Magical win for training family
A greyhound training family with more than 50 years of experience described their first major victory as "a dream" with success in one of the sport's prestigious competitions.
The Russells, who are from Telford, were trackside at Central Park Stadium in Sittingbourne as kennel star Magical Bluebear sprinted home in first in the Arena Racing Company Kent Silver Salver.
Grandfather William watched the action at home as the second favourite romped home in the Category One race's 70th edition to earn £12,500 in prize money. Son Mark and daughter Emily plus her cousin Lee – who paraded the greyhound in front of a busy grandstand – made the 400-mile round trip from their base outside of town.
Prior to the weekend the family had never entered a Category One race – the highest standard in UK greyhound racing, but it proved a double successful with Westwell Dora also successful.
“It’s crazy – and it hasn’t sunk in,” said Mark, whose family train 20 dogs and are attached to Perry Barr Stadium in Birmingham. “We’re thrilled for Karen and Gary (Phillips, owners) – they couldn’t be there in person but were watching from afar.
“He ran a great race, he’s not usually the quickest greyhound out from the boxes. But he’s quick into stride and can take a few lengths out of dogs into the first bend which is what he did on Saturday.
“It’s a dream – I watched the race from the far side of the track and he got the better of My Lennie (trap six) by holding the inside. It was a good night all round as Westwell Dora won earlier on the card so we went home very happy.”
Sent off 2/1 second favourite, Magical Bluebear stopped the clock at the end of the 277m trip at 16.24 seconds – only 0.13 seconds outside the Central Park track record held by Rossa Rise.
Adam Sear’s My Lennie finished second while David Mullins’ Droopys Standard was third. Guzzler for Belinda Green, Romeo Crusade also from the Mullins kennel and local runner Killuran Bella for Daniel Brabon finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
The race concluded a bumper night of open racing with highlights including a win for David Lee’s All Along in the Category Three Arena Racing Company Ladies. Meanwhile Paul Donovan’s Tintreach Guns took the Arena Racing Company Maiden Trophy final, worth £1,000 to the winner.
Donovan doubled trebled up later on the card when kennel star Asbo Lenny landed the Arena Racing Company Standard Trophy to complete a three-timer following Fastlane Bex’s earlier win in the Maiden Sprint.
Greyhound racing continues at Central Park Stadium on Saturday nights through 2024, with 12 races scheduled from 6.37pm each weekend.
