LEADING handler Angie Kibble just failed to top the 300 winners mark in landing her seventh Champion Trainers’ title last year.

The Standlake-based handler ruled the roost from 1998 through to 2003 after taking out a licence only the year before and really hit the ground running as a new trainer.

However, it’s fair to say she wasn’t new to the sport, having been a kennel hand at Oxford as a teenager.

She picked up plenty from record title holder (eight wins), the late Henry Kibble, and has devoted her life to the sport.

Kibble has attracted some good owners and it shows over the years.

And again she has shown her interest early this year by landing the first race of the campaign on New Year’s Day.

FINAL STANDINGS

1 A Kibble 290, 2 N Colton 220, 3 M Massey 215, 4 M Peterson 192, 5 R Baker 185, 5 G Hepden 179, 6 L Magnasco 167, 7 T Kibble 152, 8 R Bicknell 129, 9 S Rayner 124, 10 R Hannan 111, 11 T Atkins 106, 12 J Mayo 95, 13 R Yeates 85, 14 P Clarke 83, 15 C Stringer 52, 16 N Carter 21.

  • TRAINER Ron Bicknell is cutting a dash with his Burnt Oak Banjo, who completed a hat-trick of victories last month.

He is joined on the treble mark by Gilly Hepden’s Ballymac Shane and Central Banker, plus Paul Clarke’s Curryhills Dime, while Maurice Massey’s Ballyhoe Bertie completed his threesome on January 1.

  • IT has been a good year for greyhound racing, with Oxford’s general manager Maureen Ridley seeing figures for December 12 per cent up on the previous year.

There was a bumper Boxing Day attendance of more than 1,000.

Oxford will be in the front line for improved attendance figures and Tote turnover.