Post by BVADMIN on Jun 13, 2013 14:23:08 GMT
Hove, for so long a happy hunting ground for popular Brian Clemenson
Derby fever sees Brian Clemenson eyeing return
BRIAN CLEMENSON, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, is now studying his options for a return to the sport after taking a year’s sabbatical.
The former Hove handler, a three-time winner of the annual Trainers’ Championship meeting, says he has had several ideas put to him, but will not rush into anything. “I’ve helped out a bit at Paul Donovan’s and, with the Derby on, that definitely gets the blood going!” he said yesterday.
“I suppose my ideal would be to find an investor who fancied having some open-race fun, and wanted a trainer like myself who has both fire and experience. I’ve got the bit between my teeth and feel I’ve something to prove.”
Clemenson decided on a step back from the sport after the recession took a hand. “It all got a bit on top of me – I’d made the mistake of getting involved with other businesses, nothing to do with greyhound racing.
“You can spend so much time running around and worrying, but the break has done me the power of good. I feel fantastic and my competitive instinct, if anything, feels even sharper. I want to add to the eight Olympics, four Regencys, three Sussex Cups and five Brighton Belles I landed at Hove alone.”
Clemenson has had four Derby finalists, going closest with Big Freeze, beaten three-quarters of a length by Droopys Scholes in 2004. “There’s little better in life than the thrill of a Derby runner,” he added. “And best of all is the week between qualifying and the final itself. I’d love to experience that again, but most importantly of all, win it. Being successful drives me. I’m looking forward to seeing what emerges – and who knows, maybe something in the management side could tempt me.”
Patrick Kelly, the Racing Post’s Hove correspondent for 27 years, said: “The biggest compliment I can pay Brian is that his record stands comparison with the legendary George Curtis. It would be great to see him back in harness.”
