Juvenile Classic: Second Round Preview Plus Supporting Opens

Matt Dartnall’s Ivanexile doesn’t want to be out as far as trap 6 really but as showcased in his first-round heat he can come away from the box in good style and his early pace can soon carry him clear into the middle of the track position he favours.  A really unexposed type who possesses everything needed to go on to become a leading competition greyhound for his shrewd connections and he can land heat one in good style.  Bit View Tara is highly rated by trainer Robert Hall and landed a touch with an impressive first round heat win.  He’s drawn nearer the rail than he’d ideally like but he can again step forward to claim a spot in next weeks semi-final.

Liz McNair’s Havana Lover is likely to be sent off short odds to land heat two however she needs to put behind her a below par first round performance and a draw much nearer the rail than she’d like.  She may well do both and she has quickly bounced back from some very average performances in the past however at the likely odds there is value to be had elsewhere.  Take a chance with Brendan Matthews Irish raider Kilbreedy Sydney who put up a more than decent performance when finishing second in a good time to Droopys Mural in the first round.  The selection is currently on the market and with another solid performance here he’s likely to find himself in new ownership sooner rather than later.  He’ll need to get first run on Lover drawn to his immediate inside but that’s more than a distinct possibility and he can go in at what should be decent odds.

Richard Rees Droopys Mural showed a little bit more early in his first-round heat than he had done in previous races and that can only serve him well going forward.  He finishes with a real kick and connections have held this dog in high regard for some time.  He’ll need to avoid the Paul Young trained Droopys Chaser around the first two bends if he’s not to give some of the early paced types too much rope here but if doing so he can soon pick them off one by one and come through on the run for home to land heat three.  Patrick Janssens Crescent Allstar had been running A1 company here at Towcester in the build up to this competition and whilst those runs served him well from an experience perspective it was also clear to see that he is very much a little bit better to say the least than graded class.  He won well in his first-round heat but there is plenty more to come from a likeable sort and he can safely qualify through to the semi finals.

The fourth and final heat of the second-round stage of the Juvenile can go to Mark Wallis’s Antigua Sugar.  Sugar came through to win her first round with her customary strong late finish.  It has to be said that I wasn’t as taken with the run as some other observers where with the victory being handed to her on a plate with the coming together of her front running rivals.  That said she got the job done and showed again that she has guts to match her undoubted class.  A step up in trip will no doubt come in the not too distant future but she can land this from what looks a fair draw on the wide outside.  Aiden McCoy who is another who started off life here in high grade is progressing nicely and can book his place in the semi final and give trainer Wallis a one two.

The Martyn Jones 60^th Birthday Stayers Stakes over 712m can go to Mark Wallis’s Duggee Dodo.  After shaping well for sometime over 575m at Romford Dodo was finally stepped up to a true six bend trip at Monmore last time out and despite being halted in his run on numerous occasions he eventually came through with a wet sail to win well.  The extra distance here at Towcester should be right up his street and despite again being drawn further out than ideal he should be able to secure a more prominent racing position at an early stage than he’s previously managed.  Steve Rayners classy Night Time Danny is an obvious danger but he’s been beaten at short odds on a few recent occasions and although he may well bounce back to top form I’m prepared to allow him to make the market for Dodo.

The TRC Standard Trophy over 500m is a tough race to solve with a good few of these drawn the wrong way round.  Take a chance that Kevin Crocker’s Avas Group can just make the bend in front and if so he can follow up on his back-to-back A2 victories over course and distance to complete the hattrick.

The Jane Foster Birthday Race over 270m can go to Peter Harnden’s Salacres Lee.  He was very much pitched in at the deep end last time out in what was a very hot open over course and distance.  This is much easier though and from an ideal draw he can soon get to the head of affairs.  If turning in front it should be all over bar the shouting.  He’d not want Mattie Richards Killduff Galley turning in to clear a pitch in behind however as this greyhound loves nothing more than a chase up.  Galley is well capable of throwing away races which he really should win but the opposite is also true for a greyhound who is rarely far away.

The second TRC Standard Trophy of the afternoon over 500m can go to Patrick Janssens Aussie Captain.  He’s been off the card since being well beaten in the Star Sports Jack Murrell Memorial race on Derby Final night but he’s had a sprint trial back and showed up well enough to suggest he’s right enough to land this on his return to the track.  The 500m trip is at the upper end of his stamina reserves but he’s a decent make up to work from and can soon skip into what should quickly become an unassailable lead.