Mark Pierrepont gives his insight into 12 high class open races featuring the quarter finals of the Star Sports & TRC Greyhound Derby
Don’t forget the first round review: Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Colour guide to ‘halfway’ from ‘halfway’ in the first round –
Yellow/black prices (left) are Star Sports ante post – blue prices (right) are a rough indicator to individual race betting
A full twelve race open card at Towcester this evening with the highlights obviously being the four quarter finals of the Star Sports / TRC English Greyhound Derby but they are ably supported by four heats of the RPGTV Notebook Watling Street Sprint Trophy over 270m and also the four heats of the RPGTV Derby Plate.
The evening gets underway with heat one of the Watling Street Sprint Trophy and it will be an upset if Liz McNair’s Havana Class doesn’t show his class to land this race in style. It’s a fair race to say the least and he’ll have to trap lively enough but if doing so he’s going to be difficult to clear and if turning in front wouldn’t be for catching. John Mullins Ballymac Slapup might not be in his sharpest vein of form but he’s one of the fastest sprinters around in the UK and it was somewhat of a surprise that he was only originally on the reserve list for this competition. He’d be a live contender for this race with one of his flashier starts and might well rate as a value alternative to the selection for those looking for something at a slightly bigger price.
Heat two can go to Pat Buckley’s Flashing Willow. He was out of luck when only finishing third in the final of the Supersprint at Cork in mid-April but was simply sensational when despite missing the kick he destroyed the opposition in a good class sprint at Limerick on Kirby final night shortly after. He’s got pace to burn and should improve significantly for the look around Towcester he had last week when recording 1612 (-20) in a trial. He’s top class and though lining up in a decent enough heat he’ll prove tough to hold with any kind of start. Nathan Hunt’s Scala Omeara isn’t the most consistent at the start but is capable on his day and might just represent a spot of value at likely double figure odds.
Patrick Janssens Crossfield Dusty is without doubt drawn wider than ideal out in trap 6 but comes into this race fresh off a short break and should prove too good for his rivals. There isn’t likely to be anything resembling value about his price but there is little to stop him winning heat three with anything like a level start. Dusty added the Northamptonshire Sprint title to his ever-growing CV this year and he’s one of the leading players for this competition outright.
Peter Cronin brings Ela Supremo over for a crack at landing a big event on UK soil and whilst he’s likely to take a fair bit of stopping there is going to be plenty of juice in the price of David Mullins Shrewd Call due to his presence. Sure Shrewd Call isn’t getting any younger but he remains in good form and is well drawn for a flash start. Supremo might just find it tough to clear him and though both can safely qualify for the next round the value from a betting perspective is very likely to be with the Mullins trained greyhound.
The first quarter final of the Derby can got to Paul Hennesy’s Priceless Jet who could well drop into a really threatening pitch on the wide outside as they head onto the back straight. This race could easily become congested on the rails to middle of the track both on the run up and around the bend and whilst Jet has so far looked happy enough to just do enough his trainer is far from anybody’s fool and it would be no surprise to see him looking a little sharper as we head into the latter stages of the competition. He shouldn’t be too far away at all and is likely backable in both the win and place markets. Peter Cronin’s Kildare was far from suited by the slower track conditions last week and looked a tired finisher heading to the line when just about hanging on to qualify. It might well be that he’s actually better off drawn against the fence which though it may not be his preferred running position it might just stop one or two of his rivals from gaining the position they crave too. He’s a live danger to the selection should he have come out of last week’s race fresh enough to do himself justice this time around.
Pat Buckley’s superstar greyhound Ballinabola Ed has simply been sensational throughout the competition thus far. Winning each of his first three round heats in effortless style he can land this in similar fashion and book himself his place in next week’s semi-final. Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Fairone has similarly been impressive and followed up two excellent ‘in defeat’ efforts in the first two rounds with a scintillating winning performance in last week’s third round. If it were not for the presence of a once in a lifetime greyhound in the shape of Ed then Fairone himself would be very short odds for this heat. As it stands Ed can win again whilst Fairone shouldn’t be too far off the pace in second.
