DERBY SEMI FINALS

So the penultimate fence in the 2020 Derby Tipsters Challenge and the race already has he look of a Grand National (except for Rob Crawford – see below).

Barring a late surge of brilliance -this is a two horse race between the Pride of Belgium/Norfolk: Big Patrick Janssens (+£240), and the Prince of Smugness Nathan Corden (£180.83) (who cannot be allowed to win under any circumstances).

The leading pair have one to jump but is there a late run from the rest of the field?

Given this field of selling platers and donkeys. . . ? Most are tailed off or back in their stables with at least a couple destined for the glue factory.

Nathan Corden

Boca Junior (R5 T2) good 1st look at the track in a trial last week and expect him to improve on that time. £30 win

Knocknaboul Syd (R9 T4) so consistent with his starts and expect him to just have the advantage at the 1st bend. I’m still kicking myself for deciding to leave him out of my selections last week! £30 win

Lenson Blinder (R13 T3) strong six bend form over in Ireland plus knows the track well. £30 win £10 treble

Rob Crawford

So we are running down the hill at Cheltenham, looking good, feeling strong, but now wondering if we can jump the final two and have the momentum to run up the hill. Fair enough this year is not quite as gruelling as previous campaigns with one fewer round, but the achievement of winning is still just as glorious!

The question I find me asking myself is, do I play it safe and go for a place? Or do I make a daring run for glory? I find myself focusing on the latter, as yes I could return next year with an additional year of experience, but then again maybe next year I won’t have the same chances that I do this.

In the first semi-final I find myself sticking with Southwood Jet (R9 T1) The switch back to the rails position is a major plus for Richard Rees’s runner, especially with slow starters in traps 2 and 3. It is still amazing that he has yet to be headed in this years competition and I believe can lead for a make all victory.

In the second semi-final I find myself switching camps, and taking a ‘chance’ on Wolfe (R10 T3) I have been reluctant to back Graham Holland’s charge thus far, but in my opinion he has exercised the demons of last year with his impressive run last Saturday evening, yes he does have Deerjet Sydney next to him in trap 4, but hopefully Wolfe will land the spoils at a decent price. £100 double.

Paul Gebhard

Southwood Jet (R9 T1) “Funny old game” greyhound racing, last week the perceived problem was him being drawn in Trap 5 as the dog needs the rails, now some are saying “Trap 1 isn’t a great draw.” On all known form he leads up the dog immediately outside of him, I’m still of the view that the 500 metres is every inch as far as Knocknaboul Syd wants to go, so if it develops into a head to head I’m on Jet £50 win

Churchill Holly (R10 T1) this bitch has been a revelation and it would appear that she has a bit more to come. She also moves from trap 5 to trap 1 and looks nailed on to lead up the dog in trap 2. I do accept that it’s crucial that she leads up Wolfe and Deerjet Sydney (she’s better drawn against him than she was last week) so for value it’s Holly. £30 win £20 double

Peter Harnden

Salacres Pippy (R11 T2) knows the track, great trial.

Smallmead (R12 T1) I thought was fast enough to go far in the Derby for me. I thought was a mistake missing it, she’s one of the fastest bitches in the country I’d say.

Blue Tick George (R13 T1) if he stays his 4 bend pace will get him to the front hopefully he stays there  £100 treble

Patrick Janssens

Knocknaboul Syd (R9 T4) He won for me last week, a great draw think he will lead again and make all £100 win

Rab McNair

Knocknaboul Syd (R9 T4) just to shade Southwood Jet, though I would not mind if Jet wins, love the dog £40 win 

Wolfe (R10 T3) to keep up his powerful run clear the box  £40 win £20 double

David Mitchell

Blue Tick George (R13 T1) I must have received a dozen messages this week with the question – do you think George will stay? My response has always been – Well that is the million dollar question and we’ll find out on Saturday.

