Greyhounds New: The dream is over

Greyhounds News / Editor / 15 August 2009 / Leave a Comment

"Vying for favouritism in the Irish Derby is College Causeway, track-record breaker in the first round, Irish Champion Stakes runner-up Shaneboy Lee and Faypoint Man. The event reaches the third round stage in Dublin on Saturday August 22."

A great champion bows out and the greyhound of the year is back on track - all the latest news from the world of greyhounds racing...

The dream is over for defending champion Shelbourne Aston - and the English Derby winner also bows out.

That was the shock news from Shelbourne Park as Kinda Ready, the Wimbledon hero, joined last year's champion on the 2009 Irish Derby scrap heap at the second-round stage

Vying for favouritism now is College Causeway track-record breaker in the first round, Irish Champion Stakes runner-up Shaneboy Lee and Faypoint Man. The event reaches the third round stage in Dublin on Saturday. Check the markets for up to date prices.

* * *

Open-racing this week kicks off with the semi-finals of the Midland Gold Cup at Monmore. Supporting competitions over various distances will also be included on what will largely be a open-race card on Bags.

Then on Thursday, the final of the Gold Collar takes place at Belle Vue, where first-season trainer Jimmy Wright sends out three of the finalists headed by his Sunderland Grand Prix winner Crown Rover.

* * *

Lenson Joker, the Greyhound of the Year, is back on track. Tony Collett's dog won the final of a 575m event at Romford on Friday and set a fastest-of-the-night 35.08sec time in the process.

His main target is the Champion Stakes back at Romford, which he won last year.

* * *

Charlie Lister will be three-handed in the Select Stakes at Nottingham later this month.
Fear Zafonic, the Derby second, will join kennelmates Bandicoot Tipoki and Farloe Reason, another Wimbledon finalist, in the £7,500 one-off on Thursday, August 27.

The rest of the field, as voted for by a Press panel, will be Crown Rover, Windy Millar and Cabra Boss.

The draw will take place live on SIS on Monday, August 24.

* * *

The Breeders Festival takes place at Harlow on Sunday, September 27. The event, which celebrates the best of British breeding but is also open to Irish-breds, includes a Parade of Stars, past and present.

* * *

Advantage Johnny, one of the stars of the Irish track scene, has joined English trainer Lance Burford.

The former Owen McKenna-trained star had been put forward for a place in the Select Stakes, but missed out and will stand by as one of the reserves.

* * *

Word coming out of the Save Our Stow campaign is that a member of the board of land owners London & Quadrant might be willing to talk to the team behind a possible bid for the old greyhound track on the Chingford Road.

The last meeting at the Stow was held on August 16, 2008, so the first anniversary has passed with a glimmer of hope for those hoping to return greyhound racing to the area.
The process of gaining planning permission begins on August 28 when site suggestions from the public will be considered by the local Waltham Forest Council.

A change of use for the land, currently to be only used for leisure, is required by L&Q if the company, a housing association, ever wishes to build houses on the site.