Stadium Bookmakers Juvenile Classic – First Round Preview

Heat one can go the way of Mark Wallis’s Bower Bucko.  This August 2020 pups’ pace was clear to see when winning on career debut at Tralee back in April in 2858 (+30).  He immediately made his way across the Irish sea to the Wallis kennel where he also made a winning debut here last week in a trial stake for this competition.  Only moderately into stride he didn’t really take off until rounding the first turn but once doing so he really began to open up well along the back straight.  Tiring slightly as the line approached showcasing him to very much have been in need of the blow out he should do nothing but improve for many weeks.  He comfortably had the beating of Queen Pink and Kethro on that occasion and it’s difficult to see either of those reversing the form (all 3 runners boxed identically again).  The only realistic danger in the race would look to be John Mullins Chelms Chris drawn to his immediate outside.  Chris is held in some regard by the Mullins camp and has already performed well around here in trial action prior to being withdrawn from a top-grade affair lame.  His comeback sprint trials have been fair but he may just need the blow out and if Bucko does get first run he’d be all on to then pick him up.  Bucko to win well but definitely keep an eye on Chris for future reference as he’s definitely a youngster who will be winning plenty of races in the not to distant future.

Robert Hall must have been absolutely delighted with the performance of his Bit View Tara who ran a race full of promise on UK debut last week in a trial stake here.  Pinging from the lids and showcasing a devastating burst of early and middle pace he backed up the promise shown in a number of Irish races and in particular in trials at Perry Barr since arriving on these shores.  A 2857 trial effort around the Birmingham venue on what before last week was his sole effort over here over four bends very much highlighted this dog’s ability.  He can only get stronger and that bodes well for the Hall team who look to have a real prospect on their hands.  The move to trap 3 from 2 will not inconvenience him and in fact given that he made a significant move off last week it could well be of huge benefit.  Tara can smash out from his middle draw and with the benefit of last weeks run under his belt shouldn’t be for catching in heat two.

Stuart Ray’s Blackhouse Harry is a pup of real quality with plenty of experience already under his belt.  A finalist in the Northern Puppy Derby earlier this year at home track Newcastle he subsequently ran out an impressive winner of both heat and semi-final of the Monmore Puppy Derby before unluckily having to be withdrawn from the final ‘off colour’.  He’s a really talented greyhound who showed he acts well around here winning both of his first two starts and lost nothing in defeat last time here when running a good second from a poor draw out in trap 6 behind the talented Havana Lover.  He’s much better drawn on the inside today and will take a lot of beating.  Alison Kelly-Pilgrim’s Deanridge Skippy is pacey in front and though hit and miss at the start would rate the main danger with a break in heat three.

Mark Wallis’s Antigua Sugar should prove too good for her rivals when she is likely to line up as a warm odds-on favourite for heat four.  Capable from off the front or from further behind she’s a classy lady with an attitude to match.  With any kind of run it’s difficult to see her beaten.  Paul Young’s Bubbly Ranger stays well and can follow her home in second to add a little bit of juice into the returns.

The record of the Newry maestro Brendan Matthews when sending runners across the Irish sea is enough to serve warning to all that he doesn’t do so lightly or on a whim.  The hint should very much be taken as his Hes The Greatest lines up from trap 3 for heat five.  Travel delays saw him missing his engagement in the first round of the Puppy Cup here in mid-June and though off the card since he will have been well primed to make amends in this competition.  Just the three races on his card and beaten in the last two of those but a 2864 winning effort around Kilkenny on career debut early in May shows that this is a serious greyhound.  A son of Dolce Vita who is fast establishing herself as one of the leading broods around this young dog can show that he was well named by landing this race in good style.  Paul ‘Potty’ Philpott has a nice type on his hands in the shape of Banjo Lad who put up a super performance when landing a trial stake here last week in an excellent 2965.  He’s plenty of pace and will give the selection plenty to think about if performing to the same level in heat five.

David Mullins Arkady has created plenty of chat in the last week or so over quite what was going through his mind on the run up of the Puppy Cup Final at Sunderland.  A pup with immense pace he’d simply blown the opposition away with scintillating wide margin victories in heat and semi-final of that competition and lined up for the final as a strongly fancied 4/11 favourite.  Unusually challenged early he raised his head in the air and was having a look about his surroundings on the run to the bend with his chance gone from a very early stage.  He remains a pup of huge pace but from a poor draw out in trap 6 he’s opposed on value grounds if nothing else.  He trialled well enough here last week when despite taking a stumble leaving the traps he still managed to post 2953.  Towcester is an unforgiving track for greyhounds whose mind isn’t fully focussed though.  A wide-open place where concentration on the job at hand is needed throughout if your frailties aren’t to be ruthlessly exposed.  Now he may well pop out and get on the skin and run amok but there are enough reasons as noted at the price to take him on.  Vicki Lea’s Kaluki has performed well in trials since arriving here from Ireland and from a fair looking draw could just get first run to land heat six at decent odds on UK debut.

Liz McNair’s Havana Lover is one of the fastest in training here in the UK and comes into heat seven in great form having rattled off a hat trick in recent weeks over course and distance.  Plotted up on the inside she should run out a comfortable winner.  Savana Camino who reached the Maiden Derby Final here at Towcester stays this trip really well and is difficult to keep out of the frame.  Despite being drawn wider than he’d like out in trap 6 he can find a way through to run on for the forecast spot.

Matt Dartnall’s Ivanexile is yet to win in three starts around here but has shown enough in against good class opposition and in wins at home track Central Park to suggest that despite being drawn further out than he’d really appreciate here in trap 6 he should have far too much within his armoury to take care of what wouldn’t be the best opposition he’s faced in recent starts.  Anything like a fair break and he should be in full command of heat 8 way before the turn and from that point home it should be a race against the clock.