I have to say I was incredibly disappointed to see George knocked out of the Derby last week, he looked to be moving into a challenging position as they went into the third bend but unfortunately he ran into trouble. Would he have qualified, who knows, I’ve more respect for the qualifiers than to start calling out that my dog should have went through. These are the highs and lows in our sport, but let’s get back to this week.

Will George stay, right well let’s break it down. As highlighted a few weeks ago by Mark Pierrepont on the Star website, he was going strong to the line from the third bend so that tells us he is finishing well. He is bred to get a trip and we’ve ran him at Romford over the 575m trip and he had no problems with that.

I had a good conversation in the week with Jim Daly and he drew comparisons with Touch Tackle, a dog he trained to win the Cat 1 Regency. It’s safe to say he thinks he’ll get it and for me that’s all I need to hear. In this race he’s got the draw he wants and that should stand him in good stead as they turn into the straight then I’d expect him to start going through the gears. If does get it like we expect, I think he’s going to be a serious dog over the trip.

Waikiki Lad (R8 T3) I had high hopes for this dog in the Derby but unfortunately he ran into trouble in the very first round and that was him gone. Last week in the heat of the plate I was just praying for a clear run so the dog could show what he could do and didn’t he just. He had to dig deep as they went into the first turn with dogs looking to nudge in towards the rail but he held his ground to quickened clear. I think he looks at his very best at the moment, the kind of form that seen him run Ice On Fire to half a length in the Juvenile at Sheffield. There’s no doubting Waikiki Lad is top class and I think he’ll show it in this race.

£100 double

Steve Nash

Owner Tim Piercy, who I’ve known as a friend since the black and white film days of snapping, has a live contender in Agincourt Xena (R6 T1). Noteworthy progress this year from A8 to A2 at Henlow for Mark Wallis and last month notched an open double at Towcester. That included a useful 29.63 which compares favourably with Mark’s Plate semi-finalist Hopes Bullet’s form lines coming into the Derby. Will need to improve on a C&D trial but that look round could provide an edge for a bitch on the upgrade. £20 win

The aforementioned Hopes Bullet (R7 T3) can give a repeat performance of his heat win from the same draw. His Derby heat conqueror Doolin Duke, with the bonus of a vacant trap alongside, is a big danger but the selection bounced back superbly from that heavy defeat in the monsoon conditions of the opening Saturday. With confidence now restored will prove a real handful if bossing the inside early. £30 win

With the only two unbeaten runners dominating the market, something has to give here. Could we even see a greyhound go through the event without tasting defeat? Knocknaboul Syd’s trapping and early pace was superb again last week, but at anticipated bigger odds Southwood Jet (R9 T1) tempts me in to bet. I witnessed his impressive debut at Hove in August, and the manner in which he brushed aside a hazardous trap 5 draw last week shows how much he’s progressed in five bulletproof performances since that home track bow. Clearly loves Notts and the rails but will he make the most of the red box? Everybody knows the draw on the fence has not lived up to expectations for some contenders, but Jet’s 3/3 record here from trap 1 is impossible to ignore and I take him to keep the famous Rees family name on course for Derby success. £40 win £10 treble

Mark Pierrepont

Pat Rosney

I’m going for Doolin Duke (R7 T4) who ran a cracker to finish 2nd last week after finding himself last in a trouble marred race. Should be a lot more room for him tomorrow with a vacant box outside him and the 3 moving rails on the run up £100 win

Mark Wallis

Hopefully we might get a bit of luck with our runners in the Derby Plate before the Derby semi finals which of course we would have loved to be involved in, no doubt though I’m needing a decent winner or two to get back into profit in the tipping challenge

I’m going straight for the jugular, a double on the two Hove raiders

Southwood Jet (R9 T1) to upset the Irish raiders of Pat Buckley’s Knocnabowl Syd and

Smurfs Machine (R10 T5) in the second semi final to keep Seamus Cahill’s dream of a second Derby victory going by smashing out and leading all the way £100 double

Jimmy Wright

Doolin Duke (R7 T4)decent break go round handy and win
Bower Luke (R8 T4) level make corner lead all. £100 double