Michael Peterson has expressed his delight after being crowned ‘King of Cowley’ after finishing champion trainer with an impressive 274 winners last year.

It was a fine achievement for Peterson (pictured below) to win it for the second year running even though he would have been fully tested had Paddy Curtin, leading at the time, not completed his move to Monmore.

“Did I feel lucky to win it again,” he said.

“I’ll tell you this. Me and all my staff were looking for a battle royal at the end of the year with Paddy and I was disappointed when he left.

“I am still proud of my achievement. However, I managed it with my dual attachment to Hall Green.

“What’s more, I managed to up my winners from 259 last year to 274 this year, and that can’t be bad.”

Peterson’s success was all the more impressive when one considers he is also attached to sister track Hall Green and travels to Denmark, where he supplies greyhounds.

lFREEDOM Emma, arg-uably the best bitch in the country after her Oaks victory, has a real chance of landing the ‘Bitch of the Year’ title at the annual awards in London later this month.

The black bitch had a trial at Hall Green in readiness for a supporting open race on the Prestige finals night at the Midlands venue on Tuesday.

Yeates is also bullish about another inmate Aherlow Shaw, a recent Wimbledon open race winner.

Shaw also takes in an open on the same night.

The High Wycombe-based handler also has high hopes for the future with a new litter by top open race bitch Ross-temple Dream and crack Aussie stud dog Crash, now standing in Ireland.

Nick Colton will also be in action at Hall Green on Tuesday where Jolly Poacher, Shelbourne Cheri and last week’s puppy open race winner Coolard Niki take their chance.

l TRAINER Tony Magnasco was quids in even though his final three winners on New Year’s Eve carried the prefix Pennys! Pennys Nine (6-4), Pennys Simpson (4-1) and Pennys Awesom (4-1) saw off the old year in style.

WITH no trials over the holidays, the racing office have been inundated with requests with 150 on the list. It is hoped to run trials next week.

THE Racing office have made another push for trainers to get dogs qualified for the 595-metre distance.

THE funeral of Peter Russek, who died last week will be at the Amersham Crematorium on Tuesday, January 11, at 2.45pm.

The picture we carried in last week’s column was not of the late Mr Russek. We apologise for the error.