By BELLES DIRECTION out of LAPARI SUPREME
whelped 21.7.21
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This is Opie, formally known as TOMMYS SUPREME and now bearing the racing name NODUFF NEW YORK.
Opie arrived from Ireland on Remembrance Day 2022 and we all hope he will prove memorable for all the right reasons. He’d had no official trials either side of the water but a couple of unofficial spins at Cork suggested he would be a good class dog. He was given a period to settle in at Chris Fereday’s kennels and after the necessary paperwork was completed the intention was for him to trial in at Monmore with an immediate target of the Puppy Derby in 2023.
His sire, Belles Direction, had a very short racing career in Ireland before succumbing to injury. He recorded Shelbourne Park victories in 28.24 and 28.33 as a puppy.
Dam, Lapari Supreme, also broke the 29 second barrier at Eire Headquarters on many occasions with a personal best of 28.65.
An early four bend trial saw him pick up a soft tissue injury and so he had a further six week break during the worst of the West Midlands weather. Opie returned with an excellent sprint trial of 15.62, particularly good given that he looks more of a stayer than a sprinter. He followed that up with an even more impressive 28.78 off of a 4.52 sectional when he pulled away to the pick up. The splits emphasise it’s certainly not all about early pace!
The Puppy Derby might come a couple of weeks early for him given his interrupted preparation but we’d see what further progress he could make before the competition started. In the event he recorded a further improved 28.62 trial so we decided to enter him. What’s more he was accepted even though the event was double subscribed! That was the good news.
He drew trap 3 in the same heat as the recent Northern Puppy Derby winner which wasn’t ideal. He was 100/1 in the ante post market which was worth a few each way investments and we looked forward to the race. Unfortunately, on the race afternoon, Chris rang to say he had kennel sickness and Opie had to be withdrawn. The ante post wagers were also lost as a consequence – always a shame with a 100/1 shot which makes no discernable difference to the book. Opie would have to re-trial then it would be plan B…