Preview by Mark Pierrepont with additional comments by Newcastle GM Ian Walton
The Arena Racing Company Northern Puppy Derby Final worth £10,000 to the winner takes centre stage at Newcastle this evening. The main event is supported by a further seven open races , six of which are one off events with the Stayers Vase Final the primary support and being worth £500 to the winner.
Ian Walton said: “We have a superb Puppy Derby Final in store and are expecting a big crowd to watch the action. Let’s hope for a great race, though the most important thing is that all the runners come home safe and sound.”
A puppy event over 480m gets the evenings open race action underway at 659pm and can go the way of Droopys Yee Haw for the Angela Harrison team. Just an August 2020 whelp he made his mark at Newcastle on just his third career start.
Taking a flying break he never looked in danger as he landed a good class A2 28.81. Though beaten next time out in A1 he ran with huge promise and the improvement on the clock to 28.68 shows he’s quickly heading in the right direction. His two main dangers would be Jimmy Fenwick’s Coppice Ice and Tom Heilbron’s Fourbet Layla but the draw can swing things thew way of Yee Haw and if getting around the turn he’ll not easily be reeled in.
Those looking to add a bit of extra value to their bet could add Layla into the mix for the forecast. She won’t find it too easy getting by Coppice Ice but should eventually do so to come through for second.
Ian Walton said: “I find this race almost impossible to call. Coppice Ice almost matched Mickys Barrett to the bend last time out. Fourbets Layla showed good ability in the first round, I could go on. If I was forced to choose one, I would take a chance with Droopys Yee Haw who still looks very green but clearly has great potential.”
Another 480m puppy race at 716pm and Droopys Biggy can give team Harrison a quick-fire double. He’s not well drawn here in trap 4 and his lack of trapping ability and early could initially see him in trouble.
That said there isn’t really too much in the race that should be troubling him and so long as he’s laying handily enough at halfway he will prove far too strong in the latter stages. He’ll be priced accordingly but should gain a small amount of compensation for his somewhat unlucky elimination from the Northern Puppy Derby at last week’s semi-final stage.
Ian Walon said: “Droopys Biggy will probably be a warm order in here. He looks a class dog with all round pace and I think trap four will suit him. I would make Little Seven the danger.”
Sprint action over 290m at 7.34pm and Freedom Whiskey the current course and distance track record holder (1660 set in July 2021) should prove too good even if not currently in the best form of his life and drawn wider than ideal.
He’ll likely be priced shorter than he possibly should be but it’s such an average affair that he’s difficult to oppose for Tom Heilbron. Yvonne Bell’s Zari Best could potentially be a danger having been showing plenty of early in top grade events here for a while.
His 17.05 trial would need to be improved upon a fair bit but that was his first attempt out of these traps in quite some time so maybe that improvement will be forthcoming.
Ian Walton said: “It has to be the track record holder Freedom Whiskey in six. He isn’t just a class dog, he is in very good form at the moment too.”
A 640m stayers open at 7.51pm and the race looks set to be between Jimmy Fenwick’s Ice Of Diamonds and Tom Heilbron’s Titan Jim. Both greyhounds were leading fancies for the Vase competition but were both eliminated in last week’s heats. Diamonds beaten just a length in total in her heat but finishing fourth and Jim going down by 1 1/2 in total finishing in third place. There wasn’t much between them on the clock and there isn’t likely to be here but preference is just for the younger greyhound Titan Jim to prevail.
Ian Walton said: “I would expect Airmount Varys to lead the inside runners though we don’t know how well he will stay. But I am expecting the main battle to be between the five and six. I find it almost impossible to separate them but will just edge it to Titan Jim who I would expect to be in front early.”
Standard 480m action at 8.06pm and Ted Soppitt’s Skywalker Forte can get back to winning ways. Trapping isn’t always his strong suit although that’s improved of late and this February 2020 son of Dorotas Wildcat recently rattled off a hattrick at Sheffield.
