Half-power Lister bids for 11th Derby
CHARLIE LISTER, winner of the Derby and Select Stakes, is operating at reduced power!
Bandicoot Tipoki earned him the honours at Wimbledon in May and, as predicted, track specialist Jordansoilutions did the business at Nottingham last week.
Lister revealed to the Sporting Press: “I used to have close on 55 racing dogs here last year, but I have cut back and keep only 25 or so now.”
SOS campaigners are seeking royal approval
THE Save Our Stow group have written to site owner L&Q’s patron HRH Prince Charles and government departments who fund the housing association to highlight the frustrating impasse at the Chingford Road track.
English champ ready to return to Wallis kennel
KINDA READY will be coming back to England following his narrow elimination from the Ladbrokes Derby at Shelbourne Park over the weekend.
The April ’07 Just The Best dog could finish only fifth to Tyrur Big Mike in the third quarter-final.
Bernie sparkles but it was nearly time for Guinness!
SEAMUS CAHILL was gaining his first Kent Derby victory when Sparklee Bernie lifted the prize at Sittingbourne on Sunday night.
He had a near miss last year when his Carden Bert was beaten by Tony Collett’s Lenson Bolt, but put matters right this time.
The winner came off best after a first bend pile-up to beat kennel pal and outsider Guinness Time.
Laurels cash is chopped by 40 percent
MANY competitions on both sides of the Irish Sea have seen competition prize money diluted in the past couple of years.
The latest casualty in the UK is The Laurels (470 metres) at the cash-strapped GRA track Belle Vue.
This year’s event, which starts in three weeks time, is being sponsored by bookmakers Stan James and the first prize has been slashed to just £6,000.
Titan down to 5s to be Champion
FARLOE TITAN is a best-priced 5-1 favourite (Paddy Power, Ladbrokes, etc) for the Coral Champion Stakes (575 metres), which reaches the semi-final stage at Romford tonight (Friday).
Swindon have a Matt finish!
MATT DARTNALL and Nick Ralph have joined the training ranks at Swindon.
Pam Heasman - she was the sport's queen
THE death of Pam Heasman last week meant the loss of another irreplaceable parchment of greyhound racing’s fine tapestry.
Born in Essex, she died in her sleep and would have been 86 in October.
Pam was a founder member and secretary of the Greyhound Breeders’ Forum in 1967 and on the committee of the Greyhound Trainers’ Association, as well as devoting many years as the breeders’ representative on the British Greyhound Racing Board.
Recognised as one of Britain’s greatest stud keepers and trainers, she operated for years from the famous Denver Lodge kennels, near Nazeing, Essex before moving her operation to Wisbech, Cambridgeshire ten years ago.
Westmead Champ, winner of the St Leger and Gold Collar in 1976 and 1970 TV Trophy winner Hi Diddle were her best-known runners.
It was goodbye Joe in famous Hi-Jack
Theft of the Derby winter favourite left greyhound racing in a state of shock
THE winter favourite for the Greyhound Derby normally attracts plenty of press coverage.
However, just over 45 years ago, the market leader made the headlines for an entirely different reason … he was stolen!
Geoff DeMulder - a magician and a genius
by BOB BETTS
GEOFF DeMULDER, who was outstanding with both greyhounds and people, sadly lost his most important contest last week. He was 79.
Other top trainers – on both sides of the Irish Sea – held him in the highest esteem and regularly paid tribute to DeMulder as a magician and a genius, praise indeed. He deserved all those plaudits and was the father figure to them all.
