GREYHOUND PREVIEW: BARRY CAUL looks ahead to finals night at Hove on Saturday with the finals of the Regency and the Sussex Cup the headline events. Both finals previewed along with previews of some of the supporting races on the night. Also touching on the Irish scene, including mentions for the Irish Sprint Cup and Irish St Leger.
Finals night at Hove
There is a cracking twelve race programme at Hove on Saturday night with races over a variety of distances. The Sussex Cup and the Regency finals highlight the card, but we also get to see a host of other track stars. Our ante-post selection Cooladerry Dust (20/1) has made it to the final of the Regency and is now as low as 2/1 to win the big one.
Sussex Cup Final
The first of the feature events will be the Sussex Cup Final due of at 20:07. Romeo Command and Droopys Clue have undoubtedly been the stars of the competition thus far and the pair are running as well as ever. Romeo Command has now won his last four races while Droopys Clue is looking to make it six on the spin this Saturday. For me there is little to separate the duo on their recent form at Hove and Towcester. Both wouldn’t go down as flying starters, but rather strong sorts off the front. Romeo Command is probably the more dependable and his draw just swings it for me.
The others are not out of it, there are some classy dogs in the final who are well capable of leading up the inside runners. Wasted Monday and Clona Uriel can go up well and Uncle Freddie ran a cracker behind Romeo Command last weekend while Newinn Benni has set the pace in the opening two rounds and well look to do so again in the final. It’s a tricky one for punters, the break will be crucial. I will put forward Rommeo Command, but I’ll be watching this one while sitting on the fence. Good luck to all connections.
Regency Final
I fancied Cooladerry Dust before the event and hopefully a couple of you took the 20s advised before the competition. I thought he ran well at Towcester before this event, and he has been flawless in winning both rounds so far. It’s a good final and Dust will need to lead once again if he is to score. There are some strong sorts in opposition including Haka Carlo, Ballymac Taylor and Bubbly Scorcher but Cooladerry Dust should have far too much early zip for those rivals.
The key to the race for me is Cooladerry Dust leading up Lightfoot Falcon and Baywatch Bullet. If he can manage to do that you would expect the afore mentioned paid to turn second and third and in turn hopefully hold off the strong runners as they wind up their challenges. Dust will need to have a break on the big finishing trio, but he is running as well as ever and if leading he should score at the expense of Haka Carlo and Ballymac Taylor. Once again good luck to all connections.
Supporting Card
As mentioned above there is a cracking supporting card with the action on the night getting underway at 18:08 where the lightly raced Pocket Gun could go well at a bit of a price. Some well-bred pups line up at 18:26 and another at a price will be Rapido Ali, this looks a drop in grade from what he has recently been contesting and he can get the better of Hopes Ompaloomph. Candolim Monsoon carried no luck in the semifinal of the Sussex Cup but will be a short price to win the consolation final at 18:42 and it would be great to see. Lively Lauren was another who had no luck in the opening round of the regency, she drops back to four bends and has a real chance if she can get to the fence early. Sunning Dale will be looking to do similar, and it may just pay to side with Antigua Bingo in trap five.
I have long been a fan of Cree Jo Jo and he opened his UK account at the second time of asking when winning in good style. He faces some stiff opposition in the final of Sussex Cup Sprint, but Jo Jo is one of the best around on his day and could even improve on what he has done as far, as he adjusts to life in the UK. Not So Slow got the better of Jo Jo on Derby final night and it should be another good battle between the pair. Move Over Ogie will be a big price in the Regency consolation final, he has been running well of late and could just give Coonough Crow something to think about. Coonough Crow is a wonderful bitch but has been on the go over long-distance trips for quite a while now and may be worth opposing is she is a silly price.
Irish Scene
Broadstrand Syd set new figures for the 400-yard trip at Dundalk over the weekend and is now 3/1 to win the Irish Sprint Cup. Ballinakill Alf and last years winner Carrick Aldo are also safely into round two. It is a cracking competition, and you can be sure of more big runs. Peppered Sean got the better of The Other Kobe on Saturday, but Kobe had excuses and should put up a better showing in round two.
Its also second round time in the Irish St Leger at Limerick. I think Carmac King will go well in that event. He was a good winner of his opening round heat and should step forward from that run. He can still be backed at 11/2 for outright glory.
At Shelbourne Park on Saturday, it’s the final of the €10,000 to the winner open unraced stake where Yorkie Ollie and Boylesports Blue should dominate the final.
All the best
Barry
