Fratton Bark

So, in January last year when the Pompey Ventures lads asked me to source them a dog for their first taste of greyhound ownership I jumped at the chance. I always clock sectional times myself using a stopwatch, which I feel is a good tool to help gauge early pace and, also, run home times and clockings after the line to assess stamina.

 

I went to the Greyhound Trader Sales at Romford, a track close to my heart and where it all began for me. I spotted an unraced puppy in the very first trial. He recorded the fastest time of the day, but crucially in my eyes – or more specifically my stopwatch – he was fastest to the third bend. I always think that its best to be out in front at Romford and this youngster was top of my list of prospective candidates to purchase. 

It is notoriously slow to get going with the bidding in the early stages of an auction and getting a handle on the values of greyhounds is subjective. I thought that if I could buy this pup for under £5000, then we would have reasonable value as an unraced youngster clocking 24.54 in his first look at the circuit and open to plenty of improvement. He was Lot number 1 and the bidding got going and I bid up to £3600, but the auctioneer said “Take him down – not sold. The reserve is £5000” I sought out the vendor and we did a deal at £4200, which with sales commission comes to £4410 and well under what I valued him. 

 

Owen and Zach, who together run the Pompey Ventures syndicate assembled a package and shares were quickly snapped up, including me. One of the great aspects of a syndicate is the WhatsApp group chat and the laughs and banter that goes with it!

The pup was named “Fratton Bark”, which was genius marketing with the Portsmouth Pompey connotations. The dog was given to Gemma Evans to train and she gave him his kennel name “Bob”.

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Bob ran in his first race on Saturday 16th March, which just happens to be my birthday. He ran in A4 grade for his debut wearing the blue jacket of trap 2. He showed his early pace to lead at the first bend and then the cheers of the PV supporters went up. I thought it was all over, but then down the back straight he hesitated and changed his stride. In his inexperience, he thought the race was over a circuit too soon, but he quickly regained his momentum and the lead and went on to win. First race, first win for Fratton Bark and Pompey Ventures. What a thrill and the perfect birthday treat!

 

 Bob then won his next race an A2 grade. He then won the Semi-Final AND Final of a Friday night Romford Maiden competition collecting £800 prize money in the process and building up a following of friends and family of syndicate members. The celebrations and buzz after that fourth win at Romford were amazing. Now all the chat in the WhatsApp group was about Bob for the Derby !!! I wasn’t convinced he wouldn’t stay the 500m Derby trip at Towcester, but I am only one of 11 syndicate members and the thought process of our group was that there is only one Derby! Bob trialled at Towcester next but, despite the 29.56 time being respectable, it was clear that he didn’t stay the demanding 500m trip. Derby Dream over.