Short notice

It was all a bit last minute, so apologies to my blog die-hards, but I ran again on Saturday night.
Jono kept it as a surprise as he knew I would get too over-excited if he told me in advance.

Being frank I would race every day if I could after having such a long spell on the sidelines out with injury. But Jono wants me to take it slowly and get my fitness levels up again. So there I was in trap 2 in the 475 metre A5 8.11 race at the Stow in front of packed house. When I say packed, I mean packed. How they can even think of knocking the place down and developing it into a housing estate is beyond me, given the amount of people that love a night out at the dogs? Remember, you can help prevent it happening by signing my online petition at www.savethestow.com now.

I've never run particularly well out of trap 2 you know and maybe its getting to me a bit mentally when I see my handler (usually Dave, although he's only part-time) approach me with that blue bib to wear. There was also a bit more pressure coming from the fact that the bookies were making me the favourite.

Anyway, there I was looking at my blue number 2 vest, pawing away a slight speck of sand picked up from the parade, thinking how much better I look in red with that nice number 1 on when those traps flew open. No wonder I got off a bit slowly and reached the first bend one from last.

But going down the back straight I felt my injury woes just disappear and I flew through the field. Coming up to the final bend I was right on the heels of Alfies Stream and looking forward to overtaking him and lapping up the glory of win number three. But Alfies an experienced greyhound and he cut me up half way through the bend. I lost a few lengths on him as a result but picked up the chase again when we hit the final straight. I just couldn't catch him before the line and he beat me by 1/2 a length. I was disappointed not to win, but the race did me a lot of good and on another day I would've done him.

Alfies gave me a sly little smile back in the kennels. Sure thing Alfies I thought to myself, just wait till next time...