NOTTINGHAM’S TELEVISED CARD – BY MARK PIERREPONT

The first race of the evening at 6.26pm is an A5 and a race where stakes should be kept small.  I’m siding with Jason Gray’s Sporting Gemma to land the spoils who though she’s not the force she once was is still more than capable of landing a race like this.  I’d imagine she’ll turn second at worst to Haggswood Morty with any kind of break and if doing so there should be no excuses even though there are a few strong runners in opposition.

Next up at 6.41pm is an A2 where Lynn Cook’s Swift Taxman looks an absolute certainty to follow up his win in the same grade last time out.  Taxman reaches 5 years of age in September of this year but he’s shown recently when stepped up to 500m again after a long time sprinting that he retains a fair amount of his old ability.  He can count himself somewhat fortunate to have been graded into A2 on his return to four bends and though the time wasn’t there when winning last time out he encountered trouble at many stages of the race and still won with something to spare.  He landed a huge off course gamble last time and can do so again from what looks a plot draw against the rail and with that run under his belt for fitness.  I was looking for a danger to him but quite simply if he traps in his usual style and hits the front early there isn’t one.

An A3 at 6.59pm which can provide Lynn Cook with a quickfire double courtesy of her early paced Bromwich Queen.  Well backed to win last time out in the grade her supporters might have done well to have paid a little bit more attention to the weight sheet and they would have noticed that Queen was being asked to win at a weight higher than any at which she’d previously won at in her 54 race career to date.  As such her run of some 11 lengths plus slower than that achieved when winning in the grade just a couple of weeks previously should maybe not have come as too much of a surprise.  Given that she’s down a little at least in weight tonight I’m siding with her to ping out and make all.  Queen will have to be at her best though as if she isn’t all of her rivals tonight are more than capable of winning at this level.

Top grade A1 company at 7.16pm and a race which might not take as much working out as some given that five of the six met less than two weeks ago.  Traps 1 thru to 3 namely Kilara Yeats , Little Champ and Double Handed remain in the same boxes.  Dark Ocean has been moved inside a box from five to four having hit the deck at the first bend in that race whilst Droopys Bargain finds himself in five from six having destroyed A2 company in the meantime.  The one new dog to the field is Autumn Momentus who slots into the six box.  The race last time out became congested on the inside as Double Handed attempted to head rails from his trap 3 berth.  He will do the same again but he was far from at his best from the traps last time out so there’s a chance if he comes away he could clear.  That’s a gamble though and what isn’t a gamble is that Anna Thompson’s Dark Ocean should get all the room in the world up the middle of the track and every chance to give his confidence a boost after his fall last time out.  He’s trialled well since over the 305m sprint trip in 1802 +10 and can come away a little better tonight before cutting the turn and setting sail for home.

An A4 is next up at 7.34pm and can go the way of Anna Thompson’s Tickity Tia.  A nice bitch with a good touch of early she’s due a win having not won in 11 attempts after being upgraded to A3.  Despite not winning Tia has run some more than creditable races and in a race where she looks sure to lead up the middle of the track she can get back to winning ways and give her confidence a boost in the process.

The last of the graded races at 751pm with an A4.  I’m siding with another of Jason Gray’s runners who has some much better form just off the card and lines up in what is much more of an A4.5 than a strong A4.  Gulleen Act can turn second to the early paced Salacres Gypsy and can be passed that rival by the time they hit the third bend.

The first open race of the evening at 8.06pm which is a BGBF British Bred Breeders Trial Stakes.  Angie Kibble’s Emotional is the selection and though she lacks a recent look around she did trial well here back in October last year when stopping the clock in 30.13 (+10).  That kind of form would be more than good enough to take this race and though the step down in trip from six bends to four is a negative the step down in class more than makes up for that.  She can turn handy enough to Barry Denby’s Penniment Milo who looks sure to lead on the inside and could be worth a small saver at what could be over generous odds given his excellent local knowledge of the circuit.

The ARC Bitches 480 Trophy at 8.21pm which can go the way of Peter Harnden’s Salacres Tingle.  A bitch who likes the rail but traps better from a middle draw she can come away well and make all.  Gas Detector spent a short period at the kennel of the selection in order to gain some much needed racing experience and heads back here with Gary Ferguson having trialled well last time out.  She’s desperate for the rail though and will need a smash break to get herself into contention.  Sean Parker’s Barnside Millie trialled well enough here last week and could potentially be well drawn out in six.  She’ll be looking to move inside a little herself but not to the extent of her five rivals who will all be seeking what looks like being a congested rails pitch.

The ARC Gents 480 Trophy at 836pm and Barry Denby’s Joes Jet can win again over this trip having won in maiden open company here a couple of weeks ago.  Beaten since in A1 company he didn’t trap in his best style on that occasion and though hitting the front could never get into the clear uncontested lead which he craves.  He can hit the lids tonight and soon be in command.  Pennys Fuinseog has had his problems for Gary Ferguson but there is talent inside him and he has competed at a decent level.  Having spent time recuperating at the specialist treatment centre operated by his owner / kennel hand Billy Thompson he is now back at the Ferguson kennel to resume his racing career.  He’ll likely improve for the run and would be of interest if seen back here over 500m in the coming weeks.

The second of two BGBF British Breeders Trial Stakes at 8.52pm and Screen Dancer can win from what looks a plot draw against the rail.  Chris Fereday’s bitch has run here for the past couple of weeks and suffered bad luck in the draw on both occasions.  Desperate for the rail she was asked to overcome an impossible draw in five over this trip a couple of weeks ago before running a much better race from three over 480m last week.  Despite hitting trouble turning left on the run up last time she ran an eye-catching race and drawn right where she wants to be tonight should take some beating.

At 9.11pm we have a 255m ARC Dash Trophy.  I must admit to having been more than a little surprised to see a race advertised over the trip with there having been just 28 open staged over it since its inception in March 2014.  It’s not a distance I’m keen on for racing purposes though it has proved to be a very useful tool for both introducing pups to the track in trials and for bringing dogs back from injury since the greyhounds aren’t hitting top speed early with such a short run to the turn.  Paul Miller’s Pennylane Socks has two big positives going for her in the context of this race being that she’s a usually reliable trapper and also she trialled over the trip here on her last run in a respectable 1505 (+10) so should be set for the hare whereas a few of the others maybe caught out.  Side with her to smash out and make all.