it happend to me once before chris in 2002 i lost a youngster on first race from littlehampton 92 mile he turned up 8 month later still with rubber on but very perished covered in lice been living rough ,in 2003 season as a yearling that pigeon won me 3 channel races in the club from 200 mile to 335 mile being in top 10 of combine on each occasion, this pigeon was the sire of the grizzle that has turned up today!!!!!!!