After a fabulous first night where the Irish landed six of the ten heats (Holland 4, Matthews 2), the Friday night card features another 11 heats with third favourite Clona Duke (12-1) the shortest priced runner on view.
Patrick Janssens must have breathed a sigh of relief when his supremely talented FABULOUS AZURRA broke in season on the 20th January. Patrick makes no secret of the regard in which he holds this lady and when he not only tipped her up heading to Shelbourne Park for the Winter Festival he didn’t just give her a chance he did so with confidence. Winning at 4/1 on that famous night she showed exactly why her trainer things so highly of her. Now approaching 18 weeks post season and though she will undoubtedly sharpen up with each passing week she looks forward enough to get the job done here. Faypoint Susie for John Mullins won her trial stake well in a good time last week and rates the main danger from her inside berth.
Early prices: 1-1 Fabulous Azurra, 7-2 Faypoint Susie, 7-1 Sporting Montana, 15-2 Aero Arran, 12-1 Box Office Benny, 16-1 Deanridge Sparky
Graham Holland’s CLONA DUKE landed the Select Stakes Final at Waterford prior to heading over to Towcester to compete in a trial stake. Any doubts at all that he might just need the run around were put to bed with a scintillating performance winning by 6 ½ lengths in 28.97. Hugely pacey and has everything needed to become a leading player in this year’s competition. He should get the job done from his trap 1 berthing but will be kept up to his work throughout by Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Bronze. A dog that’s not quite lived up to the expectations of the Ballymac team thus far with trapping often letting him down. His 29.08 trial last weekend shows perfectly his pace but he did just leave a small amount at the boxes again. He can follow the selection home in second but if this son of Vulturi did come away then the rest can forget about it as it will be a race against the clock.
Early prices:4-6 Clona Duke, 5-1 Hurry Up Jordan, 7-1 Ballymac Bronze, 12-1 Knockduff Eske, 14-1 Bubbly Scorcher, 16-1 Bet Shop Boy
This heat looks to be between Mark Wallis’s Ballymac John and David Mullin’s ARKADY. Preference is for Mullin’s talented son of Droopys Jet who made all to land the Juvenile here early in April. He’s ideally drawn so there should be little in the way of excuses should he come away. John is a talented sort purchased at the Greyhound Trader sale here at Towcester in March and he’s repaid that faith comfortably by rattling off a hattrick of wins in open class with a maiden victory here at Towcester followed up with heat and final success in the Seasons Scaffolding Puppy Cup at Hove. An exciting sort but may just have to give best to the more experienced Arkady on this occasion at least.
Early prices:11-8 Arkady, 5-2 Ballymac John, 6-1 Romeo Mission, 8-1 Selsey Bullet, 10-1 Chelms Switch
Chris Hamblin’s SAVANA TOP CAT (ex – Romeo Top Cat) wasted little time in getting off the mark under his new moniker when taking a trial stake here last time out in a more than decent 2924 +10. He’s obviously had no trouble settling into his new surroundings after the move from Patrick Janssens and connections must have been delighted with that with the Derby immediately on the horizon. Da Bold Freddie would be a big danger in a race like this on the best of his form but whether those days are now behind him only time will tell. He’s been handled patiently by connections over the past months however and that could work in his favour heading into the competition.
Early prices:6-4 Savana Top Cat, 10-3 Jet Stream Wind, 4-1 Da Bold Freddie, 8-1 Springside Bucko, 10-1 Dapper Larry, 20-1 Fridays Awesome
Richard Rees FAMOUS EIGHT lacks a yard of early to say the least but in what has now become a 4-runner affair he should get plenty of room to run in the early stages before coming with his customary late charge. At what could well be decent odds a chance is taken that he can real in Barry Denby’s Nottingham raider Bellmore Cricket who looks likely to set the fractions upfront.
