Sacundai leads the way as Taberner targets Winter glory

Monmore trainer Richie Taberner is excited over what could be achieved as he hopes to launch a three-pronged attack on the Ladbrokes Winter Derby.

The £10,000 Category One competition begins next weekend and Taberner - Monmore's champion trainer for 2023 - is looking to put forward promising new recruits Aero Sacundai, Aero Bono and Bangon The Clock for the prestigious 36-dog event.

Sacundai, who has stormed his way to three wins from as many starts in his burgeoning career, and Bono, who has also won his last three outings having had just seven races, will be aiming to build momentum as they compete in high-class Opens at the Wolverhampton track tomorrow morning.

Taberner is optimistic for all three but focusing on the super-quick Sacundai, he said: "Sacundai was spotted for sale by Mike Woolgar, who’s part-owned Aero Dylan and Aero Squeak - he's a very lucky owner as Squeak and Dylan both won Category One semi-finals.

"Four of us went in shares for Sacundai - Mike, Geoff Ansley, Stuart Forsdike and myself.

"He’s a very fast dog and every kennel dreams of ammunition as explosive as him.

"Jo Slater (assistant trainer to Taberner along with Arran Dunn) handles his day-to-day schedule and has done fantastically well so far, with the dog unbeaten to date on English soil.

"We’ve been patient, building his fitness, and Saturday's test will show us if he’s ready for the big stage that is the excitement of your home track's Winter Derby.

"With his explosive early pace, we hope that should see him lead and then it’s catch him if you can.

"We are all very excited to see him over four bends as he has a 28.13secs trial at Shelbourne from when he was in Ireland, so we are hoping with our patience since he was last over four bends he will stay even stronger.

"Bono is handled by Arran Dunn day-to-day so both him and Jo have their kennel stars with three wins on the bounce each and it's healthy competition, while Bangon The Clock trialled very well this week. It's an exciting time for us."

Tomorrow sees Sacundai run from trap three in race 10 and line-up against a strong field that includes Betsys Bullet, trained by Hove's Belinda Green.

Bono, meanwhile, is out in the meeting's 12th and final race from trap six, with Kim Billingham's in-form Barnfield Barra the other Monmore-based dog in the group.

Alan Jenkins' brilliant bitch Swift Battery is also out in race nine.

Trainers from across the country are taking elite-level greyhounds to the track tomorrow in preparation for the Winter Derby and race six looks particularly star-studded.

Last year's Winter Derby winner Coolavanny Shado, trained by Towcester's Patrick Janssens, and 2023 Monmore Puppy Derby finalist Hesoneofourown (Belinda Green) run from trap two and one respectively.

Long Fellow (Matthew Dartnall, Oxford), Jonny Whiskers (Harry Burton, Pelaw/Newcastle) and Churchfield Syd (Richard Rees, Hove) all have Category One competition triumphs under their belt too, making for a must-watch affair.