BGBF PUPPY SEMI PREVIEW BY MARK PIERREPONT

The first semi final looks an intriguing affair with Saving Sonic for John Mullins facing Liz McNair’s Queen Cher for the second week in succession.  Sonic was heavily backed last week to over turn heat favourite Queen Cher.  On that occasion the logic was plain to see , from a plot draw in trap one and facing a rival who didn’t look ideally drawn and was having her first look at the circuit.  Sonic dominated from the front and though Cher ran a game race for a long way in behind , lack of a look and bits of trouble saw her beaten into second place by 1 3/4 lengths.  Sonic and Cher are likely to dominate the betting yet again but both will have to overcome tricky looking draws in traps 3 and 5 respectively.

Liz McNair is doubly represented in this semi final , Queen Swift (litter sister to Cher) lines up from trap 1 , potentially having the best of the draw but there is no doubting that improvement will have to be forthcoming if she is to make the most of it.  Moyar Meg running from trap 2 for Pat Rosney will likely go off outsider of the field , she will have to improve but she does have a better break in her as highlighted in a couple of graded wins at home track Belle Vue in February.

Meg will need a similar start to those two victories to put her in with a chance of qualification for next weeks final.  Bang On Annie for trainer Phil Simmonds ran what I thought was a terrific race in behind competition favourite King Idol in her heat.  Beaten into second place by that rival by just 5 lengths , this bitch , just a September 17 whelp , could go on to enjoy a very fruitful career , particularly in Oaks events.  Annie will need to trap well and secure a position early , if doing so she will make them all run.

Goldies Allen is the sixth and final participant in this first semi final for Patrick Janssens.  Allen was sent off a short odds 11/10f for his heat last week but it was a brave man who took those odds from what looked a troublesome draw.

That proved to be the case , hampered throughout, Allen ran a great race to qualify beaten just 2 3/4 lengths in fourth behind heat winner Fearsome Aria.  This dog has got the pace to live with most in this competition , he’s a very strong runner , but has yet again suffered poorly in the draw.  If he can get himself into a pitch by halfway he will be finishing stronger than anything in the race.

The greyhounds head into the traps for the second semi final at 6.59pm and Liz and Rab McNair’s competition favourite King Idol will likely go off at prohibitive odds yet again.  Recording what was easily the fastest time of last weeks heats (29.00 Normal) when running away with his race by 5 lengths.

The draw doesn’t look perfect for Idol though so he could well have to track cleverly.

Phil Simmonds Rackitup Bruce finished beaten 8 lengths behind Idol in last weeks heat , but it’s worth noting that Bruce is likely to be much more suited to this rails pitch in trap 1 than the 5 in which is was drawn last week.  A sectional of 4.41 in last weeks heat from Bruce was some 14 pips back on the excellent 4.27 which he recorded in a trial the previous week.

A reproduction of that 4.27 would give Idol a tougher task on his hands than he had when commanding an easy first bend lead last week.  He’s likely to prove too good , but it’s an interesting quandary all the same for anybody contemplating taking long odds on.  Fearsome Aria , the sole entrant for the competition from BGBF Chairman Mr John Marriott , looked plotted up from a draw in trap 1 in last weeks heats.  One of the youngest in the competition she put that age advantage and knowledge of the track to good use.

Taking an early lead she was required to dig deep off the last bend as Rackitup Charlie loomed large.  After getting to the shadows of the leader however , Charlie , who re-opposes tonight , had no more to give.  Nathan Hunt , assistant trainer to Simmonds , told me that Charlie was a late entrant , without a trial , into the competition in order to ensure that the event was staged.

Given that knowledge , it was some effort from this September 2017 son of Leamaneigh Turbo who was running away from home track Romford for the first time and was also being asked to run over 100m further than anything he’s faced previously.  He can only improve for the run and what could be huge double figure odds might just underplay his chance somewhat.

Rackitup Turbo lines up for the same connections from a perilous looking draw in trap 5.  Turbo makes it 3 for the Leamaneigh Turbo x Bang On Pippa litter here.  Turbo was another of the greyhounds who Phil Simmonds kindly entered but hadn’t originally planned to run in this event.

Beaten 7 1/4 into fourth behind Saving Sonic in last weeks heat , it wasn’t a bad effort at all for a young pup without a look around , he will have to both improve and overcome a troublesome looking draw in order to qualify for the final.  Romeo Ruben for John Mullins completes the line up from trap 6.

On paper at least Ruben looks to have a terrific draw.  He ran a good race in last weeks heat , finishing third beaten just 3 lengths in the race won by Saving Sonic.  On what was just his second look around the track he got a little lost rounding the first turn , he should come on further , is in good hands and could well give Idol a little something to think about if that rival isn’t dominating by the first turn.

It’s been well documented that this competition struggled for entries , timing , lack of discussion and a serious lack of promotion of the event played no small part in that.  British breeding needs to be successful if greyhound racing in the UK is to have a future.

We cannot allow these events , which carry good prize money not just for the winners but the for all of the participants , to simply come and go without anybody noticing.

Thankfully , despite the low entry numbers , we have what look to be two very interesting semi finals and what should be a cracking final at Owlerton Stadium , Sheffield , next week.