Racing Post Greyhound TV provides a great spectacle for armchair punters and the quarters finals of the William Hill St.Leger – backed up by the first round of the RSS Puppy Derby is one of the highlights of the year.
The first heat looks set to be dominated, for the first lap at least, by Milldean Puma and Jaytee Patriot – two runners with plenty of Irish form between them.
The confident selection is Jaytee Patriot, based on both ability and the set-up of the race. Paul Hennessy’s runner does not need to lead to perform, but should do here. His record from trap six is exceptional and he has the early legs on Romany Rouge and Billys Bullet on his immediate inside.
Rouge should benefit from the first outing but must be some way from his best. Billy remains a class act and would be a danger if Puma niggled away on Patriot’s inside and cost them both the race.
JAYTEE PATRIOT on his way to a comfortable success for Ireland’s Paul Hennessy in heat 3.
The second semi is the race of the night and features ante post favourite Cloran Paddy who is currently trading at evens or slight odds-on. Those seem remarkably short odds about a dog who had virtually a solo in the first round – only three finished – and is not the quickest in the race, on that form.
The selection is the reigning champ Fizzypop Buddy (7-4 Coral). Not only does he have time in hand, he had it far from easy in the early stages of the first round or would have gone quicker. There is no guarantee of a clear passage here but he runs the bends so well and his record over course and distance is six wins and three seconds from nine outings. And don’t rule out Huarache Madison – huge value at 7-1.
Defending Leger champ FIZZYPOP BUDDY impresses in the final heat, taking over at the fifth bend to run away from Milldean Puma (t1) in a fastest of the round 41.63.
The third heat looked the weakest of the round, even prior to the withdrawal of Oneco Melissa. The early betting has Slick Sebastian at 7-4 best (Skybet) after beating Rubys Rascal in the opener and having the fastest time of the race. But Sebastian could find himself on the outside of third favourite Maireads Field in the early stages and Derek Knight’s runner looks very tempting at 3-1 (virtually everywhere).
MAIREADS FIELD (t2) leads early in heat 1.
When is 4-5 value for money? When it concerns the fastest stayer in training, taking a second look at a new circuit, and contesting possibly his easiest race in a while. Rubys Rascal is an absolute flying machine and looks the nap of the month in the fourth quarter final.