Graham Holland can land the third quarter final with his ultra-talented Romeo Magico. He can follow Kevin Hutton’s 2021 Greyhound Of The Year Signet Ace around the turn and just about get the better of his rival in the latter stages with both safely progressing through to the semi-final. Patrick Janssens Lautaro is without doubt one of if not the fastest greyhound currently in training here in the UK. His first-round performance when setting a new track record was simply sensational and the quality of the greyhound when in front cannot be denied. His second-round performance in defeat was also a big improvement in respect of bravery to that which we’ve seen from him in many races in the past with Patrick Janssens himself being quoted as saying that he could well have bottled such a race in times gone by. When assessing a greyhounds chances of winning a race it would be folly to assess only the positives and ignore the negatives so at the likely prices and with him once again being drawn wider than ideal and with question mark’s over his head as to whether he showed enough will to hit the front last week he is opposed even if it is done so with a note of caution that if hitting the front early there is likely nothing to beat him on either side of the Irish sea.
Singalong Sally one of the fastest and most game bitches to have ever graced a track can land quarter final four for her likeable Irish trainer Pat Buckley. No doubt drawn a little wider than she generally likes I’d not be surprised to see her edge across to her preferred rails position tonight having been shown the way to the bend last time out when having Signet Ace in opposition on her immediate outside. The rivals drawn to her inside are fairly perfect to Sally so far as getting across are concerned and once there it should be a race against the clock for one of the most popular greyhounds in training. Diane Henry’s Savana Beau came through to win right on the line last week and pulled well clear to the pick-up. He looks a sure-fire contender for some of the big six bend events this summer but before that connections will rightly still be dreaming of Derby glory.
He was flattered a little by the win with the race maybe slowed up slightly with the aforementioned Lautaro not looking the keenest to pass Signet Denver on the run in but there is no taking away from what was a terrific battling performance from the Diane Henry trained greyhound who is improving with each passing week. Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Belvult will be looking for a position on the inside of the track at the earliest available opportunity and though this race is tougher he put up a much-improved performance when finishing runner up behind kennel mate Ballymac Fairone last time out. He’ll be a big price tonight but his chances of qualifying through to the semi final are far from non existent under the training of one of the shrewdest handlers in the sport.
A competitive first heat of the RPGTV Derby Plate can go the way of Barry Draper’s Swift Woof who looks perfectly housed to smash out and make all from his trap 3 berth. I’m not sure the Draper trained greyhound would quite be the quickest in the line-up but he can lead and that will take the edge away from one or two of his rivals in behind. Tom Heilbron’s Freedom Alibi is a classy sort who was eliminated from the Derby in a top class second round heat won by ante post favourite for the competition Ballinabola Ed. He was far from disgraced in finishing fourth in that race and though not ideally drawn here right against the fence he’d be a live danger if getting around the turn unscathed. Jamie Kingsley’s Hellofakerfuffle landed the category one Maiden Derby Final here at the start of May and obviously enjoys the test that the track provides. He’s capable but will need to be sharp and hope for a slow start from the selection if he’s to land this.
The second heat of the Dery Plate is a very tough race to solve and could go any number of ways. A chance if taken on a greyhound who is still improving and may just represent a touch of value in the John Mullins trained Chelms Fred. Yes this is a step up in class on the A1 which is took in style on his last appearance but he possesses wicked early pace and is well drawn to utilise it here from his draw in trap 4. Fred can smash out and lead all the way just about holding off the strong late challenges of Liz McNair’s Warzone Tom and James Turners Spinosaurus.
Many people myself included fancied the Richard Rees trained Amaze Me Seb to go deep into the Derby itself but he was eliminated from the main event at just the second-round stage. He’s been freshened up with a trial at home venue Hove since and can come through in the latter stages to land this from Tom Heilbron’s Innfield Trojan and Pat Buckley’s Le Bonite who will likely set the early paced fractions but in doing so may just serve to tee this race up for the selection.
The final race of a brilliant card and the fourth heat of the Derby Plate can go to Seamus Cahill’s Sporting Chile. A pacey individual who set a then track record 2899 when landing a Derby trial stake he’s no doubt drawn wider than ideal here in trap 6 but so long as the John Mullins trained Chelms Switch doesn’t take one of his occasional flash starts he should be all set to take command of the middle of the track at his leisure. That being the case he should turn in front and from that point home wouldn’t be for catching. Paul Sallis’s Freedom Editor can claim second whilst Bockos Belly for Patrick Janssens can claim third having been eliminated from the Derby at the third round stage last week.
