Eclipse semi final preview
Jonathan Hobbs and Joe Conneely preview tonight’s PGR Eclipse semi finals from Nottingham.
TONIGHT’S FULL FORM FROM NOTTINGHAM
English Puppy Derby review and draw
You won’t find many Category One finals where the combined race career of the three semi final winners total seven races (UK and Irish), but that was the situation at Towcester on Sunday for the qualifier in the English Puppy Derby.
Quickest of the trio with three races on his card is Paul Young’s Bombay Birch who went from trap five as a 6/5fav.
BOMBAY BIRCH (t5) leads early on his way to an impressive Puppy Derby semi victory clocking 28.92. Ballymac Lucia (t1) also qualified for Sunday’s final Photo: © Steve Nash
The opening heat went to the highly rated British bred youngster King Jackson. The half brother to King Memphis was officially making his debut having featured in last week’s void first round heat. Despite a tricky draw in trap six, the middle seed was always in command.
KING JACKSON (t6) takes a first bend lead ahead of runner up Ballymac Kobe (t1) on his way to winning the opening English Puppy Derby semi final in 29.28. Photo: © Steve Nash
£4,000 Towcester sales buy Savana Woody had failed to trap in each of his first two races and was rated a 12/1 chance when going to trap six as a 12/1 chance
SAVANA WOODY leads at the first bend on his way to winning his Puppy Derby semi final, with favourite Winscale Wonder (t3) suffering early crowding along with Ballymac Mist (t1). Photo: © Steve Nash
And the latest from Crayford
The Gold Collar – one of the original classics, dating back to 1933, and sponsored by local firm Jay & Kay Coach Tours, promises to be one of the most competitive Cat One finals of the year following Sunday’s semi finals.
Ladbrokes have installed last year’s beaten finalist Aayamza Sydney as their 2/1 favourite for next week’s decider. The 36 kilo John Mullins trained coloured dog led home a kennel forecast from Wrighty (7/2) who is drawn on his immediate inside for next week’s decider.
Quickest of the qualifiers was Droopys Eunice (5/2) with the sort of time that would probably win the final, 33.28, though she is far from ideally drawn for the final. She was followed homoe by Bussey Memorial winner Allowdale Cazoo (13/2).
Nobody has won more Crayford opens this year than Ricky Holloway whose Slick Sabo (5/1) won his heat in 33.74. Savana Moo is currently being quoted as a 14/1 chance.
Signet Harper will go to traps as an odd-on favourite for the Ladbrokes Grand National Final – she is currently trading at 4/9f.
Arguably the most consistent hurdler in training (it is not a high bar), with five wins in her last six, she was just a length off her own fastest time of the year when winning her semi final in 23.30.
Chippy Brady, who would have preferred a six bend National has time to find on semi final form but always looks capable of making a forecast.
