Joe’s Tuesday Bets
Plunge leads the way into super semi
WICKY NED is now clear favourite for the Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse after producing a stylish performance in winning his heat of the famous competition over 500m at Nottingham on Monday – albeit fastest heat winner was Patrick Janssens’ exciting talent Droopys Plunge.
Janssens’ November 22 whelp clocked a brilliantly fast 29.16 as he led home kennelmate Barntick Bear for a Janssens-trained one-two, in a heat which also saw defending champion Newinn Syd recover well after early crowding to finish third and keep a grip on the trophy he won 12 months ago.
Droopys Plunge had won well on Oaks final night at Perry Barr, impressing all and sundry with his back-straight surge. However, this time a fast start and smart early gears saw the son of Droopys Sydney dominate from pillar to post with Barntick Bear never close enough to launch a telling challenge after being held up early.
However, Wicky Ned remains the one to beat in the Eclipse according to the bookmakers after Jimmy Fenwick’s Gymcrack and Steel City Cup winner made all in heat three to himself post an impressive 29.35 for the 500m trip as he beat David Fradgley’s Stonepark Wes by just over four lengths.
Patrick Janssens will have six Eclipse semi-finalists next Monday after his Romeo Steel (29.55) won heat two from Phil Milner’s Empress Stakes winner Avongate Venus – after the winner’s kennelmates Romeo Command and Slick Sentinel qualified behind Mark Wallis’s Proper Heiress in a classy heat four.
The winner, who posted 29.68sec, finished best after early crowding to enhance his growing reputation.
Velvet Madrid has been producing some good performances of late for Nottingham’s own Peter Holland and was never headed in beating trackmate Sambar Kian in 29.90sec in heat five.
Kevin Hutton’s Antigua Kestrel had earlier produced a strong-running effort to grab Salacres Tipster in heat one, winning in 29.55sec.
OPENS
Thursday: Swindon
Friday: Romford ♦ Sunderland