News

All the very best to kennel stalwarts Incredible Miss (Missy) and Edies Legacy who have earnt an honourable retirement. Owned, and fondly loved, by club members Nigel Roberts and Dave ‘The Legend’ Staddon respectively – we wish the pair well as they move on to a more placid way of life.

Well done to Druids Gaffney who has again managed (the second time this month) to secure a place in the £750 hurdles final at Sittingbourne this coming Sunday.  It’s a five dog final and Gaffers is beginning to get the hang of things, both, in general and with the Kent circuit. He’s not there to just make up the numbers this weekend – and is close to making a break though into the bigtime.

Preview

Wednesday’s BAGS meeting provides some Norahmac Club racing action.

It’s good news and not so good for Oscar (Lima Oscar).  Whilst the grader has relented somewhat for Oscar and has him entered in the £500 Bonus Series in the 2.47pm A6, it’s still a relatively tough heat. Fingers crossed that Oscar can get into the first three which will give him a tilt at the final on Saturday 28th.

Later on the card Wendy (Hanover Lady) has another crack at a D1, the 3.28pm. A ‘staggering’ £139 to the winner for this contest. Well it feels staggering to us GRA refugees!

A number of her rivals do not have too much in the way of initial early and Wendy may be able to play a leading role in the heat. Trap five looks set for a bit of a clear – and the two combined in a reverse forecast for small money may be worth a flutter.

Thursday’s Open race card features several from the kennel though no club dogs are on show.

Friday sees the commencement of the 2012 Greyhound Derby and the kennel is represented by French Blue in heat eight, whilst on Saturday Cloheena Cash and Droopys Patsy find themselves together in heat twenty one.

All three have suffered minor mishap in their preparation and will need a little luck in running to get through to the later stages. Droopys Patsy faces the toughest of tasks given his youth and relative ability. ‘Johnny’ has bought the t-shirt but is not getting any younger. So perhaps, at the 500-1 available with Ladbrokes and Corals* (1/4 the odds first six), the talented French Blue, may represent the best shout for the kennel.

*shortened from Thursday with these companies but still available in places via oddschecker at time of this edit (Thursday evening)

The Oct ’09 son of Tyrur Lee has plenty of early pace which is an asset in a competition focusing on progression rather than victory, at least until the final stage. It’s fair to say it’s not been easy to keep him sound so 500-1 offers just a sporting each way interest in the toughest of competitions. On a positive note, Norah does feel he could clock around the 28.40 mark with full fitness and decent conditions.

The action continues at Hove on Saturday for the kennel and the club with a big entry throughout the night. Good luck to connections especially those club members with runners on the night.

It’s a pretty big ‘do’ for the club too on Saturday: Oscar (Lima Oscar)  really took to the sea air (and rain and wind) to grab gold in his A6 heat on Wednesday. Unusually fast away, a whiff of a going advantage for the outside had our ’09 black lad pulling clear of his field down the back straight. He stayed on in fine form to land a convincing win, and so takes his chance in the £500 Final at 10.13pm.

With the first three home in the other heat posting faster times, Oscar may well have to continue his improvement at Nevill Road to poach the pot.  Nonetheless he’s in with some kind of shout given the frame of the race – the quicker starters facing the possibility of crowding inside on the first bend.

Earlier in the evening, at 8.02, Lenny (Droopys Leonard) gets to grips with A2 rivals. There are some sharp sorts lined up against our lad but a repeat of last week’s performance would see our youngster go close. Fingers crossed.