By Mark Pierrepont

Colbazkev

Monday evenings card at Nottingham begins with six graded races and it is in the second of these that we have our first interest.  Aidan McPherson recently joined the graded strength at the track and brings with him a team of around 40 greyhounds , including a fair amount of unraced pups just starting out in their careers.

It is to one of the kennel’s more experienced runners in the 648pm race that we look to in order to get our evening off to a winning start.  Honour Pumba (TREBLE) turned 3yo in March of this year and after finishing in last place in A3 for his debut last week he receives a swift downgrade to A4.  Pumba is a strong runner over this trip and is more than capable of winning at this level.  He isn’t the quickest away but is greatly aided by the fact that Tuftys Tornado who is next door in trap 5 is pedestrian to the corner.  I fancy Pumba to get first run on the early pace dogs and come through on the run in.

The open race action gets underway with the @nottingham_dogs Standard Trophy at 807pm.  Colin Wilton’s local dog Colbazkev (NEXT BEST) has proved to be a very shrewd purchase , a winner of 17 of his 49 career starts he can make it 18 on his 50th start for connections with an early pace always led victory.  Colbazkev was bred in Ireland by Martin Murray and trainer Wilton tells me he’s just purchased 3 dogs and a bitch from the dams next litter to Lenson Panda.
At 922pm it’s the final of the @nottingham_dogs Oaks Trophy and although Princess Aurora (NAP) cost us the treble last week i’m happy to side with her again.  Aurora destroyed her rivals for early and middle pace in last weeks heat and though picked up on the run in by Beaming Daisy and Swift Bethany , she’s better than that and I fancy her to come on for that first look at the track.