Early prices: 5-4 Bellmore Cricket, 2-1 Romeo Top Gun, 9-2 Master Ten Ten, 5-1 Famous Eight
MAGICAL KYLE has a moderate trial to overcome but he wasn’t at his best away from traps in that so he can be forgiven. This isn’t a good heat at all and a level enough break should see Mark Wallis’s charge soon in command. Sehnsa Judge for Bradley Stowe knows his way around this venue having regularly competed here in both graded and open class. He often finds at least one too good and that can once again be the case here as he claims second position.
Early prices: 5-4 Magical Kyle, 7-4 Candolim Monsoon, 10-1 Smokey Frank, 12-1 You Two, 20-1 Sehnsa Judge
Havana Allablaze doesn’t see out this trip and as the competition progresses that will impact him greatly with both the trip itself and the run to the pick up likely to play a huge part in his recovery. Will he have to stay to win this first round heat ? The answer to that is no and he could well be away and gone on this occasion. With two strong running sorts either side of him in the shape of Tom Heilbron’s DARBYS DELIGHT and Diane Henry’s Savana Beau (finalist last year) it’s a certainty that a strong runner is going to drop right on the tail of Liz McNair’s Allablaze. I’m siding with Darbys Delight to come through late to claim his scalp with Beau likely to come on for what is his first competitive start since mid-February.
Early prices: 7-4 Forest Icon, 9-4 Havana Allablaze, 9-2 Darbys Delight, 5-1 Savana Beau, 16-1 Perfecto String
Jimmy Fenwick’s BROOKSIDE RICHIE is one of the fastest UK based greyhounds in training and can follow up his last time out trial stake success with the minimum of fuss. Richie was superb recently when going unbeaten through the Northern Flat up at home track Newcastle and after a few weeks break returned to the track with some excellent trial efforts there prior to heading to Towcester for a trial stake where he flew from the lids going on to win in 28.92 +10. He’s a big player in this years Derby and can get his campaign off to the best possible start.
Early prices: 1-1 Brookside Richie, 9-4 La Conquistador, 6-1 Hot Throttle, 16-1 Droopys Gravy, 20-1 Comanche, 33-1 Deanridge Skippy
If Paul Hennessy’s BAREFOOT SUPREMO had the trapping ability and early pace of many of his sibling’s he’d have won a lot more races than the 7 victories currently on his cv. Unfortunately he hasn’t and very likely never will but what isn’t in doubt is his pace once his feet touch the floor. He reached the third round of the Derby last year before being eliminated in fourth position. Recent trials around here have been encouraging and with anything like a clear run he can come through in the latter stages.
Early prices: 5-2 Jacktavern Bella, 10-3 Barefoot Supremo, Brinkleys Magic, 11-2 Distant Brian, 7-1 Thunder Black, 20-1 Jacktavern Super
Liam Dowling’s BALLYMAC MARINO landed the Juvenile Classic at Tralee in March in a stunning 2809 marking him out as one of the leading youngsters in the Ballymac team. He’s had just a couple of races since both at Shelbourne Park where he won one and was slightly disappointing in the other. His trial here at Towcester was decent without being outstanding but he’s likely to find plenty for the look around. He might have most to fear from kennel mate Ballymac Johno who reached the quarter final of the Kirby this year. He’s a strong running dog who can bide his time before attempting to make late inroads. A Ballymac one two in heat 20 of the English Greyhound Derby.
Early prices: 11-8 Ballymac Marino, 10-3 Ballymac Johnjo, 4-1 Slick Saratoga, 7-1 Eze, 8-1 Bockos Leah, 33-1 Banjo Lad
The final heat of night two of round one looks a match up on paper between the Irish trained pair of Boylesports Gift and GAYTIME NERO. Preference being for the latter trained by Graham Holland who looks to have all the attributes needed to go deep into the Derby. Capable off the front or from behind he’s pace all over and will be tough to beat here. Paul Hennessy’s runner in trap 1 can be forgiven a moderate trial here last time after stumbling at the start and with a break and leading round would prove tough opposition to the selection.
Early prices:6-4 Gaytime Nemo, 2-1 Boylesports Gift, 9-2 Sogna In Grande, 8-1 Bombay The Best, 14-1 Loggies Buddy, 16-1 Ballinulty Flyer
