MARK’S DERBY DIARY – WEDNESDAY TRIAL SECTIONALS

Rebel is lightly raced for a greyhound who will be 3 years old in November but does boast a 50% strike rate in his burgeoning 8 race career.

A record of 3 from 6 in Ireland including heat and final of an A3 stake at Shelbourne when recording a best time of 28.59 has been followed by an early UK record of 1 from 2 with his victory here coming when well fancied second time up in A1 class at home track Hove.

He’s obviously a greyhound on an upward curve and was one of only four greyhounds to dip under 15 seconds to my halfway marker at yesterdays Star Sports Bookmakers & ARC English Derby trial session.

Rebel recorded 14.88 to my marker whilst the others to dip under the 15 second barrier were Forest Gold (14.92) , Bramble Reggie who recorded a best of session 14.84 and Bockos Doomie who hit halfway at 14.94.

With participation doubts about at least a couple of runners ahead of Bockos Doomie in the antepost markets Patrick Jannsen’s greyhound could well be contesting favouritism by the time the greyhounds line up for the first round.  Currently trading at a best price of 20/1 Doomie’s odds will no doubt contract if the likes of Pestana and Newinn Taylor who both line up in Saturdays Boylesports Irish Derby Final don’t make the trip across the Irish sea for the English equivalent.

Doomie suffered his first defeat in 10 races when eliminated from the Ladbrokes Gold Cup at the semi final stage recently , his previous winning run of 9 included going unbeaten through the Coral Sussex Cup at Hove.

Running from trap three in Wednesday’s trial he made his customary early move to the rail, slightly edged off at the first but then stuck to the rail like glue throughout.  It would be extremely rare to see a greyhound rail the fourth bend at Nottingham in the manner that Doomie did and his trial is well worth a watch on the accompanying trial session video which comes courtesy of the new Nottingham stadium YouTube channel.

Hayley Keightley’s Roxholme Olaf once again trialled and recorded 2990.  His halfway clocking of 1500 dead was a fair run considering his split to the line yesterday of 5.05 was some 13 spots back on the 4.92 he produced on his first look at the circuit a couple of weeks ago.  Olaf is a full brother to Roxholme Kristof who set a new track record of 27.27 for Sheffield’s 480m trip when comfortably accounting for his Gain Three Steps To Victory first round rivals this week.