Tonight see’s the Ladbrokes Guys & Dolls Final taking place at Crayford, supported by 10 open races staged over varying distances at the Kent venue plus an intriguing A4 graded affair that gets the evening underway. It promises to be an excellent evenings entertainment for those lucky enough to be in attendance and also those watching from home on Racing Post Greyhound Television.
The 7.43pm is the Guys & Dolls 540m Maiden can go the way of Lee Fields JAYS SWIFT. This will be the first time that the June 2017 youngster has raced away from her home track Monmore, however she looks sure to be well suited by this track and trip and from a decent looking make up looks sure to go close despite lacking a look around.
It’s the Guys & Dolls Puppy sprint over 380m at 800pm and NATIVE COBBLER can provide the Field kennel with a quick fire double. This will be the August 2017 pups first outing here in the United Kingdom, he does though have some serious runs on his card in Ireland including when winning around Limerick in 28.52 and around Tralee in 28.66. Cobbler trialled well enough here last week when recording 23.74 and it wouldn’t take all that much improvement to see him running out a ready winner.
Next up is the Guys & Dolls Puppy Stake over 540m at 817pm and Julie Luckhurst’s DROOPYS SHUTTLE looks a dot on the card. The step up in trip to this short six bends looks like it will suit ideally, coming into the race off the back of a good 23.53 (normal) success in A1, Shuttle should have no trouble in gaining her maiden open race victory.
It’s the Guys & Dolls Stayers Hurdle over 540m at 8.34pm and though he has his own ideas at times it’s near on impossible to oppose SHANEBOY BOWIE. He’s better class than the rivals he faces this evening and with a clear run should be winning comfortable enough even if not by a huge margin.
The Guys & Dolls Ladies Stakes over 540m is next up at 8.51pm and PROUD PRIZE can hopefully complete a hat-trick for Monmore trainer Lee Field. Prize won on over course and distance on her only look at this venue in early June. That look around should be fresh enough in the memory bank to prove beneficial tonight and is the pick in what is a competitive race.
The main event of the evening takes place at 9.09pm, it’s the Ladbrokes Guys & Dolls Final over 380m. Patrick Janssens Magical Houdini is very likely to be sent off a short priced favourite, though I’m siding with the Belinda Green trained GISLEBERTUS who comes into tonight’s final unbeaten in the competition having ran out a ready winner of both his heat and semi final. Houdini would prefer a draw nearer the middle of the track and found tonight’s trap 1 draw work against him when facing the selection who was running from trap 3 in last weeks semi. Although Gislebertus has drawn trap 4 tonight I believe he can smash out and make all to land a memorable success for his loyal band of connections.
The Guys & Dolls Marathon over 874m at 9.27pm and the Lee Gifkins trained BURGESS HONEY can run out a ready winner. Honey is perfectly at home around this venue, highlighted no better than when winning heat and final of the Cesarewitch here last month. There wouldn’t be too much strength in depth in the race in all honesty and Claude Gardiner’s Rockmount Mint looks all set to fill the forecast spot.
The Guys & Dolls Maiden Stayers over 714m at 9.45pm and SWIFT CASEY can provide Belinda Green with a memorable double. This is a step up in trip for Casey however she looks certain to lead and if doing so it would take some performance from one of the others to then pick her up.
The Guys & Dolls Sprint over 380m at 10.02pm. DANTES INFERNO for Alison Kelly-Pilgrim isn’t the most consistent sort at the traps, but won well last time out over course and distance and generally runs in races of much better quality than this. Any kind of start should soon see him take command and if doing so will be home for all money.
At 10.19pm it’s the Guys & Dolls Maiden Stakes. Gemma Davidson and the connections of DROOPYS BUBBLY would have been hoping that their October 2017 bitch pup would have been competing in tonight’s main event. She’d been performing at a very high level at home track Central Park and wasn’t unfancied in the market for her first round heat when sent off 5/2 joint favourite in her heat of the Guys and Dolls which was won by Swift Casey. Unfortunately she took a tumble in that race but a 33.73 (+20) trial has highlighted her well being since. Bubbly can lead early and gain her maiden open race victory.
Last but by no means least at 10.35pm is the Guys & Dolls Stakes over 10.35pm. Without doubt one of the more competitive races on the card but the selection is with Julie Luckhurst’s ROXHOLME TIGER who ran well when winning over course and distance last week, if clearing Capel Diamond early, he should soon set his sights on the early paced Cash Money and as in the case of last week, should prove much the stronger in the latter stages of the race.
