/ The Lord / 24 February 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Good times roll at Wimbledon
"It’s all about the youngsters on Tuesday with a quite brilliant line-up for the £5,000 Juvenile... "
With a busy week in prospect, the Lord fills us in on the latest goings on from down the dogs...
Eyes down for a sparkling few days of greyhound racing with the final of the Golden Jacket at Crayford on Saturday (BAGS/SIS) followed by a gala card at Wimbledon on Tuesday for Racing Post Juvenile night (Sky) - in which a number of possible runners in the upcoming Betfair Trainers' Championship are being given a taste of Plough Lane ahead of the big night on March 22.
Of course, it's all about the youngsters on Tuesday with a quite brilliant line-up for the £5,000 Juvenile, arguably the best there has ever been. It might be missing the outstanding but ill-fated Rayvin Giovanni and his one-time kennel companion Droopys Oscar, but the six going to traps over 480m live on Sky Sports next week ooze class nevertheless.
Derby favourite Boher Paddy will lead Charlie Lister's challenge as he bids to make it seven wins from seven in the UK; Lister's great rival Nick Savva sends out two of last year's major puppy race winners Westmead Maldini (Northern Puppy Derby) and Westmead Shaw (Henlow Puppy Derby), while from Ireland Dolores Ruth brings over the precocious Razldazl Jayfkay.
He is the dog whom Ruth had said was destined for stardom at 12 months old, and he's progressing along very nicely, thank-you. And with Ireland in mind, Kelly Macari has last year's Irish Puppy Derby third in her kennel in the shape of Mill Bling Bling, while completing the field is the Harry Williams-trained Blue Artisan, the brilliant Gymcrack winner of last year.
It is a line-up that has the purists purring. But Tuesday is also about Lister warming his team up for the Betfair Trainers' Championship as he sends out the likes of Jordansoilutions and Was Not Me, although interestingly Lister is not represented in the six-bend or sprint events where three of his rivals on March 22, Mark Wallis, Seamus Cahill and Chris Allsopp, do have runners.
*
Tuesday at Wimbledon sees a fantastic on-paper clash between the last two English Derby winners in the shape of Kinda Ready (2009) and last year's Classic hero Bandicoot Tipoki.
It really is something special to behold, and add to the line-up last year's Irish Champion Stakes winner Makeshift and Produce Stakes hero Saint Jack and racegoers at Wimbledon, not to mention those watching at home, are in for a thriller.
*
Sadly a three-way clash between Grand National winner Plane Daddy, Irish Grand National winner Junior Mac and in-form Sizzlers Spirit in the hurdles race on Tuesday has been thwarted. Plane Daddy is out for a month, likewise Junior Mac.
It means Sizzlers Spirit has an easier assignment, albeit with Springbok champ Clonkeen Theo among the opposition.
*
Wimbledon, the area, really is flavour of the month just now. Fantastic crowds at the greyhound racing and now talk of AFC Wimbledon looking for a new ground. The former one-time darlings of Plough Lane, giant-killing FA Cup winners against Liverpool, are now based at Kingstonians ground but would prefer a base back in home borough Merton - and that is exactly where the dogs are.
"It just makes sense," said one insider. "The greyhound track has undergone changes, the track is suddenly showing potential and moving in the local football side, a progressive one it should be said, and probably heading back to the football league, would be perfect. Football by day, and the dogs in the evening. Ideal."
*
Waltham Forest councillors are due to meet representatives of Stow owners London & Quadrant to try and understand the housing association's delayed plans for the iconic site.
"The council is getting fed up and frustrated at the lack of progress with Walthamstow Stadium," said one insider. "There is a blatant case of land-banking going on at the cost of tax-payers. We're not far from one or two ultimatums being delivered to the door of L&Q."
With a busy week in prospect, the Lord fills us in on the latest goings on from down the dogs......
A big month is in store at the south west London track with the Sky cameras set to broadcast live on two occasions...
Trainers get in the mood for March 1 showdown, talking dog puts up and will they let the dogs out at Kempton and Towcester?...
No comments:
Post a Comment