Joe’s Tuesday Tips

Today we focus on the graded action this evening with three bets.

The Nap goes in the 6.48 at Central Park where Franco Skye for Paul Philpott can get back to winning ways from trap one in the D2. She is six without a win having won in the grade back on June 11 in her fastest time of 16.72 and a level break in this race should allow her to pace up, hold her line and go on to win.

The Next Best is trap three Moaning Versace in the 6.59 at Crayford. Moaning Versace and likely favourite Jacktavern Alan met on July 19 when they were fourth and fifth to State Secret. However, both greyhounds missed the break so if both trap better I would expect them to turn first and second. Jacktavern Alan runs from trap five, the four box is vacant so it should allow Moaning Versace a nice clean run into the first bend if breaking and if leading at any stage, he should be tough to beat.

The value selection for the day, we head back to Central Park for a five-dog race, a 480m handicap where the strong running Hollyoak John can time it to perfection to land the spoils late on in the 8.13.

Trap four Glory Poppy will be a short-priced favourite who receives four metres on Hollyoak John but she isn’t guaranteed to have things her own way in front of her so any mistakes allow Hollyoak John to take advantage.

***NAP*** 6.48 Central Park – Franco Skye
**NB** 6.59 Crayford – Moaning Versace
*Value Bet* 8.13 Central Park – Hollyoak John

Freddie marches to the Nottingham quickest of the year

David Mullins’ pup stakes his claim ahead of the Jenningsbet Puppy Classic.

The 29.50 mark had not been broken at Nottingham in 2024 prior to last night. Freddie’s task was made easier by the absence of Droopys Suprstar, sent off 1/7 as a result, but the run still needs to be made. He made no mistakes winning by over eight lengths. His 29.37 was four lengths off Skywalker Logan’s track record set during the 2019 Derby.

The Mullins team doubled up for owner George Watson with March On Kit who clocked 29.87. Swift Underwater went a few spots quicker with a 29.84 for trainer John Lambe. That made it a perfect 3/3 for his career after A4 and open race wins at Perry Barr.

He is improving rapidly and put the race to bed with a burst into the first bend to lead and make all. A 2023 whelp, he will be another who will be towards the head of the market for the Puppy Classic.

Barry O’Sullivan dominates the Central Park card

Barry O’Sullivan enjoyed his most successful meeting – at least numerically – when sending out a magnificent seven winners in a row at Central Park’s graded card on Monday.

Wins for Jans Abbie (15/8), One Cool King (7/1), Affane Bailey (6/4F), Crafty El Paso (6/1), Ballymac Nemo (9/4), Fawkham Lulu (9/4F) and Who Hoo (6/5) gave the Kent-based trainer, who provides runners for both Central Park and Crayford, a 9,352-1 seven-timer.

“And I really only fancied one of them – and he lost!” said O’Sullivan having preferred Annes Elias against litter sister Jans Abbie in the A5 which kicked off the winning sequence. “Both ran well, but Abbie ran better – as did the others.

“I don’t remember anyone having seven winners in a row. Seven across the meeting has been done – and probably more – but not sure it’s been done back-to-back as such. You kept on thinking it would end once we got to three and four, but fair play to them all.

“Rose (Sullivan, daughter) takes a lot of credit and things have just fallen in place for us. We’ve got a good strength at the moment and the dogs are running well. Winning the (Ladbrokes) Champion Hurdle last week with Shiv was the icing on the cake.”

All England Cup heroine back to Newcastle

Swift Silly will trial at Newcastle tonight

The 2023 All England Cup winner had a hand slip last week and tonight she will trial over 290m for Raymond Hale. She has not seen race action since exiting the Laurels in the first round on April 13. The winner of 12 of her 18 career races, she is 9/11 at Newcastle including her unbeaten run through the All England Cup last December,

Monmore to host a student race night

The Entain track makes a move to bring in a younger audience. 

Monmore is handing out 500 free tickets at the University of Wolverhampton for a student night on October 10. “The hope is to attract a new wave of greyhound racing fans on a unique evening,” the track said in a post on X this morning. It is great to see a track making a move of this size in a bid to grow the sport.

It is something that has been a huge success in horse racing for some years. In Ireland, especially the student days attract an enormous crowd. British tracks have now picked up on that positivity and have enjoyed bumper crowds themselves. Hopefully, Monmore will be a huge success and other tracks will be encouraged to add their own student days to the calendar.