GREYHOUNDS: Our greyhound expert couldn’t be in better form with 6 WINNERS FROM THE LAST 6 !! Under the tipping spotlight this weekend is the Juvenile Derby (Shelbourne Park, Saturday) plus the big races in the UK from Romford (Friday) and Sheffield (Saturday) which hosts the semi-finals of the Steel City Cup.
More Top Class Action on The Horizon
With The Irish Greyhound Derby now behind us our focus shifts to the Laurels in Cork. Won last year by One Time Only, the previous roll of honor includes track icons such as the great Spanish Battleship, Sonic Flight, Tyrur Ted and Rockybay Foley who won twice in 2018 and 2019.
Twelve first round heats will commence this Saturday night at The Co Cork venue with four to qualify from each heat, leaving us with a field of forty-eight for round two. Skywalker Barry, a recent Irish Derby semifinalist is the star name in heat two on Saturday evening. The third heat is a cracking contest with Swords Rex fancied to get the better of Wi Can Dream and Bulletfromagun.
Last year’s winner One Time gets his defence underway in heat four where he races from his beloved red jacket, he should go well in that heat. Sizzling early pacer Serene Ace will look to make all in heat five where Galloping Sydney looks to be his main danger. Consolation Derby winner Cryptopunk looks to have most to fear from kennel mate Bockos Budsit in heat seven, but both should qualify for round two. 2021 Sprinter of The Year Good Cody is the one to be on in heat nine, and the final heat should go the way of Droopys Edison.
We will preview the eight second round heats in more detail in next week’s piece.
Juvenile Derby at Shelbourne Park
The RPGTV Juvenile Derby reaches the quarter Final stage this Saturday night at Shelbourne, it is safe to say the future looks bright after some stellar performances last weekend, including some very eye-catching runs in defeat. Velasco for trainer Owen McKenna was the fastest of the second-round winners stopping the clock in 28:07, however, Romeo Hanzo who finished runner up in that red-hot contest displayed unbelievable pace and looks one to keep on the right side off. Other Impressive winners on the night were Oak’s winner Raha Mofo (28:15), Three Canons (28:18) and Droopys Got It (28:17).
RPGTV Juvenile Derby Quarter Final 1️⃣
Bens Teddy has a decent advantage on the clock over his rivals with Paradise Nikibel in six an obvious danger. Trinity Junior was sensational in the opening rounds and will make them all go if reproducing that effort. It may be worth focusing on the outside runners Paradise Nikibel and Trinity Junior, with slight preference for Trinity Junior to come out on top.
RPGTV Juvenile Derby Quarter Final 2️⃣
The second of the heats is undoubtedly the hottest on paper with last weeks impressive scorers Velasco and Droopys Got It going head-to-head. Three Canons splits the pair running from box two, he too won well last weekend. For me Romeo Hanzo was a real eyecatcher last weekend and I think he can take the second heat at a decent price.
RPGTV Juvenile Derby Quarter Final 3️⃣
Another Holiday and Clona Duke will dominate the market in heat three. Another Holiday has an excellent race record of seven wins from eight starts and is perfectly drawn in red. Clona Duke has only had the five career starts and is highly likely to improve on what we have seen so far, but it will take a big performance to beat Another Holiday here. Romeo Command is another improving youngster and can take the bronze medal.
RPGTV Juvenile Derby Quarter Final 4️⃣
It seems like a while ago that Raha Mofo won the Sporting Press Irish Oaks and its hard to believe she was a puppy when doing so, back in with her own age company after a failed Derby attempt, she has flourished back over the Oaks distance. She has an ace draw in six and got the better of Radical Hero last weekend who reopposes again with Bogger Hunter not out of it from trap five.
All the action will be available live this Saturday night on Racing Post Greyhound TV.
The Yvonne Barry Open 600 also gets underway at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night with Droopys Nextone (22:12 GMT) the best bet of the opening round heats
The UK Scene
It is an incredibly busy week in the UK with a host of major events currently afoot. The Oaks gets underway at Perry Barr on Thursday. Friday night at Romford has the Champion Stakes while at Oxford on Friday we see the RPGTV Puppy Collar. The Steel City Cup is the big event on Saturday from Sheffield and Final the Hunt Cup is the big draw at Towcester on Sunday.
Steel City Cup at Sheffield
Three semifinals of the Steel City Cup will take place at Sheffield on Saturday evening. Outright favourite Brookside Richie Goes in the first semi, he is well fancied to see off the likes of Trickys Rocket and Freedom Epic. The second heat is a wide-open affair with Signet Goofy well drawn out in six, a member of the fabulous Magical Bale – Forest Natalee litter is selected to get the better of Anynamewilldo who should finish well. The last of the semifinals will be dominated by the inside runners with the early lead all important, Droopys Yogi and Move Over Cha should battle it out in the early yards and for me the draw swings it in favor of Droopys Yogi.
Romford Friday
Romford host their usual top class Friday night card; this weekend sees round one of the Champion stakes over six bends and also the first-round heats of the Standard Trophy over 400m. Both events have attracted a top-quality field. Let us look ahead to both competitions starting with The Champion Stakes. Six first round heats get us underway on Friday, the first heat can go the way of Master Ten Ten who will need to get the better of the lightly raced Bubbly Ranger, Master Ten Ten ran well at Perry Barr recently and has won around here in the past.
Trainer Mark Wallis holds all the aces in the second heat with Antigua Hope and Antigua Bigun, slight preference is for Bigun in six to make his early pace and experience count. Bubbly Dancer will take heat three if she reproduces her recent trial runs. Heat four looks strong on paper, Bubbly Cristal Dapper Rodney and Doghouse Dazzler have all got good form around the Essex venue and much will depend on the break, it may pay to avoid this contest for punting purposes. In the final heat, the evergreen Warzone Tom is hard to oppose although, Ninja Kerry is not without a chance from trap six.
The six Standard Trophy first round heats will kick off at 20:17. Newinn Tik Tok is better than his recent form suggests and can go well from a perfect launch pad in the opening heat. Droopys Good and Rail McCoy clash for the third week in succession, Droopys Good (aka Jake) has gotten the better of Rail McCoy on both previous meetings and should keep up his good run of form. Phoenix Puma will produce a huge run soon, and it may well be this weekend, he has some smashing trial form and looks well drawn in heat five. The last heat can go the way of Milton Rio to get the better of Antigua Socks.
All the action is available live on RPGTV on Friday evening.
Weekends Best Bets:
Our Last six selections have all won !!!!
Friday Romford
Phoenix Puma: Two units win
Saturday Shelbourne 22:12
Droopys Niceone: Two units win
