BAGS Dogs To Watch: Three more greyhounds enter the Virtual Kennel

BAGS / The Hawk / 21 January 2009 / Leave a Comment

The Hawk has his beady eye on the UK BAGS racing scene and has added another few hounds to the Virtual Kennel. Catch up with those selections here...

Salacres Lisa is presently plying her trade at Nottingham in A5 contests and although finishing last on Monday night she gets placed in our virtual kennel.

She went off on track at [5.0] joint fourth in the market behind kennelmate and winner Salacres Power at [2.75], but her overall form bears the closest scrutiny and given that she was the youngest dog in that line-up she has more scope than any of the other five dogs in Monday's race. I can see her winning soon.

She mistimed her break, recording a poor 5.43 second sectional (she's averaging sub 5.40ies in her nine races) and was badly baulked and never in the hunt. As a consequence she may well start a bigger price than she should next time, and if getting away a little better I can see her going close.

She has previously been beaten just a short head in this grade and has already won at this level before. Interestingly she's three from seven in trap five.

Salacres Lisa, Nottingham A5


Swift Blade is a classy wide-running staying type who really caught the eye on Monday night and simply has to be winning soon. Her race record reads 10 from 35, and she has been [2.75] or less in four of her last five races. Her style is high, wide and handsome - and late! On Monday she actually surprisingly, trapped smartly recording 5.34 seconds just 0.01 behind the leader. But the Oct 2006 Open racer was knocked and forced wide around that first corner losing his position. But as usual he ran on strongly to record a 31.47 seconds finish, one-and-a-half lengths behind the [4.0] second favourite.

Swift Blade has been running over further away from Colwick Park of late, but if he returns to the top grade he should not be missed.

Swift Blade, Nottingham A1


Blue Hawaii was most unlucky not to collect at Hall Green on Wednesday lunchtime. This April 2005 hound is no spring chicken having run no less than 73 times, but he is now racing in A4 company and he is better than that level, even at this stage of his career. He won an A3 on December 21, and although he does need the line at times as he only just stays the distance at full pace, his smash-and-grab tactics have been successful in this grade. He's won five times from 12 A4 races and he will be winning in this grade before two long - he was running in A2s in late August at Hall Green and has never gone four races in this grade without winning.

On Wednesday February 21, Blue Hawaii smashed out at Hall Green and was only caught close home by a strong staying dog who had previously stayed on strongly in her last three races - the rest were miles back. Drawn trap four on this occasion I would like to see him drawn nearer the rail inside slow starters....in an ideal world.

Blue Hawaii, Hall Green A4

Quick update on dogs currently in the Virtual Kennel...

Clover Holly was beaten the shortest of short heads on Monday night at Nottingham at [4.5] (on course) - and will be winning. He remains in the kennel for another two runs and I would be disappointed if he doesn't win either of those.

Rockmount Whizz (Sheffield) finished lame in his first race since being added to the virtual kennel and things don't look good. We'll remove him from our kennel. The other other two dogs have yet to race.

Virtual kennelmates:

Newtown Abi - Sheffield (0)*
Duisk Prince, Monmore (0)
Clover Holly, Nottingham (1)
Salacres Lisa, Nottingham (0)
Swift Blade, Nottingham (0)
Blue Hawaii, Hall Green (0)

* Indicates number of runs since highlighted - maximum of three runs allowed before dog is 'sold' out of virtual kennel if failing to win.