Littlefield Back In Action After Health Scare

By Jeff Collerson

Robert Littlefield, who raced champion stayer and 2006 NSW Greyhound of the Year Royal Riddle, is back training winners after suffering a heart attack.

Littlefield, 67, trains Bear Bourbski, who scored his third win in nine starts at Richmond on Wednesday after earlier victories at Dubbo and Bathurst.

"The only reason Bear Bourbski, who was whelped in December, 2012, was late beginning his career was because of my health issues,'' Littlefield said.

"I had a knee reconstruction and immediately after that suffered a heart attack but I'm fine now.

"I'm thinking of heading up to Grafton for the July Winter Carnival because Bear Bourbski has had a couple of trials on that track and is suited there.

"Sadly old Royal Riddle passed away a few months ago aged 14.''

While Royal Riddle remains Littlefield's best greyhound, the ORANGE trainer is no 'one-hit wonder'. 

His previous greyhounds had included Shady City and Narara City, both outstanding performers over the gruelling Harold Park 732m (800 yards) trip.

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Miss Bowie, who won 12 of 25 country starts and was placed in two from three Wentworth Park appearances, has been retired.

Michael Maney, whose wife Lynn trained Miss Bowie, reports that the greyhound broke a hock while trialling at Wentworth Park last week.

"We thought she was capable of pinching a 520m race at Wenty and were getting her ready for another crack when the injury occurred," Maney said.

"Hopefully Miss Bowie will now become a mother."

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Consistent Lemon Tree Girl, whose Wentworth Park record stands at four wins and five placings from 22 starts, is under a cloud after partially 'dropping'' a hind leg muscle at her most recent race on the track.

But trainer Caroline Hughes has a ready replacement in Topper Road, a new addition to her Agnes Banks kennels.

Hughes has purchased Topper Road, a Wentworth Park top grader and winner of nine from 27 races, for $15,000.

Also coming along nicely in Hughes' kennels is Where's GIGANTOR, who won 10 races in Victoria and has returned to NSW after suffering an injury setback down south.