EXCITING PAUL RUNNING FOR A CAUSE AND NEW OWNERS

    Ian Fortune

    Highview Paul will run in the final of the Celtic Cooling Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Open Unraced at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night but it will be the final time he races under his given name as he will carry the ‘Harlequin’ prefix going forward.

    The unbeaten son of Ballymac Cashout and Highview Moment won both his career starts in 28.68 and seems set to go even faster in the future. He is just the latest in a long line of top-class greyhounds to emerge from the Merriman kennels and he seems certain to provide his new owners with plenty of sport in the coming months and years.

    Dave Wilson of the Harlequin Syndicate confirmed the news yesterday that they had actually purchased the hugely promising tracker after the opening round, while also confirming that a portion of any prizemoney won on this side of the Irish Sea will go to a great cause.

    Said Wilson of the syndicate’s new purchase, “Highview Paul is a Harlequin Greyhound! He will be renamed and ownership changed after the final on Saturday night. To be honest, we didn’t trust the postal service enough to risk sending his book off so that’s why we’re waiting until after the event.

    Dave continued, “He was purchased at the start of the event and the Harlequin Syndicate will donate 5% of all his prize money whilst he is based in Ireland to the Irish Retired Greyhound trust.”

    It’s a wonderful gesture and great credit must go to all involved in the Harlequin Syndicate. As for his new name. There are plans to make a draw ahead of the opening race at HQ after which a member of the syndicate will be tasked with naming their star. Needless to say, it will begin with Harlequin.