Democracy me bollox

[Belker]

'Rhine Sparkle' was her name, A 2yo Brindle greyhound bitch bought by me Daza back in the Seventies fer 2K.
2K was big money back then and the seller advised me Da that the bitch was 'Hard Work' and not easy to control.
Myself and 'Spar' clicked on Day 1, I was only 10 at the time but we Clicked probably better than any relationship I ever had with a human female afterwards.
'Spar' was in me Daza's eyes a big money bitch and a few 'Ready-Ups' were prepared, but she would handle fer no one except me, a few 'Money Trips' to Harolds Cross were arranged, always with me in the back seat beside Spar to comfort her, and she always did her duty bringing home the Bacon in Dooblin on Two occasions. Again she brought home the Bacon in Cork in the semi-final of a tournament where she was in Third place coming off the final bend only to see the slightest gap and she was through it and won the race, Unbelievably me Daza cheered her on so much that he lost his dentures over the wall of the race track !

And she went on to break the 'Hoodoo' of us not winning a final in 13 attempts by winning the final of that event. I was 10 years old and Spar was my Bitch, I Walked her, Groomed her, Fed and Watered her and often sat next to her talking shite in her kennel all night long and she was a Good Listener !

[Octavia1]

https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/az/t/toxocariasis/

[Belker]

But as I didn't know at the time 'Spars' numbers were nearly up, as she had won a tournament her ratings were sky high and impossible to do any kind of Ready-Up job with, so she was raced as Class 1 fer a year or so mostly holding her own without Shining.

Her last race and I remember it well, she Broke down at the final bend howling in pain which was most unusual fer Spar to make any noise at all, I was in the center field after parading and trapping her and heading to collect her after the race, but after she broke down I ran back to the final bend, collected her in my arms and carried her to the vet station.
I remember me Auld fellas's words as we arrived at the Vet station, many kennel hands and stewards were on hand offering advice but he bellowed at them; "Get away from her, let only Ken near her". We brought a broken Spar home that night, I sat in her kennel fer most of the night, the next day she was gone !

40 Odd years on and I still miss that bitch.