Oxford Racing Manager Simon Pearson has cast his eye over the track’s Friday night card which features the finals of the Gain Greyhound Nutrition sponsored Gold Cup and Maiden Vase.
“There have been a couple of withdrawals here and I think it should make it easier for Matt Dartnall’s Stone Of Life. He isn’t the best starter and will be fairly short in the betting but I really can’t see past him.”
“A very tough race to call and that should be reflected in the betting. I really am struggling to pick one in here but would probably just go for Ohalabamaslama.”
“A very good class puppy race. Havana Allablaze ran very well in the Puppy Collar final, showing excellent early pace, before being outrun by Fromposttopillar. She would have to be my selection but I would expect both four and six in particular to make a race of it.”
“This is the lowest quality of the three Challenge Cup Trialstakes and in my view the toughest of the eleven opens to call. I quite like Kid Haaland but he has a very poor draw. I really don’t know about this one, possibly Slippy Mick on the basis of the draw? ”
“I expected Coppice Josie to make the final of the Gold Cup and think she is good enough to win this. I’m not convinced that red is her best box and would expect both Ranches Rogue and Oh Cosmopolitan to be her biggest dangers.”
“This could be a race where draw plays a bigger part than usual and Makeit Bombay looks to have the best of it with Tracey Went Mad possibly the worst. Oakfield Magic came from Ireland with a decent reputation but so far hasn’t shown a great deal. Rossmur Queen ran very well in an S1 and would present a big danger to the selection if she popped out.”
“Not a lot between these six and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was crowding on the inside. On that basis alone, I’ll edge it to Milton Lango to get clear around the outside.”
“I am delighted with the quality of the competition and the final. My selection is Barley Panther on the basis that is just seems to be a born winner and has the clock in his favour. But don’t be fooled into thinking it is a gimme. If he doesn’t get clear, it might be his kennelmate Outdoor Ice who makes all. On the basis of the semi finals, Super Nova looks as though he could catch the leader, whichever one it was. In fact, I was quite surprised that he didn’t win his semi final from where he was placed.”
“This is a very good class final and very competitive. I am going for Swift Iconic who reached a couple of puppy competition semi finals after getting to the third round of the English Derby. He was very impressive in his semi final and the three is a decent draw for him in my opinion. But there is some seroius early pace on his inside, with former track record holder Twolengthstoogud drawn on the outside of the slow starting Keeperhill Vic. Is he too far out though?”
“What a race this is! It could be a Category One final. There are enough Cat One winners and finalists in these including the St.Leger winner Havana Lover and the track record holder Night Time Danny. But I am going for Baggios Champ on the basis of a solo trial that on calcualted times was well inside the track record.”
“I thought Bambis Magic could go well in the Gold Cup but things didn’t go his way. He could make up for it here and with an empty trap in five, I would expect Droopys Ambush to give him a tough challenge.”
