Virtual Kennel: Looking for the Perfect run

General / The Hawk / 10 June 2009 / Leave a Comment

The Hawk trains his beady eye on a Noon Mac bitch that is about to go one better and a dog that will take the world of beating if he can avoid interference...

Bresheen Pepper looks the type to win soon. The August 2005 bitch has won seven of her 49 starts and her recent run at Perry Barr earlier this week was one of distinct promise.

The Noon Mac bitch shows speed at both ends and although having not won now in her last 13 it's not for want of trying. Last Monday, Bresheen Pepper led before being swamped off the final bend by a couple of better graded animals before running on when straightening up. She had also experienced a bit of crowding when in front off the final two bends, as the eventual winner tried to go for an ever decreasing gap up her inside. She only lost by a short head in a calculated 29.53 seconds, returning an SP of [3.5] at the track.

I was impressed by the way she ran on up the straight and in another stride she would have won. As it is she will be left in grade A4 and she can win next time out, granted a clear run into the first bend. She's only two from 20 in the black jacket and it may be that she will get a better run from the white jacket, especially if she has a slow starter or two inside.

Bresheen Pepper has now finished second 17 times in 49 races - now that would usually be a sign of a dog who is thinking a bit too much - but when she's won she's done it by 1.25 lengths to 3. 25 lengths, so I surmise that she is just a consistent bitch who tries her best.

Bresheen Pepper A4 Perry Bar

Perfect Trip has had just eight runs at Colwick Park since making his debut on 24th April. In this time he has managed one victory in A5 class, but has now run two notable races back to back in A4 grade.

Last time out the October 2006 dog started slowly, as he habitually does, and despite being crowded he ran on well to finish just a head second in the fastest calculated time of his career (31.32) at the Nottingham track.

Perfect Trip is a dog that will usually need luck in running to win his races, as he invariably starts slowly and generally is only the third or fourth best at the line first time around. Trap draw (in relation to other dogs around him) will be important - if he gets a clear run from near the front next time I could see him winning.

When he won his A5 (in 31.35) five runs back he was fourth at the line first time around, but steadily made ground to take it up close home. The key to that run was that the three inside dogs posted the fastest three sectionals, and the dogs on Perfect Trip's outside trapped slower. So all Perfect Trip had to do was his running, not meet interference and stay on the outside better that the three leaders - which he did! If he can get himself into that sort of position again then he would take the world of beating.

Perfect Trip A4 Nottingham