McNair Hunts a forecast

Having sent out the 1-2-3 in last year’s Bet365 Hunt Cup Final, the runner-up and third are back for another attempt.

With many punters unable to see past a slam-dunk for Droopys Clue, it was his great rival Havana Top Note who came out in front in Friday night’s semi final.

Last year’s third, who went on to win the same sponsor’s Challenge Cup stole an early lead as the 2/7f found himself hemmed in on the rail. Meanwhile the track record holder was never challenged before crossing the line in 39.43 (-15).

Kennelmate King Ezra, runner-up to Havana Lover a year ago, was never in danger in a far easier qualifier, clocking 39.71.

Fifty Nine, who has 39.66 winning form over course and distance, has looked some way off his best in recent weeks but was never troubled when winning in 40.04.

The final draw, with likely favourite Top Note, the worst drawn of the five railers, looks intriguing. He was beaten in all three races from traps 4/5.

Crow Show

A ‘Fastest of Round’ win for defending champion Coonough Crow and a Savana treble for Diane Henry were the highlights of the opening round of the Arena Racing Company Grand Prix at Sunderland on Friday night.

Coonough Crow was a 9/4 chance in the 2023 decider and rated no higher than 8/1 to defend her title but showed her love of the North East circuit where she won for the third time in four outings in 39.26 for the 640m. Her PB is 39.15.

Next quickest was John Flaherty’s Greenwell Ange with a 39.34 run. The British bred blue had sub27.00 450m form as a pup and gave Ballymac Johnjo a start and a beating in heat four.

Tom Heilbron just missed out with Darbys Delight last year. He has two through to the semis including heat six winner Innfield Charm. In a heat where ante post favourite Aayamza Sydney led, and was surprisingly caught, the Queen Mother Cup finalist got home in 39.50.

Queen Mother Cup winner Savana Heross was the quickest of Diane Henry’s treble. On his first look at the Bolden circuit, he ran on well for a useful first sighter. Kennelmate Savana Jazz is running way below her optimum trip, but the bitch who beat Ballymac Taylor over 900m last time out was good enough to win heat three in 39.91.

Also priced at 25/1 ante post, Savana Shay got the night underway with a 39.99 early paced win in the opening heat. He too should improve from a first visit.

PGR Press release – Sky Sports Racing set to extend live evening greyhound racing output

Sky Sports Racing (SSR) is to add more Premier Greyhound Racing (PGR) live evening greyhound fixtures to its broadcast schedules from next week.

The new schedule of live evening broadcasts will include several dates on which two PGR fixtures will be covered, beginning next week, on Wednesday April 10th, with the full cards broadcast from Romford (first race 6.44 PM) and Perry Barr (first race 5.49 PM). The following week will see live coverage of the evening meetings from Nottingham and Kinsley on Monday April 15th with the next dual meeting broadcast coming from Central Park and Swindon on the evening of Tuesday April 30th.

PGR is the media rights company that supplies the very best of greyhound racing to the betting industry and direct to sports fans.  These increased coverage plans build on the already regular broadcasts of morning and evening greyhound fixtures on Sky Sports Racing and the availability of all live PGR fixtures on Sky Sports Racing’s red button service.  In addition, every PGR race is streamed live on At The Races’ dedicated website,  greyhounds.attheraces.com, with free access to racecards, results, daily tipping and archive videos of races.

As well as launching its free, online archive races service, PGR also recently added continuity announcers to its red button and streaming coverage of live races.

Commenting on the developments, Mark Kingston, Director of Media Technology and Production at Premier Greyhound Racing said: “We continue to build our offering and more live evening broadcasts of Premier Greyhound Racing fixtures on Sky Sports Racing is something we know fans are crying out for. It is a positive step for all stakeholders, from owners and trainers to our teams at the tracks as well as betting operators.”