Nottingham stadium has firmly established itself as the home of top quality open racing action in recent times, tonight is no different with three high class semi finals of the Local Parking Security National Sprint supported by five good class open races with a selection of high end (A1 – A3) graded races at the start of the card showcasing the best of the locally trained talent.

 

The open racing action gets underway with the Local Parking Security Maiden Trophy over 480m at 7.52pm. It looks a competitive enough race on paper but a chance is taken with the Alan Bellis trained Never Better Joe. Alan is extremely well respected in North West greyhound racing circles, and indeed amongst the more knowledgeable members of the greyhound racing fraternity throughout the UK.

Though not as heavily involved in the sport as he may once have been, he retains a keen interest in the game. These days it’s a case of quality over quantity from his Lancashire headquarters and for that reason my eye immediately turned to his Never Better Joe for this race. As an unattached trainer with room for just a very small number of greyhounds, those coming into his set up simply must be capable of competing at open class level.

I suspect that Never Better Joe won’t be hanging around in maiden company for too long and from an ideal draw in trap 3 I would not be at all surprised to see ‘Joe’ ping out and make all. With early paced A1 and open race success on the card in Ireland at Dundalk and Shelbourne, ‘Joe’ is well up to winning a race of this nature.

 

Next up is the Local Parking Security Puppy Trophy over 480m at 8.08pm. Jim Hayton’s Million Wink is a nice pup with potential but at the likely odds and having been firmly beaten when well fancied a couple of weeks ago behind Peter Harnden’s veteran Forest Mike. I’m happy to take him on and look for value elsewhere in the field. The selection falls on Barry Denby’s promising Double Handed.

This February 2018 whelp made lightwork of A2 opposition on last Tuesdays lunchtime card, running out an impressive 4 3/4 length winner when always leading over 500m in 30.15 (+40). He’s a little inconsistent at the traps just at the minute but he’s extremely lightly raced and is open to any amount of improvement. One of his better breaks and he’ll be around the bend in front and from that point on it should be him against the clock.

 

We’re now onto the first of three Local Parking Security National Sprint semi finals, the first of which sees the runners head into traps at 8.23pm.

Last week I highlighted my perceived concerns regarding the vulnerabilities of Ernie Gaskin’s Lambeth Way over real sprint trips when stepping up to this kind of level. I never had his early pace in question, he is clearly exceptionally talented in the early pace department once his feet touch the floor, the concern was and remains that he doesn’t trap consistently well enough to utilise his main weapon to best advantage.

If he can sort out his trapping then his early pace to the bend will prove a potent weapon, I couldn’t have the dog on my mind for the title pre competition but I’d have to admit that after last weeks effort if he could just start coming away he would be in there with a chance.

That said I’m just going to side with Martyn Wiley’s News Knight who has the inside draw on Lambeth Way and is likely to be priced up much more generously by the bookmakers.

Those two should be contesting things upfront in this first semi final but Gavin Debenham’s Vics Charm, Peter Harnden’s veteran Forest Mike, Lynn Cooks Wokeen who returned to something nearer his best form last week when winning his heat in 17.87 (normal) and Barry Denby’s Minor Cert will all be looking to take advantage if any mistakes are made.

Betting: 11-10 Lambeth Way, 3-1 News Knight, 9-2 Wokeen, 6-1 Vics Charm, 8-1 Minor Cert, 10-1 Forest Mike.

 

The greyhounds line up for semi final two at 8.37pm. Peter Harnden’s Salacres Punch really set the competition alight last week with a truly magnificent performance when winning one of the best sprints seen in the UK this year by 3 3/4 lengths in a phenomenal 17.48 (normal).

When the 17.50 barrier is broken at Nottingham, it is without fail done so by greyhounds of the very highest calibre. It is usually almost always achieved when the track is running on the fast side. For Punch to put up a 17.48 run on a track officially given as normal, it was a run right out of the top drawer from a greyhound of exceptional talent. ‘Punch’ is now responsible for seven of the top seventeen race times over 305m throughtout 2019.

A fair break and ‘Punch’ will be difficult to beat once more but he will have to be at his very best, there is no room for error in a race of this quality.

