Jenkins timing his form to perfection

Swift Battery had been on a sensational run during the summer at Monmore, winning several Open races and positioning herself nicely for the prestigious Ladbrokes Gold Cup in August.

The two-year-old, however, had to take an enforced break due to going into season before making her long-awaited return at the beginning of November.

Three victories have followed in four races since and, all being well, Jenkins fancies her for the £10,000 Ladbrokes Winter Derby which begins in early February.

“We’ve had to be patient with Swift Battery, and it was a shame for her to miss out on the Gold Cup, but you can’t rush these things,” said Jenkins. “The Oaks at Perry Barr then came a little too early for her, but she’s won three from four races since coming back and just loves running at Monmore.

“Hopefully, we can get her into a couple of Open races at the track before, hopefully, going for the Winter Derby.

“That’ll be a step up in class for her, but she’s now won 12 of 18 races and running really well again. She’s been brilliant.”

The latest triumph for Battery came on Wednesday afternoon, with kennelmate Tabule also triumphant while Ivy Hill George was victorious on Tuesday.

Those three and Swift Reassure make up a top-quality quartet of greyhounds for Jenkins, exciting him over what they could each go on to achieve in the coming months.

Tabule and Ivy Hill George both won three times in November, and Swift Reassure twice.

“Tabule also went into season having run well in the summer and won a marathon race at Monmore,” added Jenkins, who has four runners on tonight’s graded card at Monmore. “She’s been winning races over the standard distance since coming back but with some Opens coming up in the calendar, we’ll look to step her up to six bends again as that’s what she prefers.

“Ivy Hill George looks like another stayer as well, so we’ll also look to get him over six bends in the next couple of months, while we’ll aim to enter Swift Reassure into some puppy Open races.

“We’re thankful to have those four looking so well and, fingers crossed, they can all keep it up ready for some bigger races heading towards the spring.”