Perry Barr Prices for Saturday
We are just two days away from the final of the Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks and ARC Scurry.
The Oaks will be run for the final time at Perry Barr this weekend. The plan is to move the race to the new Wolverhampton track at Dunstall Park from 2025. There is a red-hot favourite to sign the race off in style in Druids Say Go. The Patrick Janssens-trained bitch has been exceptional through the first three rounds.
Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks
4/9 Druids Say Go 10/3 Icemans Girl 10/1 Coppice Ella, Droopys Eunice 20/1 Chamberlain Kate, Front Alice
A new track record for the 275m trip from Rioja Oisin unsurprisingly sees him as the favourite for the Scurry final. The ARC Silver Salver winner Magical Bluebear is second in the market looking for a big race double.
ARC Scurry
6/4 Rioja Oisin 11/4 Magical Bluebear 7/2 King Capaldi 11/2 Bramble Linton 10/1 Bramble Oreo 14/1 Long Fellow
A frozen arrow in the Oaks final for Gerwyn Price
Nathan Hunt trains Icemans Girl for the 2021 PDC World Darts Champion Gerwyn Price.
“We are relying on Druids Say Go to make a mistake,” said Nathan. “But Icemans Girl is a strong runner and if there’s a chance of her finishing in front then she’s good enough to do so.
“This is her fourth run at Perry Barr including trials, she’s fit and well out of season which is perfect preparation.
“She’s a very laid back greyhound who saves her energy for her performances on the track. It makes our job easy, and hopefully she can deliver the goods on Saturday.
“Gerwyn is a real greyhound enthusiast. Another greyhound we train (Untold Paanga) which he part owns has qualified for a Category Three final at Monmore on the same night so it could be a special double, you never know.”
Open racing triple header tonight
***7.33 Hove – Starshinestunner (6/4)
**8.07 Hove – Burrows Eclipse (7/4)
*6.08 Hove – Newinn Benni (11/10)
A full open card at Hove this evening kicks off another busy weekend around the country. There’s some stars on show at the Sussex track including in the two 740m heats where St Leger finalist Tuono Bella lines up in heat one at 6.42pm and Ower Smasher lines up in heat two at 6.59pm.
Thursday’s Best Bet
The Nap of the evening runs in the Coral 515 Bitches Trophy Heat two at 7.33pm. Trap two Starshinestunner has returned to the track with two solid runs, including a very promising second last week at Romford over 575m behind Vis A Vis. Having been off the card since January this year connections have rightly taken as long as they needed to get her back to race fitness.
This is an ideal opportunity to get back to winning ways this evening in a race where she can turn behind sprinter Kelvins Hat and have more than enough for that rival heading into the third bend. There are some strong runners in the race including market rival Fleadh Carlin but I fancy Starshinestunner to get first run on her. She can head into next week with a sixth UK victory under her belt.
Thursday’s Next Best
The next best for the evening is trap six Burrows Eclipse in the Coral Thursday Night 500 Winner Of One at 8.07pm. This dog won on UK debut over 575m at Romford and is one from four on these shores following a strong and successful career in Ireland over four and six bends.
His trials prior to his first competitive UK start include a 28.04 at Perry Barr and a 29.23 over tonights track and trip. I would expect Marston Jess and Market Group to take the field along. If Burrows Eclipse can get a clear run out wide and turn with the pace, he is a strong runner who can prove too strong late on and pick up his second UK victory.
Other selections on the card including Newinn Benni in the Coral Thursday Night 500 Standard at 6.08pm. He is fancied to lead and make all from an unfamiliar draw in trap four. Droopys Pivotel from trap one in the Coral Dual Distance Trophy Final over 515m at 8.24pm and Bombout Bullet in trap two can return to the track with a bang in the Coral Thursday Night 285 Sprint at 8.41pm.
There is also open race action at Newcastle and Swindon. Beepers Lariat can land the spoils in the Arena Racing Company Standard at the North East track at 8.19pm. Droopys Suprstar can take the Blunsdon Standard Division A in the penultimate race at Swindon at 9.36pm.
Wicky Ned is Nottingham bound
Steel City Cup winner Wicky Ned is to trial at Nottingham on Monday in preparation for the Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse.
Jimmy Fenwick confirmed the exceptional son of Droopys Sydney to have come out of Sunday’s final well and the £20,000 Category One event over 500m is the plan.
“He’s bouncing again and we’re excited about Nottingham. It’s a track which should favour his style of running and we’ll give him a go round there next week,” said the Newcastle trainer of the Neil McGregor-owned star.
An August 22 whelp, Wicky Ned is still young and has raced at just three tracks during his career, albeit winning four competitions already.
“He’s only ever raced or trialled at Sheffield, Towcester and Newcastle – with one race in Ireland at Cork – so we’re still learning with him and he’s still coming forward.”
Wicky Ned scooped a £10,000 bonus from big-race sponsors BresBet when adding the Steel City Cup to his Gymcrack success at the track at the weekend.
The Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse, which closes to entries on Friday week, starts at Nottingham with six heats on Monday, November 11.
The semi-finals take place a week later with the final part of a gala card on Gone To The Dogs – Live! on Monday, November 25.
December plans for the Lincolnshire Greyhound Trust
The Lincolnshire Greyhound Trust attended last year for the first time where the dogs proved to be a huge success. It marked the first time any dog rehoming charity had been approved to have dogs in the shopping village. Usually, it is just the dogs competing and assistance dogs who are allowed in. This was a landmark moment and a testament to the wonderful reputation that greyhounds have.
Across the five days last year, there were more than 80k visitors from across the globe, including Cheryl Janssens and Ria Tillett. There are hopes for a good footfall again in 2024 and the excitement is building. As a charity, it is the most expensive event that the LGT have attended by far so it was a huge decision for Kevin Stow (the Chairman of the trust) to make to go.
They are hopeful that this investment will pay off, not financially, as they don’t push donations or much in a way of sales at any of the events that they attend. The main focus at the LGT are the dogs – as it rightly should be!
Events like this are used by the LGT as a platform to illustrate what wonderful pets greyhounds make. Gail May, Carly Philpott and ‘Forrest’ (Special Thanks) made up some of the volunteers last year, and will all be in attendance alongside many other helpful humans and hounds this coming year.
If anyone is planning on going to the London International Horse Show this year, go and make the LGT stand the most popular in the shopping hall! The show runs from December 18-22 at the ExCeL Centre.
Gary Wiltshire and Barry Caul guest on the Gone To The Dogs Podcast
A bumper episode was released last night with two guests and it is not to be missed.
Episode 56 is a double header and perfect for that long commute home this evening if you didn’t already listen on your way to work today!
As always, Gary is great value for money when it comes to talking! There are some superb stories from the past of greyhound racing but also some stories of struggles as Gary opens up like never before. We also learn the track that Gary would resurrect if he could and the answer might surprise you!
Joe talks to Barry about the second round of the Boylesports Irish Derby. You can get a condensed version of Barry’s opinions on each heat on the second round here.
Stats
- Drop The Torpedo – 3.32 Kinsley – 6/11 in D2 from stripes.
- Honey Bobby – 5.03 Towcester – 7/12 in D2 class.
- Fleadh Cailin – 7.33 Hove – 8/16 from trap four.
- Wasted Monday – 8.24 Hove – 6/9 in OR3 company and 5/10 from trap five.
- Bombout Bullet – 8.41 Hove – 6/11 in one off opens at the track.
Opens
Friday: Romford
Saturday: Central Park♦ Perry Barr