Drawn to his immediate outside is Carl Perry’s Geelo Brezza. ‘Brezza’ landed a mammoth gamble last week when punted from an early 9/2 into 7/4 at the off. He was highlighted in this column as a strong bet and the money poured on all day long.

‘Brezza’ was made to work hard though, Lambeth Way who’d initially missed a beat at the start simply roared to the turn and looked the winner for a long way, though eventually succumbing in the latter stages to Carl Perry’s dog by 1 1/4 in 17.81 (normal). ‘Brezza’ is a faster dog than that time suggests and with a break will be the leading danger to the likely race favourite Salacres Punch.

Gentle Storm for Carol Grasso, Jason Bloomfield’s Seattle Sam, Julie Bateson’s Tree Top Jet who is a much better dog than when well beaten behind ‘Punch’ last week and Dave Mullins Not So Lento are all quality greyhounds who their respective trainers will have in peak condition for tonights race if the leading two in the betting are anything but foot perfect.

Betting: 11-10 Salacres Punch, 9-1 Geelo Brezza, 7-1 Gentle Storm, 10-1 Tree Top Jet, 12-1 Not So Lento, 20-1 Seattle Sam

 

After the unfortunate midweek withdrawl of Carol Grasso’s Jet Stream Mags semi final three at 8.51pm will be a five runner affair with trap 2 being vacant. It looks a match up on paper between Pat Curtin’s Pull The Trigger drawn in one and Dave Mullins Troy Bella.

This race has all the makings of an epic duel, both greyhounds look drawn to perfection and I suspect there will be little between the pair at the finish. I’m siding with ‘Trigger’ who maybe just the slightly fresher of the pair heading into tonight’s race, though if ‘Bella’ was to come off best, I wouldn’t in the least bit be surprised, he’s a class act who’s ability is matched by his consistency.

Paul ‘Potty’ Philpotts Melodys Jack won his heat last week, though will need to improve on his times to date if he’s to progress, Carol Grasso’s Jet Stream Indie finished second behind News Knight in 17.93 (normal), connections can only be pleased with that effort given that it came without the benefit of a trial, he can only improve.

Gislebertus is a real favourite in the Belinda Green kennel, he’s done connections proud this year and is capable of getting involved with one of his better breaks, he thrives at a track the more he runs it, his trial stakes race and then his first round heat experience can only be of benefit heading into tonight’s semi final.

Betting: 1-1 Pull The Trigger, 2-1 Troy Bella, 6-1 Gislebertus, 7-1 Melodys Jack, 12-1 Jet Stream Indie

 

It’s the turn of the stayers at 9.06pm with the Local Parking Security Stayers Trophy. Anna Thompson’s Haggswood River will be a deserved favourite, a winner of 27 of her 71 career races, including ten times over this course and distance of 680m.

The short run to the bend plays well to her strengths, once trapping well she’s around the bend and from there on in is notoriously difficult to shake off the bunny. ‘River’ will take all the beating if trapping out and gaining that early lead once more.

There is competition though, including Peter Harnden’s hugely unexposed homebred and reared Salacres Polly. This bitch stepped upto six bends for the first time in her career when landing an S2 event last week by no less than 8 1/4 lengths in a classy 4203 (+40).

It was some effort for a bitch on six bend debut and she could literally be anything over this kind of trip and maybe further. ‘Polly’ will though have to trap extremely well from her trap 3 berth if she is to claim control of the rail that she so desires. Riviera Rose for Alec Stone, Barry Denby’s Ohtheresiun, Jason Bloomfields Savana Awesome and Paula Timmins Headford Actor all have the ability to get involved.

 

The final race on the card is the Local Parking Security Standard over the Derby course of 500m. It’s a fair race with proven quality throughout but the selection is with Hayley Keightley’s Roxholme Dolly.

This bitch is a class act, well proven over course and distance, the ability to win from the front or off the pace, ‘Dolly’ has been off the card since finishing well beaten in the final of the Jay & Kay Coach Tours Kent St Leger early in October.

Two sub sixteen second sprint trials of 16.02 (-10) and 15.93 (normal) at Sheffield, followed by a 28.74 (+40) trial here at Nottingham over 480m highlight her wellbeing. There is no doubting she will improve for a few runs but she should be straight enough to land tonights race before steadily regaining her fitness and once again embarking on her six bend career.