Newcastle received the required 36 runners for the £12,500 ARC Northern Puppy Derby, which commences on Thursday.
GM Ian Walton said: “We’ve got to be happy with that. We’ve been well-supported once again.”
“We’ve had quite a lot of trial well, but there are a lot of unexposed pups in there who could be much more well-known in a few months' time. I know Diane Henry thinks a lot of hers, and I gather Maxine Locke and Kevin Hutton do too.”
Neck on the line, pick out a local.
Ian said: “It would have to be Havana Meanie. When he first came to the track, he won an A4 and an open at Nottingham but was then beaten in a couple of A3s. So you think, nice pup, but a good grader”.
“But since he has come back in the new year, he has come on a bundle. He won a Doncaster open in 28.64 and then did a 28.74 around here. He would have to be a big player, you would have thought. Let’s not forget, this was the competition where Links Maverick made his reputation last year.”
And one raider?
“I like the look of Maxine Locke’s Droopys Eunice. She has trialled really well and should progress with more experience of the track.”
Following some fabulous trials at Monmore, as mentioned yesterday, some more of the KSS string have been making a first appearance of 2024 at Hove.
While joint English Derby favourite King Memphis rocked up with a flying 16.21- Gougane Jet’s FOY in 2023 was 16.13 – he wasn’t the star of the show.
That honour belonged to his litter sister Queen Shakira with a stunning 16.11. The track was assessed as -5.