GREYHOUND PREVIEW: Some good action both in the UK and Ireland this weekend. At Crayford on Saturday they have the final of the Ladbrokes Golden Jacket as the main event. At Shelbourne Park on Saturday night the Greyhound TV cameras will be there for the final of the 2024 Tote Gold Cup. BARRY CAUL previews the action ….
Greyhounds Going for Gold This Saturday
A busy weekend of action ahead on GTV. On Saturday afternoon at Crayford, it’s the final of the Golden Jacket over eight bends while at Shelbourne Park on Saturday evening it’s the final of the Tote Gold Trophy. Both events are live on GTV. Let’s look at the best of the Betdaq Exchange action.
Golden Jacket at Crayford
1️⃣ Coonough Crow
2️⃣ Ballymac Taylor
3️⃣ Tuono Bella
4️⃣ Havana Top Note
5️⃣ Dazl Rolex
6️⃣ Havana Lover
Verdict: A cracking final where it may pay to side with the inside boxes. Coonough Crow began her career in Ireland with Barry Clancy and after an impressive six bend debut at Shelbourne Park she made the switch to the UK. She has consistently mixed it with some of the stars of the sport including Space Jet, Droopys Clue and Jacktavern Bella so she won’t be fazed by the opposition this weekend. Coonough Crow has won four of her five starts in 2024 and is running at the top of her game, she should comfortably lead up Ballymac Taylor in trap two and if turning in front she will take all the beating.
Havana Top Note is another who can go up strongly and he along with Havana Lover will be looking to make all. Havana Lover held every chance for me last week when she was run down by Coonough Crow at the seventh bend. Ballymac Taylor broke smartly last week and found herself in a prominent position. She’s very strong over this trip but will need the gaps to appear at crucial stages. Similar comments apply to Dazl Rolex, a dog with huge pace, he does tend to find the trouble spots and is another who will need luck at the right times.
Tuono Bella wasn’t beaten far on her last couple of outings and is still lightly raced over marathon trips. For me it all points to Coonough Crow. She has the draw to turn handy and at the very worst should only have Havana Top Note and Havana Lover in front of her at halfway. If that is the case, I still feel she can prove too strong for the leaders in the latter part of the race, but don’t be surprised if she was to make one of her better exits and make all.
Crayford Supporting Card
As well as the Golden Jacket Final on Saturday we also have the finals of the Chief Ramsbottom Hurdle (14:49) The Peter Bussey Memorial Trophy (15:37) and The David Wicks Memorial Trophy (16:42).
Ricky Holloway holds the aces in the Chief Ramsbottom Hurdle Final with three runners. His Aero Syd just heads the betting at 2/1 with kennel companions Patterdale Zorro (3s) and Magical Oscar (7/2) next in. Syd showed good pace in defeat last time out behind Dens Benji but didn’t look the most fluent around the track and I’d certainly be taking him on this weekend. The afore mentioned Dens Benji showed good early pace to lead last weekend and jumped the last with a lead of about a length before being clipped from behind. He can go well again and is better than the bare form suggests. Impact George was another to display good early pace last week but is not straightforward. Patterdale Zorro and Magical Oscar are both strong over the trip but may lack a yard of pace on the run to the corner. I’d be more than happy to take the current 9/2 on offer about Dens Benji.
Minnie Bullet looks the one to beat in the Peter Bussey Memorial Final. The classy daughter of Good News is consistent at trap rise and has no problem seeing out the trip. Hopes Paddington and Lamorna Lexi shouldn’t pose her any problems on the run to the corner. A case can be made for Hopes Paddington on his best form, but he just doesn’t seem to be breaking as well as he can in recent weeks. Ritzy Empress was a facile winner last week when posting a PB and will be bang there with a repeat, but the safest bet looks to be Minnie Bullet, she has good form around here and was also runner up over the course and distance behind Laughil Jess last November in the Gold Collar. Hopefully she can go one better this Saturday afternoon.
March On Mini will be my selection in the final of The David Wicks Memorial Trophy. The speedy daughter of Brownstown Tango is bred for early pace, and she displayed that in spades last weekend. She will take a step to her left on the run to the corner-as to will her main market rival Miss Syd- but I just feel there is more to come from March On Mini. Last week’s effort was a career best and she did lose vital momentum around the opening corners. Devon Dolly may be one for value seekers. She has an ace draw out in six with the runners in four and five highly likely to edge inwards on the run up.
Tote Gold Cup Final Shelbourne Park
1️⃣ Lotto Other News
2️⃣ Boylesports Coco
3️⃣ Ballymac Finn
4️⃣ Another Holiday
5️⃣ Neon Night
6️⃣ Deadly Style
Verdict: Boylesports Coco is the one to beat in the final of the Tote Gold Cup at Shelbourne Park this weekend. Dolores Ruth’s charge has got better and better with racing this year and has all the tools to take the decider this weekend. Blessed with stunning early pace Coco was always quick to the third bend early in her career but stamina wasn’t her forte. She was a finalist in the Fair Warrior over two bends at Mullingar at the back end of last year, but since returning to the standard trip this season Coco is still showing all that early zip but is staying on much stronger.
The classy Ballymac Finn turned in a menacing looking second place in last week’s semifinal but couldn’t get past. He now finds himself drawn on the outside of Coco this weekend and that makes life tricky for the 2022 Derby runner-up. Another Holiday is not quite running with the same sparkle as he was in 2023 and needs to improve on what we’ve seen in recent weeks. Deadly Style gave his kennel mate a start and a beating last weekend and is another who is improving with each outing in 2024.
Neon Night has some good form around here but needs luck. Value hunters may want to give Lotto Other News a second look. He has some excellent form around here and if the big guns were to miss the kick, he could put his track knowledge to good use. For me its hard to see past Coco and if she were to break level her scorching early pace could see her make all.
