Towcester trainer interview

[bennythedip2]

The Matt Dartnall Interview (With Joe Large)

To all the lady's he's Mr Grey but to everyone else he's a great trainer and a great character now at Towcester . Q&A time with Matt Dartnall

Q1 I know it's in your blood the greyhound industry but for our members can you tell us how you got into greyhounds ?

Answer

My father trained greyhounds and his uncle trained before that, so I suppose I'm bred into the sport. My dad terry was attached to slough, wembley and Wimbledon. It was his days at wembley that I fondly remember as a child growing up. Finishing school, jumping into the back of the van and heading to the twin towers, once there you got to go into the England changing rooms, walk down the tunnel, race up and down the stairs, stand in the royal box and shout home the winners, until dad would whisper, that's enough son he's 10 clear and pulling away!! So that was my play ground really.

Q2 How are you enjoying racing at Towcester has it brought you any new owners ?

Answer

I love racing at towcester, it's brought back a bit of glamour into the sport. Every race is competitive and it's great to have winners there, It makes me proud to be part of this sport again.

Q3 How many greyhounds do you currently have in training ?

Answer

We currently have 52 in the kennel, of which about 20 are on the racing strength. We rear a litter of pups a year, and the next batch are about to start schooling at towcester in the next few months.

Q4 Do you have any kennel Hands

Answer

We employ 5 kennel hands to help with the work load.
3 full time and 2 part time.
I do a lot of the racing myself as I need to talk to my owners and watch the races to decide what we need to do, to improve our greyhounds performance or judge our competition who we'll be taking on in the following weeks.

Q5 If Someone was interested in becoming a kennel hand what advice would you give ?

Answer

Change your mind!!
I can't afford to pay my kennel hands what they deserve to be paid. It's long tough hours and physically demanding.
Have it more as a hobby, Every trainer will need a bit of help, pop in walk a few dogs, help to feed up, get to know the trainer, their staff, and their dogs, find out how it all works and maybe after a bit of experience ask to go racing and learn about that side of the game.

Q6 Since taking the licence over from your Dad Terry you have had great Success, Did you feel pressure to carry on the success ?

Answer

When I took the licence over, my dad made sure I had the tools to do the job. I reached 3 derby finals and won a good few category 1 competitions.
You are only as good as the dogs you have in the kennel. That's the tough realisation of the sport. If you buy decent open class dogs you can win competitions...if you buy graders then sadly A1 and minor open class races are your limits.
Success in this sport is hard to measure, I haven't won the derby yet, but still have a kennel full of decent dogs, and great, supportive owners. The pressure is keeping the business going.

Q7 A dog I always remember was Me Buddy who won Peterborough puppy Derby 2008, Fengate collar 2008, guys and dolls Crayford 2008 and the Tony Morris Memorial Bowl 2010. He was something of a track specialist at theses two tracks how important is it to place dogs at a track that suits and how do you decide ?

Answer

What a dog!! and I've still got him here today. That's why I've used him to cover a few bitches. Part of being a trainer is placing dogs over the right distance at the right track. Breeding, size and form are all indications of where and what distance to run the dogs over. Remember it's a game of opinions, and everyone's and every dog is different!

Q8 One of my Favourite dogs you trained was Ballymac Ruso who reached the Derby Final in 2009 along with your other runner Glenard Sunrise how did you feel getting not one but Two greyhounds in a Derby Final ?

Answer

Two derby finalists in the same year and by winning both semi finals. That was a great achievement, and made dad so proud. It was a great week in the kennel and proved that we can train as good as anyone. The draw didn't work out for either of them in the final. We lacked the last piece of luck that year!

Q9 Then In 2012 you had the favourite in the Derby in the form of Farloe Ironman their was a little trouble in the race and he came second to Blonde Snapper, does this make you more determined to win a Derby and do you think you will one year ?

Answer

As I watched the race, all the emotions overcame me, the race portrayed the ups and downs of the sport. the trouble out the boxes put an end to our chances, at the first bend he slipped inside the field to put himself back into the race, I nearly dropped to my knees as he flew down the back and nearly took it up as they reached the third bend, it just wasn't to be, 2nd. Great achievement to reach another derby final and getting so so close was gut wrenching...I will win the derby someday..

Q10 How do you prepare dogs for a Derby any different or the same routine ?

Answer

I've had 3 English derby finalists and 1 Irish derby finalist. Patience is the key..there's no point flying round the track in January, February and March, by the time May/June comes round you haven't got anything left in the tank, you need a fit fresh dog at the beginning of the competition, or you'll be heading home after the 3rd round.
Have the confidence in the dogs ability and patient understanding owners to leave him alone at the beginning of the year and in my opinion that's the key.

Q11 What has been your best moments so far and why ?

Answer

Runner up in the English derby with farloe ironman, to think I was just over a length off winning £125,000!!
Getting to the final of the Irish derby and finishing 3rd has to be a big achievement too, It took hours of hard work and I travelled on my own back and forth for each round. You are always at a disadvantage when you have to travel and Ballymac Ruso was a model of consistency thoughout the competition.
And winning the Arc at my attached track at the time Swindon, for Patsy Byrne.

Q12 what's your kennel Targets for this year ?

Answer

Targets for this year, will be to keep going. Keep the winners ticking over at towcester and hopefully have a bit of fun on the open race circuit with the new ones coming though.

Q13 which of your dogs should our members keep watch this year ?

