Time to attend the Northern Flat semi-finals

Willie Rigney of sponsors Time Greyhound Nutrition is looking forward to meeting the connections of those runners taking part in a cracking card at Newcastle tonight.

Rigney and the Time team will be at the Byker venue for the semi-finals of the Northern Flat. The leading greyhound feed supplier is backing the Category One event for the first time this year. Along with the semi-finals of the Arena Racing Company Angel of The North plus supporting opens it makes for a quality meeting in the north east.

Newcastle stadium manager Ian Walton has set aside a section of the bar area behind the grandstand restaurant for Rigney to meet with clients – old and new! – and will do the same for next week’s gala finals night.

Walton said: “I’m looking forward to both nights because we have two really good competitions and a strong supporting card. The Time Greyhound Nutrition Northern Flat is high quality which has pleased the sponsors.

“Semi-finals night will see no more than 11 open races here at Newcastle which reflects Time’s generous sponsorship. There’s lots to look forward to and well worth coming along for a great night’s racing.”

For those looking to have a bet on either competition, all the heat replays are all on Friday round up from last week.

Fenwick hopeful of more from Wicky

Local handler Jimmy Fenwick sends out strong contenders in both of tonight’s competitions at Newcastle.

His Wicky Ned started as the Time Greyhound Nutrition Northern Flat ante post favourite and while successfully taking his strike rate to six from eight, his 28.55 was, by his standards, maybe a couple of lengths slower than might have been anticipated?

(The fastest run of the event was Antigua Eagle’s 28.34)

Jimmy said: “He ran well enough, but I would reasonably confident that he will step up on those last two runs. It is far from an easy race though and he is still just a pup, but I’m quite hopeful.”

Meanwhile, all were put in the shade by kennelmate Ballymac Camilla whose 28.20 was the fastest time of both competitions a week ago.

Jimmy said: “I would expect her to go well, but that is a very tough semi-final. She is really a stayer and to win it, she would need to see daylight at just the right time.

“But I think she has great potential going forward. We are considering the Empress Stakes for her next, but then we have to consider some staying events.

“We know she stays 640m at Newcastle, but beyond that, I really don’t know at this stage.”

Select Stakes Boost

NOTTINGHAM has confirmed this year’s JenningsBet Select Stakes will be worth an increased £12,500 to the winner – and Irish interest will again be sought. Might English Derby winner De Lahdedah be tempted?

That was the question posed by Dave Baldwin, Arc’s head of racing (greyhounds) who oversaw last year’s valuable one-off win by Graham Holland’s Clona Duke.

“The Irish landed a first Select Stakes last win and I’m sure they’ll be back again,” said Baldwin. “Whether it’ll be De Lahdedah or any of the other leading Irish-trained runners, some of whom did so well in this year’s English Derby, remains to be seen.

“Either way I expect the home challenge to be really strong. England was well represented in the Derby final, of course, and hopefully connections of Whyaye Man, Churchfield Syd and King Memphis will be in touch.

“It’s great to see Candolim Monsoon back on track. He’s obviously tied up with the Sussex Cup just now but remember, he finished second in the Select Stakes last year. Romeo Command is also down at Hove just now – he loves Nottingham, of course – as is Droopys Clue, the Greyhound of the Year. It’d be great to have him, too!

“Ultimately it’s the choice of the Greyhound Writers’ Association who will again select the field from the list of entries we send them.

“Even at this stage, it looks a fantastic race in prospect, befitting the increased first prize this year. Our special thanks go to JenningsBet, of course, who are also sponsors of the Puppy Classic – the final of which again shares the stage with the Select Stakes on what will be a superb Bank Holiday Monday meeting at Nottingham on August 26.”

Irish St Leger starts on Saturday

A full card of 11 heats of the Willwego.com Irish St Leger makes up Limerick’s Saturday evening. 

2023 champion Clonbrien Treaty is joint-favourite in the ante post market for the €30,000 feature. He will begin his defence in heat three, a race deep enough to grace a later stage. The recent trial work from Miami King suggests that he is going to be a formidable opponent at the weekend. Add to that the smart Seek The Kingdom and it is an exciting contest in prospect.

The other market leader is Carmac King who has a tough race of his own, the last heat of the night. Owen McKenna’s charge will face the 2023 Irish Derby runner-up Bockos Crystal to start his campaign.

Behind the joint-favourites, there is one more runner at a single-figure price, Knockeen Dazzler. One of only nine wide runners in the competition overall, he is going to get his draw pretty much throughout. Winner of the Kirby Memorial in April, he can light up Limerick once more.

A 27.89 trial over 525 yards on July 6 saw Jaytee Craze throw his hat into the ring. He will start in heat two along with Coolavanny Otto and Faypoint Harvey. With three of the top nine in the betting taking one another on in the opening round, it is fortunate that four qualify for each heat plus the four fastest fifths.

Twitter change

The Greyhound Star Twitter feed will be moving at the end of this week. The old account will become inactive with @greyhound_star now the handle to follow.

Opens

Friday: Romford
Saturday: Central Park ♦ Hove ♦ Oxford ♦ Yarmouth
Sunday: Crayford ♦ Sheffield ♦ Towcester