A full fourteen race card of opens over a variety of distances at Towcester racecourse this afternoon all sponsored by the generous Stadium Bookmakers with the highlight being the £10,000 to the winner category one Blue Riband Final.

DEELISH FRANKIE (t4 middle) takes a decisive early lead on his way to Puppy Derby glory at Monmore for Patrick Janssens.
19th March 2022
Photo: © Steve Nash

The main event of the day see’s the greyhounds head to traps at 328pm and Patrick Janssens DEELISH FRANKIE is strongly fancied to get the job done from an ideal draw in trap 3.

Last year’s Blue Riband winner Ivy Hill Skyhigh will be paraded before this afternoon’s final. He lives with owner Eamonn Johnson and can often be found on long walks in and around the Mildenhall area. Eamonn said: “I was so lucky to own him as a racer and as a pet. Saturday is his favourite day. We go on an extra long walk, stopping at the pub and then he has a nice long sleep in the car”. There will be an extra bonus to the trip to the track. Within the last week, the stadium have found the trophy that was due to be presented last year. Honours will be duly performed.

Owned by Evan Herbert , John Porter and Stephan Vogt this July 2020 son of Ballymac Bolger and Ballymac Belle has firmly established himself as one of the leading players on the UK open race scene and will be looking to add further category one success to his cv having landed the Monmore Puppy Derby Final in March 2022.

Having finished runner up in both his pre competition proper trial stake and in the first round he really took off with a scintillating semi final performance where a flawless performance saw him run out a 5 length winner over Mr Chelm in 29.14.
He will have to trap in similar fashion but in the hands of Patrick Janssens that’s exactly what I expect him to do and if securing the first bend lead he should soon be on his way to victory.  The aforementioned Mr Chelm (ex Kildare) was purchased by Lee Harris with the sole aim of securing category one glory for his owner this year.
After a slow start to life here at the kennel of new trainer John Mullins he’s really come to life in recent weeks with excellent victories in his trial stake and first round proper followed up with a solid enough performance in defeat behind Frankie in last weeks semi final.
If he comes away today then he’s a big danger to all but running from trap 1 there has to be a question mark about the possibility of that happening.  Signet Otis is another with category one glory on his cv having landed the British Breeders Stakes Final at Nottingham in March 2022.  He’s a more than solid performer who has done both his owner Stephen Harvey and trainer / breeder Kevin Hutton proud.
He will need a flier from the blue jacket of trap 2 but he’s more than capable.  Hopes Paddington trained by Mark Wallis has impressed me greatly in recent weeks particularly so in his trial stakes victory 3 runs ago.  His first round proper run was a little below par but he was soon back to peak form in last weeks semi final with a stunning 2 ½ length victory over Signet Otis in 29.15.
A top class run by anybody’s standards.  He’s more than capable however my concern is can he clear the early pace to his inside from a ponderous looking draw in trap 4 ?
Kennel mate Antigua Bigun owned by the Mark Wallis Racing Club is one of the most consistent greyhounds in training however there is little doubt that he’d have been hoping for trap 6 and a little in the way of crowding on his inner in order to get competitive late.  The draw in trap 5 may have scuppered his chances whilst it won’t have done Frostys Ten any favours either.
Seamus Gaughan’s charge owned by the Frostys Bar Syndicate has his box but he’s likely got the wrong dog drawn to his inside also.  Not ideal for either of the pair.  Therefore on the balance of probabilities in a competitive race the selection as noted is Deelish Frankie who has both the draw and the trainer to ensure a smash break lands him a second category one competition of his career.