BAGS Track Championship Round Up, New Trainer

So, we're well off from the BAGS Track Championship, and it's fair to say that it wasn't our greatest triumph! Although we managed to put in a very good final-round innings, we still finished last in the group, being hammered by Hove, and just getting pipped into 2nd by Poole.

Ultimately, we just didn't have a good enough team to compete with the might of Hove. I think the trick with this competition is to plan early, and have a team in mind ready to go before the competition starts. Speaking to both Hove and Poole guys, they had their teams in mind a long time before the competition started, so had the ammo there ready to go. This might be where we struggled. 

Another issue is the quality of strength in depth that we have. Realistically, barring the top-top end of the A1 deck (I'm talking about the Ericks Gav, Matties Mate A1's), we haven't really got the quality to be able to field a team of 20 runners, along with reserves. Realistically, you need around 4 greyhounds per division, in my mind, that you can count on for points, to be competitive in a competition such as this.

As such, maybe a possible plan for the new year could be the improvement of our top grade. I've been a long-time advocate of Kennel Sweepstakes (2 rounds and a final for graded runners), alas maybe this could be a possible solution? If the A1 grade is to maintain quality, then I do think that prize money needs to be upped to give the possible OR runners a reason to stay at their local track. Sweepstakes and other such things could help with this.

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As some of you may have seen from the trial sheet on Tuesday, we welcome trainer Nathan MacDonald from Hall Green. He's a rare type in this game, a young, ambitious guy with a good kennel strength to hand. Welcome to Swindon, Nathan!

The BAGS Track Championship Home Leg Preview

The BAGS Track Championship Home Leg

Well, we’re finally here. To be honest, for Team Swindon this is a year that we really want to forget. It’s fair to say we haven’t had the best of years, putting in very poor performances at both Poole and Hove. You can look at numerous factors into why we haven’t done so well, however mainly it has to be said that the squad of greyhounds we took to both tracks just weren’t good enough to compete with the other tracks more quality fields. It’s very unfortunate, as we did so well last year. It’s also unfortunate for the owners and trainers who have really put in the effort to trial at tracks, driving a lot of miles to get to these places, so thank you to all of them. Hopefully we can put in a better innings next year!

Looking at this home leg, however, we can be really optimistic about having some winners. There are some races here where we look like really good things, with a couple of surprise one’s along the way now. Although getting to the finals at Sheffield are completely out of our sights, we can still go out with a good performance on home soil!

15:28 – The BAGS Track Championship Puppy

My Pick: Jet Stream Olly (NAP)

Going straight in with a NAP here, in the form of Jet Stream Olly. Kevin Hutton’s dog won a recent A1 in a decent enough time, and looks to have a plot on the outside. Barring the two Hove dogs here, the away contingent aren’t exactly the strongest bunch, so we should really be looking for a 1-2 here. To Tone Charlie has also been running really well recently. And will be challenging coming home.

Of the away dogs, the best chance looks to come in the form of Droopys Acapulco. Seamus Cahill’s youngster looks to be one to watch, and ran a decent enough trial here last Saturday. He’s an early pace merchant, who needs to stay out of trouble to really land any form of a blow.

15:48 – The BAGS Track Championship Sprint

My Pick: Dustin Eagle (NB)

Realistically, and it’s pretty obvious, this is our weak link, and has been in the entire competition. A lack of decent sprinting types, combined with a possibly need for sprint racing when this next comes round, means that we aren’t exactly great in the sprint department. Conahy and Wagama are very decent early pace sorts, don’t get me wrong, but there’s quite a margin between an early pace dog and a genuine sprinter.

Dustin Eagle, to me, should stick to these sprints because he’s proved here that he can run them in style. One of the consistent performers of the competition, Eagle has won both IT races, and posted a really good trial time round Swindon. He looks like he’ll come on for the run too, getting slightly lost going into the first bend in his trial (in my opinion)

16:08 – The BAGS Track Championship Stayers

My Pick: Coologue Smokey

Although this is a very hot race, with 3 and 4 looking to be vying for favouritism, I’m always one to have an experiment pick in these sort of races. Coologue Smokey, trained by Ben McBride, has been running well in A1’s, however always looked to be a good staying sort. He’s had a switch-a-roo trial to Monmore, hopefully keeping him fresh for Swindon. Although he’s on debut over the trip here, he looks to be a cracking stayer in the making, so it’s interesting to see how he’ll go here. As for our other runner, Portavoe Girl, I do query whether she actually stays this trip, as I’ve always thought it was a bit too much for her.

Tennessee Morning and Droopys Halo both look like good things here, with me siding just with Droopys Halo out of the two, due to her staying so well at Poole. A lively outsider could be Mingers Port in trap 1. Paul Woodhouse’s girl has a nice draw on the rail, and if showing some early toe, could run a big race here.

16:27 – The BAGS Track Championship Dogs

My Pick: Droopys Franklin

A winner here, potentially, for Hove in Droopys Franklin. Franklin ran an awesome trial here last Saturday, pinging and making all in a cracking 28.63, and any sort of repeat performance will see him land this in style. Ken Tester’s dog may have to contend with Zara Two on the run up, however.

