JONATHAN HOBBS SATURDAY: Hove hosts another crackerjack card on Saturday live on SportyStuffTV/RPGTV with the semi-finals of the Coral Olympic plus the heats of other competitions too.
Three Olympic semi-finals headline the mostly open-race card but the heats of the bitches-only Coral Brighton Belle (515m), George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial (740m) – an event celebrating the world record-breaking greyhound and his famous trainer – and Kathleen Kis Memorial (500m) mean there’s something for everyone.
Let’s have a look at the pick of the races.
Hove
6.28: Heat one of the Brighton Belle and Seamus Cahill’s Pocket Lulu might take some holding if racing into another early lead. She ran well in a trial stakes last week, albeit needs to be foot-perfect here with Ballymac Honest and Droopys Original either side.
Play: Pocket Lulu
6.43: Another Brighton Belle heat now and Troy Suzieeq arrives in good form having won a Harlow final over 592m and will be finishing. However, might Ballymac Trend escape the pack with a start for new trainer Mark Wallis? She trialled back well recently.
Play: Ballymac Trend
6.58: Seamus Cahill’s Pocket Lola could land a family double after her sister Lulu in this third Brighton Belle heat. Her sprint pace was there to see in a trial stakes win last week and this Sovereign Stakes finalist can get away again. Lights Out will be flying late.
Play: Pocket Lola
7.18: Lanzo lines up eyeing a superb seven-timer in this first Olympic semi. Richard Yeates’s runner is tough to peg back if leading up which looks possible should a lead inside be secured – although Bockos Belly and Candy Man will be coming hard at him.
Play: Lanzo
7.36: Ballymac Gaybo has leadability claims again in this Olympic semi. Belinda Green’s recent intake needs to trap to get first run on back-in-form Smurfs Machine, but looks an improving sort again and might be tough to reel in once ahead.
Play: Ballymac Gaybo
7.56: Aussie Captain won well off the front last week and could repeat the dose in this third semi-final of the Olympic. The Patrick Janssens-trained Derby quarter-finalist might again get first run on Trumps Benefit, although the latter is open to improvement after a fast trial.
Play: Aussie Captain
8.17: Heat one of the George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial (740m) where Burgess Elite looks open to better. It was no disgrace not to hold Aayamza Royale last week but expect improvement from John Mullins’ dog after a decent gap between recent races.
Play: Burgess Elite
8.38: Another 740m heat where Mark Wallis’s consistent Blueberry Bullet catches the eye. She remains a top-class stayer and solid competition runner with every chance to lead up here and might have them all under pressure in behind.
Play: Blueberry Bullet
8.54: Very much the queen of the track enters the stage now in Aayamza Royale, the current Greyhound of the Year. Twice a TV Trophy winner, the Wallis runner finished well last week and remains a veteran in great heart – boasting a superb Hove record, too.
Play: Aayamza Royale
9.12: Indesatchel brings some tidy Irish form to the table against some well-known and classy sorts, so catches the eye in heat one of this 500m event. Jason Heath’s runner failed to overcome a slow start latest on debut but note this switch inside now.
Play: Indesatchel
Good luck all.
@Hobbsy67