The Category One BGBF British Bred Derby Final takes centre stage at Sheffield this evening where the winner will take away £7,500.  The main event is supported by an interesting card containing opens over a variety of distances aligned with the heats of the Gain Greyhound Nutrition Christmas Handicap.  With a handful of level break graded races at the end of the night there is something for everybody to get stuck into.  Here are some open race thoughts. . .
First up at 6.36pm is the Owlerton Sprint over 280m and worth £250 to the winner.  Kevin Ferguson’s Acomb Fatima warrants obvious respect and comes into this race in fair form.  Given a tilt in the British Bred Derby that was a tough ask on a bitch who has long since confirmed herself as a sprint specialist.  ‘Fatima’ will undoubtedly be better suited to this return to a sphere where she is eminently more at home however there are reasons to take her on.  The red jacket wouldn’t be an advantage in sprints around here plus she also has to contend with switching sides which again from a trapping perspective wouldn’t be advantageous.  She may well come away fine and if doing so would take the beating but I’m siding with Sean Davy’s Slaneyside Xpres who has always been a dog with plenty of early but has been inconsistent at best in the trapping department.  He run well enough in a heat of the Scurry Gold Cup at Perry Barr behind the classy Bockos Jon Jo and though off the card since trialled back well last week over course and distance in 1601 and importantly out of the very same trap which he runs from tonight.  Xpres can ping out and make all.
The second open of the evening at 7.41pm is also an Owlerton Sprint over 280m.  Once again the runner in the red jacket will be well fancied in the betting but again is opposable given he’s another stepping down in trip and therefore switching sides at the Owlerton circuit.  Colin Handford’s Save Me Paddy is good enough to win with a break but I’m taking a chance that Sean Parker’s bang in form Barnside Mata can overcome the lack of a look around to land the spoils.  Parker would know the type of greyhound needed to win around here without a look , it’s a track he knows well and he’d not be bringing Mata unless he had every faith that the dog could do himself justice without the look.
The Owlerton Stayers over 660m at 8.2pm and Barnside Millie can give Sean Parker a double on the night.  ‘Millie’ has got stronger with age and though she run with credit in heat and semi-final of the British Bred Derby the competition likely came a little too soon on her return to action and also over a trip as mentioned a bit shorter than ideal these days.  With those runs under her belt now and stepping up in trip she can make the bookies pay.
The Owlerton Standard at 8.27pm can go to Kirsty Grayson’s Dairy Hill Jet who put up an excellent performance when winning on UK debut over course and distance last time out.  He’ll have to be on his toes early but if he does come away he should make the bend in front and a length or two improvement on the clock should be enough to ensure he holds on.  Michael O’Donnell’s Lemming Caesar is a talented type and though beaten by the selection last time out didn’t get much in the way of luck in running.  He’d be well capable of reversing the form if  ‘Jet’ isn’t away from the boxes quickly.

The main event of the night at 8.46pm as six of the best British Bred greyhounds around head to traps for the BGBF British Bred Derby Final.  A Category One event worth £7500 to the winner the trophy can be lifted aloft by the bang in form Kevin Hutton team with his superbly well drawn Signet Otis selected to ping out and make all.  Ultra-impressive and in winning both his heat and semi-final this January 2020 whelp sired by Magical Bale and out of Forest Natalee can make full use of his trap 3 draw and hold off the strong late finishing run of his full sister Sleek By Design for a Hutton kennel forecast in one of British Breeding’s main events of the year.