CHARMER LODGE FEATURE NEWS - NOVEMBER 2005

2005 APPIN CUP FINAL Courtesy Greyhound Racing NSW - Les Mellowship -Monday, 28 November 2005

Three heats of the Appin Cup were conducted last Saturday afternoon. In the first heat Winsome Lesson (History Lesson x Winsome Dollars) scored a determined win after being severely checked after the start. Winsome Lesson clocked 20.73 starting 2/7 fav. and defeated Smooth Arrow who ran 20.86. In the second heat Cawbourne Frank repeated his sizzling South Coast performance of the previous Wednesday, with a best of the day 20.65 over Leanne's Memory 20.94 and Simply 20.957. In the third heat Smiling Intent won a desperate finish in 20.87 over True Vendetta 20.90 and Solomon Stint 20.918. The field for Saturday's $5,000 final in box draw order is: 1. Smooth Arrow 2. Winsome Lesson 3. Cawbourne Frank 4. Simply 5. True Vendetta 6. Solomon Stint 7. Smiling Intent 8. Leanne's Memory 9.Classic Courage 10. True Fear Les Mellowship -Monday, 28 November 2005

RUSSELL SKILL TO THE FORE 17 Nov, 2005. - Courtesy GRAQ website by David Brasch

ANDREW Russell knew when to go to work.  Russell owns a cement truck and was required to work on Thursday night. He missed seeing his handy middle distance galloper Skillington (Royal Assassin-Enchanted Tears) win a 600m 5th Grade at headquarters. He scored by an ever-decreasing half length in 35.45 from Campus Boy with a length and three-quarters to Prince Of Spies, trained by Andrew’s brother Darren. in third. Russell owns and trains Skillington, one of a three-dog litter, but had to get his father Barry take the dog to Albion Park for the race. It was only his fourth win from 30 race starts. But the dog has also run 22 placings. “He has a problem, he can’t run a strong 600m, but he’s too slow early for 520m,” said Andrew’s brother Darren. Skillington is from the only litter of Enchanted Tears a litter sister to the Russell’s former Group staying star Tears Of Jupiter. “She broke down after winning a Young Guns heat at Bundaberg a couple of years ago so we decided to get a litter out of her,” said Darren. “She had only three pups and one of the others is Mr Wiseguy who also has lots of ability but is a poor kennel dog.” The Russells have not bred with Enchanted Tears since. “We’ve got more than enough broodbitches at home,” said Darren. “But she will be bred with eventually because this litter can run.” Enchanted Tears eventually returned to racing after her litter was whelped. “She won 10 races in all and eight of those were after she made that comeback,” said Darren. DAVID BRASCH

FATHER AND DAUGHTER TEAM CLEAN UP AT WENTY Courtesy Greyhound Racing NSW - Jeff Collerson

DENIM, (Royal Assassin x Royal Monarch) trained at Wilton John Little for his daughter Glenda Tweddle, overcame a slow start to score his first city win at Wentworth Park on Monday night. A son of Little's fine producing bitch Royal Monarch, Denim, who had trialled 30.30 at WP, put in a carbon copy of that time to win easily in the fifth grade Nexia Court & Co Stake, 520m. Although Little is not one of the sport's high profile trainers he has been around greyhounds for nearly half a century. "I'm 67 now and started mucking around with greyhounds up around Casino when I was a kid back in 1957,'' Little said at WP. Since then he has seldom been without a handy galloper, his most recent stars being brilliant speedster Classic Isle, the talented Mr Big Ears, and Mag's All Over, a prolific winner at WP and in Melbourne. Royal Monarch has been a great asset to Little as before producing Denim to Royal Assassin she had whelped Mag's All Over to Hahn Bale. Little has high hopes for Royal Monarch's latest litter, an 11 months old group of puppies sired by Hotshow Sam. "Denim should win another race or two at Wenty,'' Little said after Monday's success. "His problem is he is a hit-and-miss beginner but he got a dream rails run at the first turn tonight. "Still he runs home powerfully and his final section tonight was excellent.'' Little revealed that Denim would eventually head south, like Mag's All Over, for a campaign with his friend Terry Reid. JEFF COLLERSON