28.10.21. As you may know I’ve been on the grand tour of Irish greyhound tracks for the last couple of weeks which kept me rather busy so apologies for the absence of any updates during that period. This lengthy tome will put that right. More on the tour elsewhere.

SUPREME ODIN has developed into an outstanding grader and all credit goes to Stuart Buckland and the team for the progress of this home-bred dog. On 14.10.21 he won his second A2 and recorded his ninth win overall. He continues to stay on a little better after invariably running wide off the last bend. He contested the lead throughout but stayed on best to win by a short head.

He was put up to one of the top A1s in which he had no realistic chance but still aquitted himself well at a massive price. Rather than drop back to A2 he then went and almost won his next A1 on 27.10.21! The race highlighted perfectly how a good railer will always beat an equally good middle or wide runner. Luigi contested throughout with the eventual winner in trap one but must have run at least three lengths further, finishing strongly to go down by just a head. He remains a revelation and we are so proud of him.

NODUFF ARIA was heavily backed into short-priced favourtism for his A5 on 12.10.21. It would be seven runs since he last recorded victory in A4 back in early September. Fred has been running consistently but, given his style, he needs a clear run around the first bend. He trapped very well for him and looked like going round third – in which case the win would have been almost a formality – but the four dog got up inside him and turned him sideways. Fred ran on strongly but all chance was lost and he finished third.

Unsurprisingly, he was sore in a wrist the following morning which was undoubtedly caused in the collision at the bend. Fred has had a couple of weeks off and will be back for a trial shortly. This was so similar to what happened to Luigi earlier in his career and look how well he came back! We can only hope.

NODUFF BELLAGIO has been having a break for the last 24 days whilst she completes a course of medication aimed at remedying her small liver issue. That is nearly complete and Bonnie will be trialling on again soon with a view to a 630m maiden when fully fit. Still no sign of her coming into season!

NODUFF CAESAR is almost at the point where we find out if he will ever have a racing career. The course of Tvati is nearing its end, Bertie has had several gallops with no apparent ill effects and will soon be booked in for a handslip at Monmore Green. His exercise has gradually been stepped up over the last few months and he seems very happy in himself. Fingers and toes are all crossed.

NODUFF DUNES is back from season. Mia ran only once before her season date, running with great promise before being attacked. At about ten weeks out of season she’s not ready to run at her best yet but still showed a great deal of pace after missing the break and getting hampered repeatedly. She will come on for each outing from here onwards. It’s worth noting that her litter brother Son of Spoofer went down by just a head in a 750 yard Shelbourne Park open last week.

NODUFF EXCALIBUR remains winless but not for lack of trying. Jock made his four bend graded debut in the same A2 as Supreme Odin and was heavily backed to win. In fact he missed the break but did show pace but couldn’t match the performance of his kennel mate. In his second A2 he improved his sectional and recorded no less a time that 28.73 but still couldn’t win, finishing a close second having contested the pace throughout. Undoubtedly a winner waiting to happen, he leaves the Racing Manager with the quite difficult problem of trying to find a suitable race.

NODUFF FLAMINGO is still very young but takes forever to get stoked up. Raspberry tends to trap well but then gets outpaced until the final bend when she finishes like a train. So it was on her sole run during the last two weeks. Stuart and I have talked and she is going to be put forward for a six bend trial as that is undoubtedly where her future lies.

NODUFF GRAND is another causing headaches in the racing office. Obviously pacey, Wallace is down to A4 and went off a short price to win but he needs the rails and trap three did him no favours. He spent most of the race trying to get there and was repeatedly baulked, impeded and stopped in his tracks yet still managed to finish third. With a clear run near the rails he will be in top grade in no time.

NODUFF HACIENDA is a pup with a future but seemingly not quite yet. He was entered into a very hot puppy open as there was no other suitable graded race for him. He showed good pace and turned into the first bend third then checked rather than run into the leader and that caused him to collide with the five dog and mayhem ensued. Ridley is clearly the sort of dog who would record 28.60 or better in a solo trial. We’ll see how fast he is when he eventually gets a clear run.

Kennel star CHASING LANDY was entered for a tilt at the Steel City Cup at Sheffield over 500m. He had a trial then a trial stakes running no better than reasonably on each occasion and reinforcing our belief that he needs at least three outings at a track to give his best. In the first round of the competition he ran with great credit but was never better than fourth and eliminated. Returning to an open race at Monmore he all but led at the first bend (and victory would have been a formality) but was very badly baulked and could only finish fourth.

MUSTANG HIGHWAY, our March 2020 pup makes his debut on RPGTV in an A3 this evening.