GREYHOUND PREVIEW: Barry Caul previews the third round heats of the English Greyhound Derby at Towcester on Saturday.
Heat 1. I like Sunnyside Broxi in here, a finalist last year when he ran under the name of Ballymac Gizmo. Broxi ran well in defeat last week when coming from well off the pace to qualify. This heat seems to lack some early pace on the inside and Broxi can turn in a handy position. The early fractions look sure to be set by the outside runners with Slick Sentinel (6) and Newinn Benni (5) likely to battle for early supremacy. With a decent start hopefully Broxi will turn in close proximity to that pair and he can prove too strong in the second half of the contest.
Heat 2. The excellent Bombay Pat remains unbeaten in 2025 and made in three from three at the track last weekend with an awesome display. Pat was quickly away and stamped his authority on the contest from a very early stage. Pat is not always that fluent from boxes but he is near impossible to beat when he breaks quickly. His current 4/6 won’t tempt me this weekend as there is some early pace inside him and he could find himself posted a little wide on the approach to the bend. Glory Lord was a shade disappointing last week and is better than that. Bubbly Charger did little wrong scoring and certainly has a chance with a similar start. I’ll side with Droopys Plunge in here, he can be a little frustrating at times but is well capable when he puts in all together as his 28:64 run in round one would suggest.
Heat 3. A cracking heat. De Lahdedah and Ballinabola Joe meet once again. Joe got the better of the defending champion last weekend but both greyhounds emerged with real credit. March On Freddie tracked well to win his second-round heat but the make up of this race may not suit Freddie here, and he will need luck around the opening bends. Ballinabola Joe looks like the obvious one to lead but there are reasons for taking him on. If De Lahdedah was to repeat his start from round one he would surely have the inside of Joe around the bend and it would be game over, that is a big if I suppose. The dog I will be with here is Barefoot On Fire. I was dead against him last week when he was odds on, but this is a greyhound you simply cannot ignore when he is the price he is this weekend, currently 6/1. Barefoot On Fire ran a cracker behind Ballinabola Joe in round one and did some big running in defeat last week after meeting trouble on more than one occasion. For me, Barefoot On Fire represents the value in this.
Heat 4. Last years Irish Derby 1-2 Bockos Diamond and Cheap Sandwiches clash in a mouthwatering heat four. The Graham Holland pair were electric in the second round, and they dominate the market. The draw could be crucial with Diamond on the inside of Cheap Sandwiches, and it looks like a big ask for Cheap Sandwiches to make it around his phenomenal kennelmate. It will obviously be a much better competition if the big two make it into next week’s quarter finals but there is danger lurking. Jaytee Craze and Droopys Bookem will be thundering home from the third bend and if the big two slip up they could be made to pay. Salacres Senan and Kevins Rocket can both go up well, but it should rest between the big two with Bockos Diamond just given the nod.
Heat 5. I’m keen on Droopys Aladin here and the 7/2 currently on offer will surely dwindle before the off. He ran well in the opening round and found only the strong running Droopys Bookem too good last week. Aladin has a good chance to lead here, and I fancy him to make all. Keefill Maverick will have his supporters and its easy to see why but I think he will find it hard to pick up Droopys Aladin if he were to lead. Romeo Tomcat impressed last week but he looks like he has a tricky draw outside Aladin with Faypoint Susie on his right likely to be moving in on the run to the corner. I’ll side with Droopys Aladin to take heat five.
Heat 6. Droopys Trade and Tiffield Tarquin are both unbeaten in this year’s derby and the pair dominate the market. Droopys Trade trapped much better last week and made all in 28.80 while Tarquin had to battle when winning in 28:98. I find it hard to have a strong opinion in this race mainly because of the presence of Hello Diego in trap six. Diego is incredibly fast but also inconsistent. For supporters of Droopys Trade and Tiffield Tarquin the last thing you want to see is Hello Diego taking a flying break, and remember, he is capable of one! It’s hard to back anything with real confidence in here but maybe try Diego and hope he does make one of his better starts.
Heat 7. Singalong Molly landed a massive gamble when winning last weekend. Installed at 7/2 earlier in the week she went off at 5/4 and scored comfortably. Molly is short enough this weekend, around 13/8. She will surely go off a little bigger in this but does have a good draw once again with the slow starting Vhagar inside her. Faypoint Harvey ran a cracker behind Cheap Sandwiches last week and Romeo Empire is another here who I thought could go well, Empire is open to more improvement than most and I do feel we have yet to see the best of him. Vhagar deserves a mention, she flew home last week and will be finishing best of all, but Romeo Empire will be the one for me in here.
Heat 8. The final heat of the night and the evergreen Churchfield Syd will be very popular once again. He doesn’t know how to run a bad race around here and keeps on delivering time after time. Dynamic Force could prove a thorn in Syd’s side this weekend. Force can fly to the corner when getting his trapping right and if doing so he may well surprise a few. Sole Mio has done nothing wrong so far in the competition and has a cracking draw in three. He should lead up Barntick Bear and Fabulous Sonique and will be hard to keep out of the frame. It’s not often you get to back Barntick Bear at 3/1 and you do get to do that this weekend. Yes, the Bear will need luck in running but he is incredibly fast and if the gaps do appear he will be hard to hold. Barntick Bear in the lucky last for me.
Good luck to all connections,
Barry.
