Week ending 12 February 2010 -
Mid February and no winners this year!
Well, I’m very surprised with those headlines especially as we ended the year with a bang as the new pups started winning races left, right and centre.
However, we do have an excuse in that we closed the kennels down for a 6 week period basically due to the fact that the ground was so damn hard out in the paddocks that we daren’t let them off the lead.
Anyway we had three runners last night - no joy with any of them as they each found trouble but should strip fitter next time out. We are also hoping that the rest of the kennel strength, two more, will be out on Saturday night as the trainer is keen to impress on Friday 19 February as I have 35/40 colleagues from work attending an evening bash at the stadium – all trophy races so comb your hair trainer as he has them targeted for that evening! Famous last words. A five timer on the cards, unless two of them are in the same race together.
We all attended last Friday evening to see the mighty CALOONA ICE scoot home off the last bend in an A5 – generally unfancied and not supported in the market, we still cheered him home for the sake of it. Friday night in S4, many thanks Mr Racing Manager – very kind and generous.
Week ending 29 January 2010
Fatboys are us!
Surprise, surprise, whose been eating all the pies! It appears to have been the trainer and his dogs. With five trialists each showing a weight variation it transpires we are back to Poole on Tuesday evening with five 450m trials before racing.
The trainer's comments were "I thought they all looked well!". No wonder that van was creaking trainer as you set off to Poole this week.
Anyway, the weather has been good and the mutts have had plenty of exercise so all being well, clear round on Tuesday evening will see them back on the card.
* point of note...The mighty CALOONA CLAY was the sharpest over the 2 the bends
Week ending 22 January 2010 -
The mighty Caloona Wagon is back on the road!
“Here we go, here we go,” will be the cry Monday morning as the world’s greatest trainer sets off to Poole for trials with his five potential Derby winners on board, like coiled springs ready to do themselves justice.
All booked in for sprint solos in preparation for their return to the graded strength as soon as possible. Watch those scales Mr Top Class Trainer as I think some of those mutts have put a few pounds on over the Christmas period, much like yourself!....
Also back on the strength on Monday morning is the kennel junior, Alan ‘Chuckle’ Nicholls. Pleased to report that following his major hospital surgery (for an in growing toe nail!) he will no doubt be at the front of the Q for his fry up before stripping fit to steer those mutts through their paces.
On a point of note:
I think he’s getting over it now, but for those of you that didn’t see it, Jo Burridge featured in the Racing Post over the Christmas period with an article detailing her likes /dislikes in the world of greyhound racing. One of the questions asked was which 4 persons would she most love to have over for dinner?.....
Heartbroken and sobbing, the Top Class Trainer blurted out to me that he was not in her top 4. Never mind trainer, I’m sure if she had been asked to name 5 it would have been a toss up between you and Elvis. Anyway, she most likely couldn’t spell Attwater? Thanks Jo, in anticipation!
Regards Paul………………………………………………………
Week ending 15 January 2010
A small one this week – I blame the cold weather!
All quiet at home, yes, even the dogs but at least the thaw has started and we are hoping by the weekend to start letting the mutts off in the fields again. They need some space as they’ve not been off the lead for 3 weeks. Simply hoping the trainer’s patience pays dividends.
They all look well, look like they’ve put a couple of pounds on – literally – so they will need a couple of weeks exercise before we get them back down for trials and ideally back on the card.
Other than that, not too much to report. I think they trialled at Poole this morning so all bodes well and hopefully we are over winter for another year!
Roll on the warm weather.
Regards Paul.
Week ending 8 January 2010
Blimey I think the trainer’s bucket list may have to go on hold for a short (cold!) spell as he has decided to pull his racing strength off the card because he has been unable to let the mutts off at home due to the fields being frozen.
It’s rock hard underneath, even with the recent fall – albeit light – of snow.
“I’m simply not going to risk them. We’ve waited 18 months from their birth till now so another month won’t do them any harm. They all know their job; they are all looking good so why take a chance.” The words there of a wise old trainer!
I must admit, we have learnt by our mistakes because we would have previously let them off (unless the ground was frozen solid) with the thought in mind that our mutts will be doing more at home than anybody else’s, thus giving us the upper hand as regards their fitness levels on the track. We have benefitted that way previously but picked up a few injuries along the way.