Answer

Ashburn Lark has gone through the grades, the owner is very enthusiastic and gave me a brief to have a runner on the opening night at towcester, he wasn't an expensive purchase and is the model of consistency. 4 wins and 3 seconds from 9 starts at towcester. I was so pleased we purchased him. He should strengthen up and will win his fair share in the next coming months.

Q14 and finally if people wanted to place a greyhound with you do you have space ?

Answer

We always have room for good owners and our dogs always come first!
My contact details are in the race card, and for any questions please contact me on [email protected]

Matt thanks again it's been a smashing Q&A and all the best for this year.


(Benny's View)
Yes Matty is a great trainer who I knew when he was at Reading always the gentleman and always puts the dogs welfare first ..
Thanks Joe for a great interview

[bennythedip2]

Matt Dartnall

[bennythedip2]

The Patrick Janssens Interview (with Joe Large)

Hi Patrick thank you for taking the time to answer a few Questions for the Towcester Facebook Page.

Q1 could you give our members a bit of insight on how you got in to greyhound racing because I know you started at the age of ten with your own puppy ?

Answer

As you know I am from Belgium and used to live at the border with Holland near a city Turnhout and there was a man in my street who had 2 afghans and 1
greyhound and I used to love that greyhound and I went one Sunday with him to the track in Belgium and that was it I was hooked and we had a litter from that
dog i got a pup out off it and I reared it and then raced it. My mum used to drive me to the track on a Sunday.

Q2 I could not believe that about 2 years ago you gave up the sport to do painting and decorating after all your triumphs with the Wallis team how hard a decision was that and did you ever do any painting ?

Answer

Not 2 years ago 4 years ago january 2011. It was playing on my mind for a long time and I took a long time to make my mind up I hated telling Mark I was leaving
he was not only my Boss but also a friend and so was Pete Vernon and I never discussed it with nobody only Cheryl and I explained to Mark why and I never
want to created bad feelings.
But I thought I have to try something different and I painted for about 5 months very boring.

Q3 some one with your passion for the dogs will always succeed and you have done so with Wallis with winning Derbys and so many cat 1 comps and you now have your own greyhound products company Premarket Ltd which is doing well do you supply all over the UK ?

Answer

Mark always used to deal with Charles and Ann Fanous and they used to run Premarket pets and one day in March Charles rang me and asked me if I was
interested in taking over Premarket pets and then we came to a agreement and because we used to use all the products at the kennels I knew How to use them
and that helped a lot in selling the products.

Q4 we Actually have something in common because I meet my wife at a greyhound track Milton Keynes old grove way track and I understand you met Cheryl at Walthamstow night club Charlie Changs have you both followed your dream now you have set your self up as a trainer.

Answer

Q4
yes I saw Cherly the first time at Romford dogs but then one night at Walthamstow I went Charlie Chans and she was there as well and from one came the
other. She moved up here worked at Mark's and now we doing it together and she is great with the dogs and I couldn't do it without Cheryl that is for sure and
Ria my daughter helps out as well.

Q5 one of your Dogs I have really noticed is See No Gamble what's your view about this speedy individual he just seems on the up with every run great early ?

Answer

See no gamble is a very nice dog and I think there is a lot more to come he is very lightly raced and I think he is made for Wimbledon at times he is to exited
at the start but that will change with age ( I hope !! )

Q6 your Prefex is Flemish and you have had a few winners at Towcester now under this Prefex which is the best Flemish in your kennel at the minute ?

Answer

The best ones are Flemish Idea and Flemish status who is improving all the time. I have a bitch out off the same litter Harry's Gamble Which I think is very good as well but her future will be over six bends.

Q7 A Question I've always wondered is their products out their to help dogs get better breaks or stay on better with out giving away to many secrets ?

Answer

Yes there is but you have to look at every dog as an individual,
Active formula/stormcanis are very good products one for the immune system and the other to delay lactic acid.
Then there is G sport a dehydration drink a special with warm weather.

Q8 in your Opinion what's the best exercise methods for greyhounds walking, galloping or Paddocks ?

Answer

Again every dog is different we have had dogs which we have galloped before we put them on the van to go racing and won a group 1 but I am a strong believer of big
paddocks.

Q9 What's your preferred Greyhound feed and do you mix with biscuit ?

Answer

I feed Red Mills Cereal for breackfast and gain 28 % for dinner with meat and supplements.

Q10 Are you enjoying being at Towcester have you Gained new owners or do you have room for new dogs ?

Answer

I think Towcester is the best thing which has happened to greyhound racing in the UK and Ireland the best track. I have 8 double kennels and they are all full 14
runners, 1 broodbitch and one puppy 12 months old all the owners I have are owners who used to have dogs at Walthamstow and people ring me all the time to
take dogs but I have no room.

Q11 Out of all your great Greyhounds you have had the pleasure of being involved with what's been your best moment in the sport ?

Answer

Kinda Ready winning the Derby was the best by far bred out off bitch who used to be at the kennels (Kinda Sleepy) my best night racing for sure.

Q12 what is your targets for this year and which dogs should we follow for the rest of the year ?

Answer

Winning as many races as possible I have a few nice dogs at the kennels,

Harry's gamble
Roswell Phoenix
Drumsna castle
Flemish Idea
Flemish status

Patrick thank you for your time I wish you all the best for the rest of year and keep the winners coming !!!

(Benny's View)
Yes he definitely was Mark Wallis's right hand man and yes, we were on 'Kinda Ready' when he won the Derby


Thanks again Joe for another great interview