Red Hot Fields At Lang Lang Victorian Coursing Club Meeting
Coursing last weekend saw the Victoria Coursing Club back on the program, unfortunately not at their new home as we hoped just yet, but Rome wasn't built in a day.
However the Lang Lang Coursing Club came to the rescue again as they have in the past and provided us with yet another fantastic day of coursing, even if the weather wasn't too kind, some great courses were contested over the day. For many this may have been their chance to have one last look at the Lang Lang track before the running of this year's Waterloo Cup in 2 weeks time.
Whilst entries were down we were definitely not disappointed with the class of the greyhounds who ran today. I feel sure that if we get the most of today's runner's return and a few more Smokey's to contest the Waterloo it will be one of the strongest fields we have had over the years.
Next up was the One Win Stake which was taken out by Always Puzzled trained by R Moles at Neerim East. He left the Matt Height trained Joie De Vivre a little puzzled to take out the final of this event.
The first of three Maiden events was won by Rob Britton's Dodge the Batten who was too good today for Graeme Long's Gallic Thyme. A great effort considering Dodge the Batten has never coursed before and Gallic Thyme only twice last season.
Our Maiden Bitches were up next and as funny as it may sound, yes both of these bitches were Maidens on the coursing. Wearing the red collar for Neville King was Crowdza Clappin and on the white was this year's Australian Cup winner Zara Zulu. It was a fantastic course with both bitches showing what they were made of, Zara Zulu was coming home hard unfortunately for her so did the winning post which left Crowdsa Clappin in front by one of the narrowest margins we saw all day.
The Mixed Maiden saw puppy aged Tubby Taylor be first past the post over War Lover, you couldn't say either one had the home track advantage as Lang Lang is the home track for both of these greyhounds.
Rob Britton had another winner in the Derby Trial number 2 with Zambora Blueboy surprising a few getting to the post first over this year's Derby winner Napalm Red prepared by Brett Mackie.
Our last event for this week was the Oaks Trial and Geoff Howell's Denise magic showed her magic to be first past the post in all three of her courses defeating Colin Goodman's Potomac in the final. Once again a fantastic effort by all of today's competitors many of whom it was their first time out on the grass behind the drag lure. I would say they all Caught on to Coursing!
Once again I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Sponsors and Trainers and Volunteers who support coursing during the year at all of our clubs, without you our future would be grim.
On a more serious note if trainers at our coursing meetings could provide a catcher it will make life much easier for the catching pen volunteers. Whilst most of our tracks have some holding pens at the catching pen, it would be appreciated by these volunteers if trainers could try to provide a catcher for their greyhound.
There will be a few young future trainers at the Waterloo Cup meeting trying to earn their fortune catching dogs so look out for them on the day. If anyone is having trouble getting a catcher for their dog please speak to either myself or the stewards who will point you in the right direction to find a catcher.