Wednesday 21st January 2009

BUTTERBRIDGE ALI (Ali)
(Soviet Ferrari-Butterbridge Kim)
May 05 - Bk D

Owner - Sporting Dogs Syndicate

71 Races - 26 Wins (24 Opens)

Butterbridge Ali's recent two wins at Hall Green and Perry Barr in front of the Sky cameras coming in the twilight of a fine career highlight what a tremendous greyhound this son of the little used Soviet Ferrari is. It's hard to believe that Ali's first race, an A6 at
our beloved Walthamstow, was way back on September 12th 2006 but now in his third season he looks as good as ever.

Ali gained his first win for the Sporting Dogs Syndicate, headed by John Jeffery, at the 5th attempt in a P7 (29.27) despite the great promise
shown in previous races. In his eighth race a brilliant 28.78 (+20) in an A6 at the Stow marked the start of an open race campaign, winning his
first one in style at the first attempt (28.98). After a couple of defeats in good class we decided to take him to Coventry for the Zigzag Puppy Championship in which he was a fine runner up to Iceman Brutus. Next up was the prestigious Monmore Puppy Derby where he went into the final unbeaten but had no answers to the brilliant Rough Ronaldinho, again finishing second.

After more wins and a second round Derby exit it was decided to step him up in trip which proved the right decision as he won his first six bend race by a wide margin at Walthamstow in 39.83. Knocked out in the second round of the Grand Prix at Walthamstow he then made the final (3rd) of the Yorkshire St Leger at Doncaster. A St Leger attempt at Wimbledon ended when he was knocked over in the second round, as was his fate in the Tom Fruit St Leger at Coventry. Ali was again unsuccessfully tried over eight bends in the Golden Jacket where he made the semi's but disaster almost struck when he broke two metacarpals in the Trainers Championship meeting at Wimbledon but thankfully recovered well to land some more opens at Walthamstow and Sittingbourne before the highlight of his career - a brilliant never to be broken track record (39.16) on Walthamstow's historic final night.

A good second in the Derby Purse Final at Yarmouth was small compensation as he again went lame but came back in November to a fine win at Coventry and entering the new year made the semi's at Hall Green in the Prestige before his last two Sky wins which say he isn't quite ready to
hang his muzzle up yet!