CREAKING BONES

After a further 5 week lay off, Tonsils is back racing at Thurles tonight in an S2/3 sprint. No one, including two top musclemen, plus an x-ray with a greyhound Vet, can establish exactly what the difficulty is. Its not a chip or fracture, its not a muscle, no one seems to know. I have decided to let him have 2 sprints, and a 525 and if he isnt the Tonsils of before, will retire him to a settee. I dont expect him to win tonight, but I would like to feel he will make a fair show of himself. He ran an excellent race, leading from the traps with space to spare, but easing when approaching the first bend, to let the winning dog go past him. He rallied in the home straight to be beaten by 1.5 lengths in a time of 19.62. Tonsils of old would have won this by 4 lengths, but with this problem of not running a bend, his future looks set for retirement

TRAFFIC COMMAND

I'm very pleased to report that after kenneling at the track on 4 different racenights, ROCKY, seems to be OK. He is coming out of the kennel fine now. He never knows when he is getting a race now, wheras before, he always knew he was going to race, and got himself worked up.

ON THE COMEBACK

OKEE DANCER had his first sprint trial since getting a small injury to his front toe a few weeks back. Although unrecorded, his time was once again a magnificient 17.77 for the 330 trip.

NAMETAB RIBERY

It is with regret that I write this, for in his first handslip at Thurles this morning, "Jesus " broke two metacarpels on the first bend, and his racing career is finished before it had started.

TRAFFIC COMMAND

Rocky goes from trap 4 in the 21-55 A2 race on Wednesday night at Shelbourne. He raised a few eyebrows and an enquiry from serious dog men after last weeks run, but he still needs the rails to show how fast he can go. Still on an upward curve, and still a puppy, gone from A4 to A2, including his last run of 29.25 at Shelbourne, in only the 3rd race of his life.The worst race he has ever run, and we know why!!!!! He is a bad kenneller. His blanket was wet with saliva and torn up, as was his muzzle. When he is in an early race he is fine, but now an A2 he is never going to be in these early races. We are going to take him to the track on Friday and Saturday night, and kennel him all night. We will see if this cures him, as he will never know when he is to race or not. He lost around 4 lbs after last nights race, but is fine this morning. Its a shame really as this pup is fast. Would make an ideal flapping dog, but we dont have flaps in Ireland.