Again, in such conditions we have been known to throw them in the van, early morning (very early morning) and get them down the beach – subject to the tides and general crap and debris laying about on the sand they have had a good buzz about. I recall many years ago the only possible accident we had was when Caloona Move jumped into what looked like a small puddle, but turned out to be a bait digger’s whole and she disappeared under 3 foot of cold salty sea water - We have not grown wiser to this, simply older and not willing to get out of bed at 4 in the morning simply to let the dogs off.
So there you have it. Other than that, they all look well, are getting plenty of walks around the fields but not off their leads.
Roll on the warm weather.
Regards Paul.
w/e 1 January 2010 –
Big expectations on Boxing Day were soured by the defeat of CALOONA RUN, going for 3 in a row; we thought he had a big chance with – as always, a trouble free run.
He’s definitely getting out better, but trying to anticipate trap rise saw him slightly miss his break. Not having the pace of the 6 dog, he tucked in behind approaching the first bend and courted some trouble. Unfortunately, the1 dog, a strong runner, found itself 7 lengths in front coming out the second bend. RUN managed to shake off a couple of ‘hangers on’ and set off in pursuit. Personally, I thought he’d catch the leader but he was unable to get there with the 1 dog running to from with a strong finish. Coming home, I think about 4 lengths adrift RUN finished second.
Taking the all in 2/1 I thought he was a good bet and still did even 7 lengths adrift down the back straight but in hindsight, I don’t think he’s as good as the other two hotpots in the litter and maybe let my heart rule my head. So that ones down to you Jem Racing but it’s only a loan!
We didn’t hang around for Caloona Ice’s run over 6 bends but Shakin Stevens duly text me (thanx Shaky) with bas news that the dog didn’t run very well at all. Slow away in last place and that’s where he remained, all abit of a non event. I understand that Shaky had got up early form his crypt and even applied some of his new aftershave that his Mrs had bought him – Don’t worry Shaky as I think Brut may be making a comeback.
As I write we are hoping for our big guns to make the start to the New Year a memorable one. Still waiting for those bods who appear to have hibernated in their Racing Office to produce the Saturday evening card with our flying machines ideally placed.
So our bucket list for 2010 is – winning puppy Opens before the end of March, Swindon Produce – in the bag! Clear out the graded stock before they are two years old. Wimbledon Oaks win for FLO JO and roll on 2011 for some Group One wins and payback time (literally)!
“Simples!”
That trainer certainly has a big ‘bucket’ to trip up on, no wonder we are always so down beat and disappointed!
Regards, ‘My glass is always half full’, Paul.
PROSPEROUS New Year.
December 2009 -
Humble apologies for the lack of updates since March this year but we really haven’t had much on the ground to write home about!
However, any of you who follow the Poole scene will have noticed that Caloona Mist’s first litter (to Droopy’s Kewell) have certainly hit the ground running and this has put a spring ( and a shuffle) in the trainer’s stride.
We had a litter of six (4 dogs and 2 bitches), each bearing the Caloona prefix with racing names as; RUN, FLO JO, CLIPPER, CLAY and PIRATE. Yes, that’s only five I hear you say, the reason being that one of the bitches, although she chased the others at home like a nutter, wasn’t interested in chasing anything that resembled a stuffed toy so she has been home by the NGRC.
The trainer got off to a slow start as over the trials period we had two separate bouts of kennel cough that delayed their grading trials to over an eight week period but they certainly seem to have benefited from their slow introduction.
This seems the way to do it. First time in the traps was at Poole in their official sprint trails. Coming home in very very tardy 16.90’s plus proved that we hadn’t done anything with them at home. The objective of the day was for none of them to turn in the traps, thankfully mission accomplished.
All achieved grading times during their 450m solos and now they are beginning to learn their trade as they rapidly escalate through the lower grades at Poole. The old man thinks Caloona Run or Clipper will turn out to be the quickest but I’ve told him it will be Caloona Clay who will fly the flag. Entered in both Produce Stakes we are looking forward to exciting times ahead.
Watch this space for future regular updates as I should now have plenty to write about.
Before you ask, yes I know time has moved on but that bunch of likeable Caloona groupies are still to be found at the home of greyhound racing, the Mecca of the UK, Poole Stadium. Those groupies still go under the names of the Chuckle Brothers, Shakin Stevens and son of, Plod Stevens and yes, they will all feature regularly in the weekly updates.
Regards Paul.
Happy Christmas and a PROSPEROUS New year.
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