RACING TODAY – SATURDAY

The first open race of the evening at Sheffield is a 280m sprint event and there should be no trouble for Phil Barlows Inca Coney (T4) making it 6 out of 6 so far this year.  ‘Coney’ should have the middle of the track all to himself with Beverley Heaton’s Ballymac Tessa (T3) looking sure to be heading for a rails pitch.  ‘Coney’ will be short odds but should have little difficulty in obliging.

Tony McKenna’s Referendum (T3) has won 5 from his last 6 starts , all here at Sheffield and had absolutely no difficulty accounting for some fair rivals when stepping up to four bends for the first time here in the UK last time out.  Despite missing the break from his draw in one , he soon paced up and never looked in a moments danger.  There is every reason to believe that tonights draw in trap three could see him trapping that little bit better and if he does secure an early lead , there is simply nothing in this race that should be back running him.

Laurence Tuffins Rocket Robbie (T4) , though possessing fair early pace , is likely to take a step to the right coming out of the traps and grant Referendum plenty of room to run.  Likely to be too short for all but the deepest pockets to back singly , a doubling up with Inca Coney should pay dividends.

The 500m standard at 824pm is an intriguing race but can go the way of Barrie Draper’s Rockforest Hugo (T3).  Competing in the semi final of the Steel City Cup last time out , Hugo was just about to drop into a fair position to challenge for the second qualifying slot for tonights final when he encountered trouble coming off the second bend.  Against that class of Category One rival his chance was then gone.  Though this is a fair race tonight there’s no doubting that it’s a step down in class.

Dean O’Brien’s Coney Krakatoa (T4) has been faultless over the past few weeks, rattling off a quick fire hat-trick he is once again well drawn.  He could easily set the early fractions upfront but it’s difficult to see ‘Hugo’ not clearing the inside pair and he could be in a very menacing position from an early stage.

Craig Marston’s youngster Seconds To Mars has pace to burn but looked reluctant to pass when short headed in a Nottingham puppy race behind Piemans King recently.  Dean O’Brien’s Coney Kuoni (T6) is a game sort who keeps himself to himself out wide , he’s still a maiden after 9 open races over varying trips however and would need this race to get messy if he were to oblige.

The main event of the evening is the Category One Steel City Cup Final at 9.18pm.  A case can be made for all six finalists but there is no doubting that Laurence Tuffins Deadly Expert has a dream draw on the outside of the track.  ‘Expert’ may well need a little crowding at the turn to aid his cause further but that is far from inconceivable and he could well find himself away and gone by the second bend.

A winner of 4 of her 5 career starts to date, including heat and semi final of this competition, she is a class act and can claim the first Category One success of what is destined to be a career at the very highest level.

Ernie Gaskin’s Newinn Jacko (T3) looks the obvious danger should ‘Jessiej’ fluff her lines at the start.  Kevin Boon’s Droopys Premier (T4) was purchased as a greyhound who finds four bends as far as he wants, that maybe so but he’s a talented sort who could find himself with a leaders chance at huge odds with one of his better breaks.