While the final of the Ladbrokes Autumn Hurdle may appear to be the feature event on Crayford’s Saturday night card, there will be at least as much interest in two five-runner races – the trialstakes for the Ladbrokes TV Trophy writes Floyd Amphlett.
It is an event that could have been designed for the industry’s serial dementors (the ghostly Harry Potter characters who feast on misery. The greyhound industry dementors are usually found on the forums).
For a start, there is no ‘TV’.
Secondly, there is a very limited cast of potential TV stars.
The event is for 18 runners over the 874m course. So far this year, there have only been 18 opens in excess of 750 metres.
It gets worse. Those races have been won by just nine different hounds; litter sisters Maysdreamcatcher and Slippy Maska have won eight between them.
Of the nine, Looking Sharp (2) and Aayamza Breeze (1) are in Ireland this weekend and staying on for the marathon competition at Shelbourne (still colloquially known as ‘the Ted Hegarty Marathon).
But despite the obstacles, there are plenty of reason to believe the event will not only go ahead, but create plenty of interest and a decent spectacle. The first 9,000 equate to the winner’s prize. There is also a virtually guaranteed role in the Marathon Greyhound of the Year title.
Crayford racing manager Danny Rayment said: “We would stage the event for 12 runners if we had to, but I am confident we comfortably get the 18 required.
“Apart from the ten who line up on Saturday, there are at least two or three who are contesting the Anniversary Cup (714m) on the night, Tullovin Blaze, Lughill Teddy and Swift Libby, who I would expect to be involved.
“I will be quite interested to see how Kevin Boon’s two go. They are both young and the dam of Piper Arthur just about got 380 metres around here so I am intrigued. But Kevin is so enthusiastic and adamant that they will get the trip.
“I don’t know whether Patrick (Janssens) will enter (defending champ) Goldies Hotspur. I don’t think he is convinced she runs the track, though the prize money might tempt him.
“There is still two weeks before the first round and I hope Slippy Maggie is among the entries, if Hazel Kemp decided to step her up in distance, particularly because she would also have to be a big contender for the Triple Crown (worth a £5,000 bonus).”
The Ladbrokes TV Trophy gets underway on Saturday December 1 and concludes a week later. The winner’s prize is £9,000. The runner-up collects £1,000 and also-rans receive £500.
