Now staged under the Premier Greyhound Racing banner the 2022 Golden Jacket begins in earnest this morning at Crayford. With a winners prize of £20,000 the competition has attracted the cream of the UK’s staying greyhounds once again. Won last year by Stuart Maplesden’s Punk Rock Mutley the 714m distance lends itself to an intriguing entry with greyhounds stepping up and down in distance in an attempt to have their name inscribed into the history books. The first round consists of 6 heats with each of the first 3 qualifying for next Saturday’s semi-finals. The Peter Bussey Memorial provides an excellent supporting card with 4 heats staged over 540m with 1 further open race on the card being a trial stakes for the forthcoming Chief Ramsbottom Hurdle run over 540m.
With an abundance of quality racing to come on the card those wanting to get actively involved in betting in the Chief Ramsbottom Hurdle 540 Trial Stakes at 1037am might want to re-evaluate their punting strategy in the weeks and months ahead. In years gone by the hurdle scene was a tremendous addition to the sport and a brilliant spectacle. Most of the time these days it’s anything but that with the sphere littered with poor jumpers and outright dodges. For selection purposes Rick Holloway’s Roxholme Biscuit comes into the race on the back of a good victory over course and distance last time out and can follow up.
Heat 1 of the Peter Bussey Memorial Trophy at 1053am can go to John Mullins’ Chelms Switch. A hugely pacey greyhound who looks ideally suited by these short six bend trips. He left plenty on the track when given a look around here last week over 380m and I fully expect him to smash out and make all today from what looks a plot draw. He rates a good bet to get punters ahead of the game early doors.
Heat 1 of the Golden Jacket at 1109am and what looks a match on paper between Mark Wallis’s Antigua Lava and Steve Rayner’s Night Time Danny. Rayner’s greyhound is hugely consistent and has the class to match. A gallant runner up after leading for a long way in the St Leger Final last year he gained much deserved compensation when coming from the back of the pack and what looked for a long way to be an impossible position when landing the final of the Champion Stakes at Romford over 575m. Most recently he was eliminated from the semi-final of the Essex Vase at the semi-final stage having ran out an impressive winner of his heat. His trial here over course and distance last week was nothing short of sensational recording 4515 off a four-bend split of 2334. He’s absolutely top drawer and though Antigua Lava with a run will be making inroads on him in the very late stages she could well find that Danny has been given too much rope early on. If both greyhounds gain a clear run then it could be one of the races of the day but Danny to smash out and make all with Lava running on for second.
Heat 2 at 1124am can go to Mark Wallis’s classy bitch Blueberry Bullet. A finalist in the Juvenile Classic at Towcester last year staying was always going to be her game. Bullet went on to reach the finals of the Summer Classic at Monmore and The St Leger Final at Perry Barr before gaining a deserved big race win over 750m in the final of the Mitch Millward Marathon at Romford. Bullet then finished runner up in the Cesarewitch Final here at Crayford over 874m before again reaching a big final in the George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial down at Hove. The bitch is all class with the heart of a lion. She can take this heat and is a live danger to all in the competition.
It’s back to the Peter Bussey Memorial Trophy with heat 2 at 1139am. Gymstar Elusive was always a classy sort and demonstrated his searing four bend pace on many occasions for his initial handler Chris Askers in his younger years. Pure bad luck prevented him from achieving what he could have done for Chris but as he’s matured and under the equally careful guidance of John Mullins he’s been able to demonstrate his natural ability over distances which allow him the benefit of being out in front more often than not. He’s a lovely draw here between Garryglass Abbie who will be edging inwards and Oneforthelake who will keep his outside path to the turn. Given a reasonable break Elusive can use his early to make the bend and if turning in front he’ll not be picked up over this 540m trip.
Heat 3 of the Golden Jacket at 1154am and the race can go to Julie Luckhurst’s locally trained Burgess Bruno. He was off the card for a long time after finishing well beaten in the final of the Regency Consolation at Hove at the end of last July. He looks to have comeback as good as if not better than he was though. Finally shedding his maiden tag with an emphatic 10 length course and distance win in a maiden here a couple of weeks ago he subsequently ran Bombardier to 3/4 length last week. After so long off the track his fitness should still be improving for a little while yet and those 2 efforts provide huge hope that he could have a fantastic year ahead. This isn’t an easy heat but a few of those drawn on the inside look as if they could well come together so as long as Bruno can avoid too much in the way of crowding from Sweet Leaf drawn to his immediate inside he should take all of the beating.
Heat 4 at 1209pm will see Liz McNair’s Warzone Tom sent off very short odds in a race which will inform us plenty of quite how well he stays this trip. He was awesome in going unbeaten through the Gold Collar here last November over 540m and a though eliminated from the Essex Vase recently over Romford’s 575m trip at the semi final stage a subsequent 3504 trial over the same course and distance show’s Tom to be in rude health. This is a heat which he really should be winning easily if he is to justify the antepost favouritism tag which he’s carrying and in all probability he should go so far clear he should win comfortably even if likely coming back to his field a little late on.
Back to the Peter Bussey Memorial Trophy with heat 3 at 1224pm. A very moderate heat which won’t take a lot of winning. Kevin Boon’s Longvale Jim is very hit and miss at the start but has plenty of early to utilise if he doesn’t make too much of a mess of the start. So long as he manages to clear Brutus Bullet drawn to his immediate inside who is even more inconsistent at the traps than he is then he should soon skip clear and it would be disappointing if he were to then surrender the lead.
Heat 5 of the Golden Jacket at 1239pm see’s Bellmore Sally likely to line up as a short price favourite for Jimmy Fenwick. A finalist in the Puppy Classic at Nottingham and the Empress Stakes at Towcester last year this competition has been the target for Sally for some time now. There have been some very tasty bets laid for the competition at big odds and her supporters will be disappointed if she doesn’t get her Golden Jacket campaign off to a winning start from what looks a plot draw. Peter Harnden’s Savana Honey ran an eye-catching race in defeat over 712m at Towcester lately and though the form line is missing from the form sheets of some outlets she did trial well enough over course and distance last week in 4584 having left a few lengths on the track. A young bitch who may find this competition coming a little soon but is one to keep an eye on during the coming months.
Heat 6 at 1254pm see’s Peter Harnden’s staying sensation Salacres Pippy lining up at what will likely be short odds. A memorable track record breaking Hunt Cup Final victory at Towcester last November was swiftly followed up with another emphatic category one success here at Crayford over 874m in the final of the Cesarewitch. A bitch blessed with massive all-round pace Pippy showed herself to be in top form with a stunning 4513 trial over course and distance last weekend off the back of a sensational first 4 bend split of 2318. She’ll need to hold off Gary Vincent’s Ballymac Brook to the turn but if doing so Pippy should soon begin to open up. Mark Wallis’s Aayamza Dream comes into the competition in great form having ran out a comfortable winner of a trial stakes here last week. She’s a quality bitch and has given Pippy a good race on more than one occasion including when finishing runner up to her in the aforementioned Hunt Cup Final.
The fourth and final heat of the Peter Bussey Memorial Trophy at 109pm and at a big price John Mullin’s Chelms Tornado is worth chancing. This trip is as far as he wants but he could well dominate from the outset if trapping in his best style. He’s a pacey greyhound who likes to dominate and in a race which could well see a bit of trouble in behind amongst a few of the others he could well be away and gone at what are likely to be very big odds.
