penny hasn't dropped yet so he's gone over the pond to Monmore to pursue his racing career there with Kirsty Turner and Dave Haywood. He's travelled over well and settled in to his new surroundings very quickly so hopefully he'll go through the grades and go on to be the dog we thought he might be. He definitely has pace so be interesting to see how he goes.

Ballymac Swift ran her usual good race over 550 at Cork a couple of weeks ago but did not start racing until the finish line so decided no more 4 bend races and back up to 750+ - she raced last night in a D3 at Tralee and was beaten a length and she finished fast and strong so 845 in Newbridge next week providing it fills. We really think she'll stay further so HX still on our minds in December.

One of the Kinloch Brae sisters Heather's Hare started well at Romford winning on her first race course appearance at 4-1 they are still very young so would hope they can improve and go through the grades at Romford for their new owners.

Greyhound Derby 2011

Found this pic from English Derby 2011 - a fine pub\hotel and what a good looking guy in the photo :-)

RIP Bella 13 years and nearly 3 months :-(

I posted this a few years ago about Bella - thought it relevant to her passing today.

Hi, my name is Bella, I am a 9 and a half year old greyhound.

I started life like so many of my kind, reared in full freedom, fed the best and catered for by my caring rearer.

At 12 months I was introduced to a schooling track, wow, that was some excitement, I couldn’t wait to go back.

At 16 months I was taken to a race track and raced for the first time against 5 other greys, the thrill of it all is beyond words..

I was sold from Ireland to my new owner Richard Newell at 2 years old and started racing at Perry Barr. My trainer continued to feed me well and exercised me regularly. I had checks at vets and muscle men manipulating me, I was in prime condition and performed to the best of my capabilities. I was stepped up in trip and started winning some good races, then Richard began to take me Open racing all over the country. I knew I was going to have some excitement every time Richard’s car drew up at the kennels and I couldn’t wait to get in the car and go racing.
I won several races and won a race on a SKY night where I was paraded around the track like I was a Queen!

I did eventually pick up an injury, an injury I could have picked up in a field just as easy as on a race track. My owner tried to fix me but alas I had to be retired. I am now 9 and a half years old and still live at Richard’s place with a few others of my kind, we all get on but I am so jealous when Richard opens his car door and my friends jump in to go racing, I try my best to jump in there with them and go for another race, sadly I can’t, but I still get walked every day, I get fed well every day, I get the occasional run about in the nearby farmers field, I have had a good life and I am enjoying my retirement despite being unable to race.

Often when out walking with Richard he talks to me about the people out there that want to stop me and my kind from racing. I don’t understand why anyone would want to stop us from doing what we love to do. I know that thousands of my kind are rehomed upon retirement from racing and live out their lives in similar conditions to myself.

There are a few scary fairy tales about dogs being abused but Richard and I both know, along with thousands of other sensible people that these are just a small minority of cases and the people that want to stop me and my kind racing glorify these negatives when in reality the vast majority of us greyhounds have a great life, I really wouldn’t want to be any other animal!

Time for a snooze now and I’ll dream about catching that hare!

Yours Bella

A nearly weekend

Boots comes 2nd by a head in his 2nd race - still running like a big baby with loads to come (hopefully!)

Swift comes 3rd but is on easy street now for a month or so and then think we'll prepare her for the Ted Hegarthy at HX as I think she'll stay 1000 yards. With very few marathons in Ireland think we'll have to consider selling her in the New Year which is a shame but really no point keeping her if that's the trip she wants - it's hard enough finding 750 races!

Our Kinloch Brae bitches, Heather's Hare and History, are now sold to our friends in Romford that had Newmac King and Boudica - good luck to them and hope they go through the grades for their new owners!

Boots 3rd

Boots totally missed his break after showing good trapping in trials, but still ran credibly in to 3rd place. We'll try and find an A6/7 stake for him now over 525. The win time was good and considering he's not even seen the hare in running think the experience will have done him the world of good.

Galway races was great craic, both Ballybrit and the Dog Track - backed the A5 Oran Majestic winner but had a sweat on the photo finish :-)

Boots has his first race Saturday night (4th August)

Typical of all the night's he could race I am away at Galway races LOL! He has trap 3 and have high hopes for him, trap 1 would have been better but sure we'll see where he goes from 3.

1st 525 trial for one of the Kinloch Brae bitches

Heather's History 1st time in a box at Tralee in a 525 trial completely missed the kick and unlucky not to qualify in 30.88 but for missing it she'd have easily qualified. The winner had flown in 29.83 so can't judge her on that trial really and she'll surely qualify next time. Her sister Hare is going for a trial next week.