A full 14 race open card at Towcester racecourse this afternoon where 8 Stadium Bookmakers Blue Riband Trial Stakes are in effect the first round of the competition.  The first 3 from each will be ‘invited’ to take part in the first round proper next week which in effect bypasses the new GBGB ruling of only allowing the majority of competitions to be staged over 3 rounds.  A number of the firms have priced up the event despite the new format with the Patrick Janssens trained Deelish Frankie being installed as a general 6/1 joint favourite alongside the Mark Wallis trained Hopes Paddington who race in trial stakes 2 and 8 respectively.  Mark Pierrepont previews –

DEELISH FRANKIE. Puppy Derby presentation
Monmore 19th March 2022
Photo: © Steve Nash

 
‘Frankie’ will take the beating if coming away in his trial stake at 252pm and though in his current form it would take a brave man to oppose him he will have to be at his best with talented kennel mate Lautaro drawn to his immediate outside.  It could be a real race to savour if both greyhounds get around the opening couple of bends unscathed and though the race is best watched from a betting perspective it could very well be one of the most exciting of the day.
 
There does look to be a good bet to be had in the Stadium Bookmakers Maiden at 311pm though as Patrick Janssens gives a second career start to CROSSFIELD RILEY (NAP).  He’d shown plenty of promise in his qualifying trials and despite not coming away well at all on career debut he still found a good chunk of time.  Any kind of break today and he should have far too much pace for his rivals before going on to bigger and better things throughout the year.
 
Sharon Thompson’s MASTER TEN TEN ran well in defeat behind Lautaro here last week and though he’ll likely be priced accordingly he does look to be a solid bet to land trial stakes 3 for Team Thompson at 328pm.

MASTER TEN TEN (t2) looking to land trial stake 3 this afternoon .
Star Sports TRC Derby heats.
Towcester , Friday 20th May 2022.
Photo: © Steve Nash

 
Trial stake 4 at 348pm is a really intriguing affair and see’s Mr Chelm who was previously known as Kildare and of course finished runner up in the English Derby Final here last year looking to get off the mark for his new connections who purchased him for a huge fee in anticipation of landing category one events throughout 2023.  It’s taken the dog a little bit of time to settle in to his new surroundings with connections citing fitness as a concern over recent weeks but he should now be coming to hand and really should be winning a race of this nature if he’s to go anywhere close to justifying his huge price tag.  Patrick Janssens Global Prima is the likely danger to the selection but my reading of the race is that the pair could well come together at some stage and potentially setting the race up for something at a big price to come through late.  A race to watch in reality but a race which should provide plenty of clues not only for this competition but for the year ahead.

English Derby finalist KILDARE now known as Mr Chelm and runs in trial stake 4 this afternoon (t1) Photo: © Steve Nash

 
Patrick Janssens couldn’t have spoken any higher about his FABULOUS AZURRA ahead of her engagement at Shelbourne Park on Winter Festival night and she landed many bets of significance when landing her bitches 525 at odds of 4/1.  It was a stunning performance from one of the leading ladies in training and she’s fancied to land trial stake 6 at 448pm.  She can’t afford any mistakes at the start though with the fabulous Makeit For Waz drawn to her immediate outside. I just fancy that Azurra will come away and hold off Waz to the corner and if doing so she can confirm the form of the Empress Stakes Final.

FABULOUS AZURRA who runs in trial stake 6 this afternoon seen leading home Forest Roanna (t1) and the reopposing Makeit For Waz (t2) in the bet365 Empress Stakes Final Photo: © Steve Nash

 
Mark Wallis’s HOPES PADDINGTON is looking to complete a hattrick having followed up victory in the Olympic Consolation at Hove with an impressive victory in a Christmas open at Monmore.  He does have early pace to contend with in the shape of John Mullin’s Swift Iconic on his inside but he should turn handy at worst to that rival and I fancy him to have cleared him by the third bend.  David Mullins Arkady is very talented in front but whether he can clear both the selection and Iconic early is debateable.