He will have to clear Duke De Janerio early on but so long as he does so he can really open up from halfway. Tom Heilbron’s Danish Dynamite would look to be the main danger and is well drawn on the wide outside.
He’s not always so fluently away as when winning an A1 last time out in a good time however even if he were to be he’d still find it tough to hold Forte if he gets clear on the inside.
Ian Walton said: “This is one of the most open races on the night. Duke De Janerio is good enough at his best but he has changed kennels and hasn’t been the most consistent of breakers. I’m selecting Skywalker Forte because he looks the class dog in the race and I thought he ran exceptionally well to beat Frankies Jet two races ago. But I will be keep a close eye on Danish Dynamite who has lethal early and could cause an upset if there is trouble behind him.”
The 8.21pm standard over 480m is one of the nights trickiest puzzles to solve. A chance is taken with Kevin Ferguson’s home bred Acomb Winston who has been in flying form this year rattling off a hattrick in recent weeks and winning four of his last five.
He’ll need to come away as well as he has been doing so in recent starts but if doing so he can just about make the bend and if getting around in front that should be enough. Debbie Calvert’s Ferryforth Davy is obviously talented but judging by the gaps on his card isn’t the easiest to keep right.
He did win a good A1 at Doncaster last time out and is well enough drawn here so does need to come into consideration. Anynamewilldo has won his last two for Tom Heilbron with an A1 here followed up with an open at Nottingham.
Maybe the forecast spot can be filled by Angela Harrison’s Droopys Hooray however who stays on well over this trip and given that the selection does get away he should get a nice tow in behind on the wide outside.
Ian Walton said: “Another tight one. Ferryforth Davy was impressive when he was here last time. Droopys Hooray absolutely loves Newcastle and is sure to put in a competitive run. But I’m just going to edge it to Acomb Winston who has been a win machine throughout his career for Kevin Ferguson and he runs this track as well as anywhere.”
The main event of the night at 8.36pm with the ARC Northern Puppy Derby. Liz McNair’s bitch Havana Bale Out is one of if not the fastest greyhound currently in training on UK soil. She showcased exactly why she was ante post favourite for this competition with a demolition job of a performance in her semi-final where her nearest rival , kennel mate and fellow finalist Havana Robusto , was some 8 1/2 lengths back in a quite sensational 28.11 calculated.
She was beaten however in the first round having been forced wide around the opening turns and drawn outside Jason Gray’s early paced speedster Mickys Barrett could that yet again be the case tonight ? If she does clear him then it should be race over but that will be easier said than done if the Nottingham raider comes away on terms.
Given the make-up of the race I’m siding with the locally trainer Blackhouse Harry to follow up heat and semi-final success and land trainer Stuart Ray a memorable victory. He won well last week having missed his break and encountering trouble early and he’ll need to improve on the clock at least a little if he’s to get the job done tonight but a good break can see him leading on the inside and if Bale Out does find herself in trouble early on then she might well find that the selection has stolen a march.
The aforementioned Havana Robusto is a youngster who has the world at his feet and I fully expect him to make into a high-class sort with a little more experience under his belt whilst the inside pair of Innfield Trojan and Freedom Alibi have both done Tom Heilbron proud in reaching the final and both look to have excellent careers ahead of them but might just need a little in the way of luck if they’re to land the spoils.
Ian Walton gave his view on the final following the semi finals.
The ARC Stayers Vase (£500 to the winner) rounds off the open race action on the night at 8.52pm and looks set to be a good battle between Angela Harrison’s Coolavanny Bani and Jimmy Fenwick’s Nice As Ice.
There wasn’t much between them on the clock in last week’s heats and there isn’t likely to be much between them tonight if both get away to good starts. The inside line just gives the edge to Bani though who can lead as they head onto the back straight at the latest and if doing so it might just be a little too much to ask of Ice to pick her up.
Ian Walton said: “You only have to look at the qualifying times from the heats to see how closely they are matched in here. It really is so open but I’m selecting Afton Pixie who is quite unexposed on the open race circuit but really impressed me with her win in the heats and may improve more for that run.”
