JONATHAN HOBBS: There are huge nights both sides of the Irish Sea tonight with the GRI Winter Racing Festival at Shelbourne Park, Dublin, and the start of the Coral Olympic at Hove.
The Shelbourne card includes the reappearance of Irish Derby champion Newinn Taylor, as well as last year’s winner Lenson Bocko. Oaks heroine Ballymac Beattie is another high-profile runner and, from start to finish, it oozes class.
Pick of the bets might be the strong-running and well-drawn Sporting Pat (8.10), the aforementioned Ballymac Beattie (8.55), last year’s English St Leger champion Redzer Ardfert (9.10), English Derby third Coolavanny Chick (9.40) and the Derby winner’s kennelmate Newinn Session (10.40) in the finale.
Moving to the Hove action and topping the ante-post betting are Sussex Cup hero Bockos Doomie for champion trainer-elect Patrick Janssens and Richard Rees’s Derby finalist Southwood Jet. Both will have their supporters in their respective heats tonight.
Let’s go through the heats.
Hove Saturday
6.58: Southwood Jet has trialled back well since his Nottingham exploits and might be tough to hold in heat one. The draw looks spot-on for this superb early pacer, whose all-round speed impressed in the Classic. He’s drawn his preferred red-box draw and, should Doorus Jet trap smartly and deny Feora Max early, the inside runner might be away. Rockmount Ozzy might be a decently-priced forecast link.
Play: Southwood Jet
7.18: A cracking heat two of the Olympic sees plenty of chances, including Sussex Cup runner-up Tommys Panther, the ultra-consistent Seaglass Tiger and powerful Deanridge Rapid. However Matt Dartnall’s Distant Village has a superb record here as a former Hove-based runner and ran fourth in the Sussex Cup behind Bockos Doomie. He paces up well and, if keeping wide and clear of crowding, could turn the screw down the back for the win.
Play: Distant Village
7.36: Kilara Lion versus Troy Firebird could be a terrific buckle. The former won the Kent Derby for in-form Patrick Janssens last week and remains a cracking front runner – he’s difficult to catch if dominating his races which looks possible here. That said, Troy Firebird will keep the white-jacketed runner busy. He’s back after a spell off and, while beaten by Kilara Lion at Yarmouth, has trialled back really well and looks well pitched outside.
Play: Kilara Lion
7.56: Heat four of the Olympic now – and what a contest. Sussex Cup champion Bockos Doomie is back and is always a force from the red jacket – he will improve for trials. However the Richard Yeates-trained Faughan Rebel has the edge in race fitness and really bullied the opposition last week. He posted a good time, too, and looks to be well pitched outside Forest Alan. Romeo Speedy is interesting on Irish form – if breaking fast.
Play: Faughan Rebel
8.17: The penultimate Olympic heat and Drumcrow Brent and Hopes Doggy give Mark Wallis a huge hand in this contest. The latter won well last week, but so did the latter – and the draw just favours Drumcrow Brent. He came through a real early-paced battle with Bockos Boss last week and could be a real improver, while clearing Yarmouth raider Our Boy Jack might prove an issue for Hopes Doggy. Darbys Ranger is well regarded and cannot be completely ruled out.
Play: Drumcrow Brent
8.38: The last Olympic heat and another trappy affair with plenty of chances. However, Newinn Jacko was an eyecatcher last week behind Faughan Rebel and could go one better. Ernie Gaskin’s dog showed real sparkle then and, with a handy position early on, could pile on the pressure – improvement is likely after recent breaks. Antigua Boy showed good pace at Nottingham and must be respected as drawn inside.
Play: Newinn Jacko
The Hove card also includes a trial stake for the TV Trophy and Aayamza Royale is likely to start the shortest price of any greyhound this year!
Mark Wallis’s Cesarewitch heroine looks in a different parish to these, although another clash with Micks Little Gem is on the cards down the line when the event starts next week. The pair had a great battle at Romford a few weeks back and Micks Little Gem won the Mitch Millward Marathon on Friday, so is also in-form.
Good luck all.
@Hobbsy67
