Welcome to Imperial Kennels weekly review with a look at what's coming up for the next week and forthcoming events.

OPEN RACING

Last Sunday 5 of our 7 runners progressed to the Semi-Final of the MARK HILL EASTER CUP at Coventry with FEAR ARMANI showing his liking for the track and trip with a smooth win. Harlow's charity gala card attracted a large crowd and RONNIES HARE proved he was back in form completing an open race hattrick with a fast 14.83 in the sprint open (2 spots off the clock).

Tuesday's heats of the STEWARDS CUP at Walthamstow had JANUARY TIGER and ROSWELL BLUESKY pitched in the same heat. Both dogs are in great form but it was Tiger who led home a kennel 1/2 prevailing by 3 1/4 lgths in 39.58(+15). Tuesday saw PALL MALL Semi-Finals at Oxford in which January Tiger's owner Evan Herbert was represented by our ROMFORD PUPPY CUP winner ROSWELL STARSHIP who duly overcame a tricky trap 6 draw to easily make the final although finishing 2nd in his Semi. At Hall Green on Tuesday we had CENTAUR DECREE and RAGING JACK both whom were successful the week before in the Trainers Championship meeting fail to get any kind of run in their races supporting the Prestige final, both dogs happily OK afterwards.

Wednesday was the start of the PETERBOROUGH PUPPY DERBY in which we had ante-post favourite EYE ONTHE FLAME so impressive the week before in a trial stake crash out when seemingly in a good position only to be badly hampered by trap 3 who forgot to turn the corner at the first bend, it just goes to show that you need plenty of luck when trying to win these big competitions. KINDA SURE also went out but TENBUCKS EBONY made it safely through the next round.

Thursday's heats of the £5,000 to the winner KEITH JOHNSON EASTER CUP was to prove a successful start for BLACKMAGIC GUY who romped to a victory in a fastest of night 40.65, our other entry COOLANGA FLYER also ran with credit leading every where bar the line to safely qualify for next Thursday's Semi-final.

A big Walthamstow Saturday night crowd witnessed some great racing with the STEWARDS CUP FINAL the highlight. Both JANUARY TIGER and ROSWELL BLUESKY led at some stage of the race but were unfortunate in running. Tiger was badly bumped by Jeddies Libberty at the first bend and Bluesky was going well until Romford Car Two once again ruined another race at the Stow!! The supporting card was excellent, KILLER KEANE was impressive in recording 28.83(-10) in division 3 of the standard,but for me once again DIRECTORS CHAIR proved he's a real prospect for the big races this year when catching John Mullins progressive pup Toosey Blue on the run in to win in 28.73 (-10).A nice staying debut for LODE STAR in the final race winning in 40.10(-15) saw his owner Martin Issacson and his friends stagger off to 'Charlie Chans' with a nice few quid in their drinks kitty!

WALTHAMSTOW REVIEW

It was nice to see our young bitch RAGGA DIVA record her third win on Monday's BAGs card for owners Malcom and Jill Filer. On Tuesday's graded races supporting the test heats NIL FINANCE rolled back the years, recording a fantastic 4.88 sec on route to a 28.92 A3 win 'TOM' a veteran now but still a grand servant to the kennel. Thursday saw only a handful of runners and our only winner was CHASE THE DREAM owned by Clive Lawrence producer of the Sky Dogs programme on a Tuesday night 'FRANKIE' who after a slow start no wins in 15 races has now won 6 of his last 10 races.

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

OPEN RACE - RONNIES HARE - AT HARLOW GRADED - NIL FINANCE

WHATS ON THIS WEEK

OPEN RACING - Sunday sees our five qualifiers in the MARK HILL EASTER CUP Semi finals at Coventry with the final being April the 8th, EYE ONTHE VETO should be better for last week's run and is looking to follow the success of his Emerald Cup Victory earlier in the year.

Tuesday's PALL MALL FINAL live on Sky has a top quality line up with our ROSWELL STARSHIP drawn in trap 2 around a 4/1 shot if he could produce his first round effort he should give his owner Evan Herbert who has twice been runner up in this event a chance to make it third time lucky. ROSWELL SPACEMAN one of those runners up 2 years ago runs on the supporting card along with RONNIES HARE and EYE ONTHE FLAME.

Thursday sees the semi finals of the KEITH JOHNSON EASTER CUP at Perry Barr with our 2 runners BLACKMAGIC GUY and COOLANGA FLYER annoyingly drawn together in heat 3. Thursday also sees a full open card at Walthamstow with the OCEAN TRAILERS PUPPY Trial Stakes taking place. BUTTERBRIDGE ALI our Monmore Puppy Derby runner up is due to run and made an encouraging trial last Saturday clocking a calculated 28.92.
Sunday sees the final of the MARK HILL EASTER CUP at Coventry.

A REMINDER TO ANY OWNERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPONSER A RACE AT WALTHAMSTOW ON THE 21ST APRIL IN SUPPORT OF THE WALTHAMSTOW STADIUM GREYHOUND OWNERS ASSOCIATION SHOULD CONTACT MYSELF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. RACE SPONSERSHIP IS £300, £500 OR £1000. TABLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE EVENT IN THE GOODWOOD LOUNGE.