Punchestown Boy, for Kevin Hutton, looks a decent sort out in trap 5. Boy put in a good run last time, and is arguably very well housed here, with slow starters all around him. He wants to be out and gone, competing with the 1 and 2 off the 2^nd.

Bezzas Boy, for Matt Dartnall, isn’t perhaps the class of these, although he did run a big race last time out at Hove.

16:47 – The BAGS Track Championship Dogs

My Pick: Primo Brett

To be honest, anyone who has been watching the A2’s and A1’s recently will know that Primo Brett is something pretty special, and I was waiting for a big run from the boy. That run came last Monday, with a superb 28.54 run on the wide outside. Although it wasn’t the strongest race in the world, he annihilated a pretty decent field, and to post that sort of time shows he’s got the ability. I’m sure after this he’ll go on to bigger and better things. He’s well housed here as the sole wide runner.

Obviously, he’s going to have to contend with Millwards Joker in trap 2, who’s equally well housed. Joker, trained by Seamus Cahill, has been the star of the entire competition this year, putting in two hugely impressive performances. He ran a very good trial, taking his time to get by Droopys Acapulco. Again it’s a case of possible improvement off of the trial, which could give Primo Brett something to worry about.

17:07 - The BAGS Track Championship Bitches

My Pick: Hoof It Katie

A tough race this one, with argument being made for about half the field here. I’ve sided with Hoof It Katie. She ran an OK trial last Saturday, where she looked to get a little bit lost around the third bend (a usual thing for a first look). She should come on leaps and bounds for the look, and has the class to beat the field. She’s got a 29.70 on her card at Hove, which is a cracking run round there (I would say equating to about 28.60 Swindon).

She’ll have to contend with a lot of early pace in this one, with most of it coming from our two in 5 and 6. Nickys Love, in trap 5, has been having a cracking run recently, winning her last 3 starts, including a good 29.05 run last time. She’s winning her races due to her early pace, and she’ll need all of it here to lead the field.

Al Dente is another who’s on the improvement list. Matt Dartnall’s lass ran an impressive race last time, beating Apple Stan, in 29.01, trapping well and mowing them down the back straight. She’s a girl on the up, and has a lovely draw on the outside here.

17:22 – The BAGS Track Championship Standard

My Pick: Farran North

A bit of an odd race this one, and one that I found quite hard to pick a winner from. In the end, I’ve just sided Farran North. I’ve gone for him solely on the fact that there is a lot of early pace in this one, with a lot of the greyhounds just struggling to get home. North, although he put in a very good split last time, usually likes to come off the back and challenge them coming home.  

Our two runners are very much early pace sorts, and are greyhounds on the up. Mercurial Jet is a May’12 pup who looks like something special. He showed some great pace to win his last A2 in a good time, however this is a step up into what is essentially minor open class, and more importantly all aged open class company.

Mr October is currently one of my favourites. Trained by Ben McBride, he’s got some terrific early pace, and recently saw off a good field in A2 with a 29.04 run. He’ll need to lead round the bend to land this one.

17.38 – The BAGS Track Championship Standard

My Pick: Ericks Gav

Here we go, now’s your time to get your money back that you may have lost at Hove on him! Ericks Gav looks superbly drawn, and all round the winner of this one. Ben McBride’s dog has a cracking record here, winning his last A1 in 28.63. He heads off to Monmore after this, and should be competitive in that competition. Bigger things await Gav, hopefully after landing this race in style!

17:56 – The BAGS Track Championship Bitches

My Pick: Awbeg Lady

I’ve been a long-time fan of Awbeg Lady. She’s a good early pace sort who likes to hit the front, and then really guide her way round. She runs very much like Lady Jayne in that respect. She’s certainly very fast, as proved in a good 28.93 first look round on Tuesday. She’s capable of a much better start than she did on Tuesday, and could lead this field.

The best of our chances, I feel, comes with Ring The Alarm. Kevin Hutton’s daughter of Swift Jade put in a good A2 run last time, and is hopefully coming into her own following a small rest. She’s another who’s capable of a big run off the front.

18:11 – The BAGS Track Championship Stayers

My Pick: Bua Paprika

It’s very hard to ignore this dog’s potential over the stayer’s trip. Jason Heath’s lad put in a trap to line masterpiece in the Hove leg last month, posting an awesome 41.22 run over their 695m trip. In fairness, you don’t really have to read too much into his 480m trial round Swindon, that would’ve been more for the look. If he’s out on the bunny, which in this race I think he will, he’ll take the world of catching.

One big performer could be Brookend Six. Bob Smith’s lass put in a good S2 performance back in October, flying home like a steam train to post 42.02. After that run, I believe she could possibly go a step further into marathon territory. She’ll certainly be running on here, so she’s a possible point’s scorer.

Once again, good luck to everyone participating in the final leg of the championship, and the very best of luck to whichever team makes the grand final at Sheffield on the 23^rd December

Happy Punting!

Wattsy,