A pretty face wins over Alderson


Thoroughbred trainer Cindy Alderson’s attention will switch to the canine code on Thursday night when her exciting pup You Tell Me lines up at Sandown Park.

Alderson’s connection with greyhound racing started at a young age through a long family involvement in the sport. She used to walk pups for her greyhound training grandfather, and her mother bred the very good Fernando Bale x Alotta Luck litter that has produced seven winners, including You Tell Me.

You Tell Me appears the pick of the litter based on her recent success on the track, however Alderson explained that it was her looks that made her stand out as a pup.

“I picked her because she was pretty and she licked my hand, so there wasn’t a lot of science in it,” she told RSN’s Racing Pulse.

“We raised these puppies at the farm so I had quite a bit to do with ‘Lola’ when she was a baby. Dad and I actually gave her a couple of unofficial runs around the backyard yard which mum doesn’t know about!”

While her thriving thoroughbred operation consumes most of her time, greyhound racing offers a chance for Alderson to enjoy racing without having to worry about all the preparation work.

“I really enjoy it, I actually said at one stage I might become a greyhound trainer instead but that’s much too difficult for me.

“I think it’s great – I can just enjoy her and luckily for me she looks to be pretty smart. She’s only a tiny little dog but she’s done a great job so far.”

A winner of 10 of 19 career starts, You Tell Me will line up in race 8 on a bumper card of racing at Sandown Park on Thursday night where she’ll meet one of the toughest fields of her career, including the returning track record holder Hooked On Scotch. Alderson is hopeful rather than confident of her chances.

“She’s beaten (group 1 Sapphire Crown winner) Black Opium which was pretty exciting, but if I’ve learnt one thing about greyhound racing it’s that you need a bit of luck.

“But she’s been really good and consistent. She’s still quite a young dog, and Kel Greenough has done a fabulous job with her and I’m hoping that she can continue.”

Thursday night is shaping as one of the strongest nights of greyhound racing of 2020. Simon Told Helen is set to start as favourite in the group 1 Harrison-Dawson final, while a cavalcade of stars are set to contest the heats of the country’s premier staying race, the RSN Sandown Cup.

The first race will jump at 6.04pm

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You Tell Me leads all of the way to defeat Black Opium in April
Mick Floyd
About Mick Floyd - Mick is the Racing and Media Manager at Sandown Park and has 15 years of experience in the sport. He has a finely tuned talent for finding three legs of a quaddie. You can follow his ramblings on Twitter - @mickfloyd
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