GOLD COLLAR REVIEW AND SEMI DRAW

ROXHOLME TIGER leads Old Fort Comet (t3) on the way to impressive 33.54 in the Ladbrokes Gold Collar heats. Crayford 12th June 2018. Photo: © Steve Nash

Ante post favourite Shotgun Bullet and the dog who beat him in the fastest time of the night – Roxholme Tiger – find their trap positions reversed for next Tuesday’s semi finals.

Tiger’s assistant trainer Mark Keightley said: “Our lad looks fairly well housed in five. In fact, last night was the first time he has really shown us the quality that we originally thought we had bought.

“He is pretty much a ‘one pacer’ in my book. He gets away and just keeps going. I thought Swift Danielle looks likely to head to the inside so he should get a clear run. If he breaks again like he did last night, I can’t imagine him not qualifying though given the quality of the field, I am hopeful rather than confident.”

The kennel’s second runner, Jackeen Flyer is drawn in the last qualifier having been beaten just over a length by the night’s second quickest winner Mustang Thrill.

Keightley said: “I did my absolute brains on her to do the fastest sectional of the Golden Jacket and did them again on her to win the competition outright, but she went lame. Thankfully, I got it all back in a maiden last time out and I have just had a small interest.

“I really think the world of this bitch. When she is right and running between 550-700m, I don’t think there is a dog in the country who would come from behind her. This is a bit different with dogs who would be quicker over 500m. When this competition is over we will step her up in distance. Given the draw for the semis, I would say there is no margin for error.”