The ARC Northern Puppy Derby semi-finals take centre stage at Newcastle greyhound stadium these.  With 3 semi-finals each of the participating greyhounds will have to be at their best in order to claim a first two placing and with it a place in next week’s £10,000 to the winner final.
Semi final 1 see’s the greyhounds lining up at 6.41pm and though Havana Bale Out will line up as a short odds on favourite a chance is taken with her kennel mate Havana Robusto who was a major eyecatcher on career debut in last week’s first round.
This pup is still green as grass but showed huge pace to go down just 1 3/4 lengths to Fourbet Layla in his heat.  The penny was clicking big time in the latter stages and though he’ll improve for some time to come he’s unlikely to go off at such a big price as he will tonight in the majority of his races in the months ahead.
He may end up being beaten well by his extremely talented and much more forward kennel mate Havana Bale Out but at the likely prices back Robusto both win and place and a small each way investment at the 33/1 still available in the ante-post market.
Trainer Liz McNair could well be heading home south with two qualifiers on the van for next week’s big race.
Semi final 2 takes place at 659pm and though the eye is immediately drawn to Angela Harrison’s mega impressive Droopys Biggy who posted a joint fastest of the first round 28.54 (-20) it does have to be noted that on that occasion he had the draw of all draws to work from.
He may well find himself jostling for position in the early stages tonight with Tom Heilbron’s Fourbet Layla so a chance is taken on Stuart Ray’s Blackhouse Harry who also won his heat last week and was far from pedestrian when recording 2864 (-20).
Harry will need to start well and get around the first bend in front but he won’t be reeled in easily even if Biggy does eventually get clear to come after him.  The pair can progress to next week’s final.
Semi final 3 can go to Jason Gray’s Nottingham raider Mickys Barrett who was game in front after leading last week to hold off the late challenge of Freedom Alibi by a neck.
The path looks clear for Mickys to soon take command , something he may well have done anyway but the unfortunate withdrawal from the semi-final of Debbie Calvert’s Maree Poacher who was drawn to his immediate left all but assures that with a reasonable break he’ll be clear by the bend.
Tom Heilbron’s Freedom Alibi can once again chase him down but once again Mickys can hang in tough.
Three heats of the ARC Stayers Vase support the Northern Puppy Derby with the first 2 from each heat qualifying through to a category three £500 final next week.  
The first heat takes place at 7.51pm and Angela Harrison’s Droopys Decibel looks a good thing.  This bitch has everything needed to be a decent type over six bend trips and it would be surprising if she didn’t go on to make her mark over the distance this year.  She looks a good bet to take this heat in style.
Heat 2 can go to Jimmy Fenwick’s Nice As Ice.  A really talented bitch who knows this circuit extremely well.  Ice can provide trainer Fenwick with a little bit of respite on a night when his beloved Newcastle might just be getting put through the mill a little at St James Park.
The third and final heat of the Stayers Vase takes place at 8.21pm and can go to Angela Harrison’s talented bitch Coolavanny Bani.  She had to play second fiddle to kennel mate Coolavanny Aunt in the final of the Essex Vase recently but that kind of form should see her proving too good for tonight’s opposition.
Tom Heilbron’s Titan Jim beat the selection here over course and distance in December but Bani had been on and off the card a little prior to that race and I fancy she’ll be bang on for tonight with a few consistent races now under her belt.