The four quarter finals of the Premarket Pets Blue Riband form the cornerstones of a wonderful 14 race card at Towcester this afternoon.  Patrick Janssens’ Premarket Pets company have been rewarded for their sponsorship with a competition full of class.

The afternoon gets underway at 1.57pm with a TRC Events & Leisure Sprint over 270m.  David Mullins Shrewd Call is a classy sort who has proven himself to be one of the leading sprinters in the UK over the past couple of years.  He’s likely to head to traps a short but deserved favourite and success would be no surprise even if drawn a little wider than would be ideal out in trap 6.  On value grounds if nothing else though I’m going to stay loyal to Peter Harnden’s Salacres Lee who has done readers of this column more than one favour recently and can complete a fiver timer in style.  This is as tough a race in which he’s lined up so far and his likely price will reflect that however he’s improving with each run and a fair break here can see him taking command heading into the first turn.
TRC Events & Leisure Stayers over 712m at 2.12pm.  This is a race not to get too heavily involved in with the majority of the field unproven over the trip and a few of them likely to do each other no favours in running.  Jason Bloomfield’s Savana Tsunami won the Barry Boothby Boxing Day Memorial over course and distance here on Boxing Day and with any amount of luck in running can’t be far away again.  She’s selected albeit not with the greatest deal of confidence in a race which is likely best watched with a view to future opportunities.
Further TRC Events & Leisure Stayers action over 712m at 2.32pm and a much classier affair this time.  Blueberry Bullet is a classy sort who always mixes it with the best stayers in training.  She had her supporters worried on more than one occasion in the race before coming through to win over course and distance on Boxing Day but she can make easier work of things today.  It’s a tough race make no mistake about that but she can tuck in behind Paul Shore’s Dingys Maggie on the opening circuit before picking that rival off and powering on home for victory.
TRC Events & Leisure Maiden company over 500m at 2.52pm with Paul Youngs Champion Stakes semi-finalist Chelms Yes fancied to gain his first win since arriving on UK soil.  He was eliminated from the Blue Riband itself in fourth position last week but that was a much hotter race than which he lines up in today and it will be disappointing if he can’t get the job done today in what is without doubt a gilt-edged opportunity.
The first of our four Premarket Pets Blue Riband quarter finals at 3.11pm and though the betting will likely revolve the bang in form pairing of Forest Gold and Aussie Captain they’re both drawn wider than ideal.  At the prices there is only one selection to be made and that’s Mark Wallis’s Drumcrow Brentwho loves it around here and has a draw to die for on the wide outside of the track.  Back him to win and place.
The second quarter final takes place at 3.28pm and Diane Henry’s Savana King can smash out and make all from a perfect draw in the blue jacket.  He’ll strip fitter for what was his first competitive outing since the 24th October and if hitting the lids in the manner he can do he should be in front by the second bend given that he holds the inside line on his main challenger Signet Otis.  Kevin Hutton’s British Bred Derby Final runner up is more than capable of leading round himself if Henry’s charge isn’t lively away.  Take King to land the spoils though with Otis likely to run up for those looking to add a little value to their returns by way of the forecast.
John Mullins can take quarter final three with his Chelms Fred who is running out of his skin at present.  Fred will likely be sent off second favourite behind Brookside Richie trained by David Mullins but I’d be inclined to allow that rival to make the market and see Fred backable at what could be very generous odds.  Candy Man for Carol Weatherall looks plotted up on the wide outside to take third place at least and is definitely one for the trio mixers and looks sure to claim a place in next week’s semi-final draw.
The fourth and final quarter final at 4.08pm can go to competition sponsor Patrick Janssens English Derby Champion Thorn Falcon.  He’s perfectly housed for a run on the wide outside and he can take up the running heading into the third turn.  Kevin Hutton’s Sleek By Design can follow him home for second place.
A competitive looking TRC Events & Leisure Maiden over 500m at 4.48pm and though far from a good thing Vicki Lea’s Chelms Road is likely to represent good value with one or two of his rivals likely to be over bet.  Road was pulled out of an intended engagement at Romford just over a week ago but trialled well a couple of days later over the sprint trip here at Towcester.  There couldn’t have been too much wrong as Road crossed the line in that sprint in a more than decent 1594.  He could have suffered much worse in the draw and if on his toes early he could power up the run up and by the time they head onto the back straight he could be looking a very big price indeed.
More TRC Events & Leisure Maiden action at 5.08pm and Richard Rees can land the spoils with his pacey bitch Whats Up Eva.  She’s shown plenty of early pace around Hove including when winning top grade there in December.  The Brighton Belle was the target thereafter and though eliminated at the first-round stage she was far from disgraced.  Rees gave his bitch a sighter of Towcester in a sprint trial here on New Year’s Day when she clocked a reasonable enough 1620.  A four-bend trial at Swindon since will have blown the cobwebs away and it would be no surprise at all to see her well backed to take this and smash out and make all.
TRC Events & Leisure Standard company over 500m at 5.28pm and I’m sticking with Sharon Thompson’s Master Ten Ten who looks a classy sort.  The sprint trial at Romford since finishing runner up here on New Year’s Day might have been needed to keep him on his toes but from a breaking point of view it does have to be of some concern.  A level enough start though and he should be able to take command of the inside of the track by the turn and though Chelms Switch can be a nuisance in the early stages Ten Ten can have seen off that rival by halfway.  Switch is talented but is becoming frustrating and was quick enough to down tools once headed last time out.  He’d do a flying run in an uncontested lead but will a dog as classy as Ten Ten allow him that luxury.
TRC Events & Leisure Stayers over 712m at 5.44pm where Diane Henry’s Savana Scrappy looks a dot on the card.  Scrappy steps back up in trip having been eliminated from the Blue Riband at the first-round stage last week.  That run should have brought him on nicely for today and though not likely to offer anything in the way of value it would be surprising if he were not to win in a race which is well within his capabilities.
The final race of the day is a TRC Events & Leisure Standard over 500m at 6.02pm.  John Mullins Signet Goofy could very well be the best bet of the day in the last race of the day to send punters home happy.  Take him to smash out and make every post a winning one.