GREYHOUND PREVIEW: This weeks preview covers all twelve opening round heats of the Bar-One-Racing Irish Laurels from Cork and at Towcester, it’s semi-final time in the Empress Stakes for the ladies. All with recommended BETDAQ selections.
Laurels at Cork and Empress Stakes at Towcester this weekend’s features
After a stunning performance from Callaway Knegare at Shelbourne Park on Saturday the classic action moves south to Cork, where the opening round of the 2024 Irish Laurels gets underway on Saturday night. At Towcester on Sunday some of the fastest ladies in training will be strutting their stuff in the semi-finals of the Empress Stakes.
Laurels at Curraheen Park
Twelve first round heats of the 2024 Irish Laurels get underway at Curaheen Park on Saturday with the first four making it through from each heat. Crafty Shivoo was a surprise late entry, the plan seemed to be to retire last year’s Irish Oaks champion, but she is obviously in rude health as her recent trial would suggest. Shivoo tops the market along with the rapidly improving Tribal Syd.
Tribal Syd goes in the first heat of the night and will be long odds on to get punters off to a winning start. His kennel companion Lemon Mick is an improving youngster and may give him most to do. Antigua Eclipse is an interesting runner but needs to step on his recent trial run.
Evolution has been running well in top company of late and this looks one of the softer heats. The Owen McKenna trained youngster should go well in the second heat.
As mentioned, Crafty Shivoo is an interesting entry to the competition. There was talk about her retiring, but she is obviously still well in herself judging by her recent trial. She faces a tough draw in heat three and lacks some track knowledge against some inform rivals. She will surely improve for the run, and it would certainly be a better competition is she can make it into round two. Faypoint Harvey and Bouncing Lad look the main dangers.
Heat four looks one of the races of the night. Recent St Leger finalist Barefoot On Fire just gets the vote over the inform Ower Cracker.
Derby Champion The Other Kobe is the star attraction in heat five. Kobe faces a nightmare draw out in six, but he is a much smarter dog these days and hopefully he can get to the front, Seek The Kingdom has winning form around here and looks to be his main danger.
Graham Holland has three runners in heat six which is packed with talent. The early lead is crucial here and maybe Romeo Taylor can hit the front if trapping on terms. Local runners Rebel Ocean and Churchtown Syd will certainly put it up to him and it looks a strong contest.
Superfast Gorden can take heat seven at the expense of the fast-finishing Millridge Bryce and Gorden’s trainer Pat Buckley will be looking for a quick fire double in the next heat when the wonderfully consistent Road Exile goes from trap six. Exile is equally at home over two and four bends and will take all the beating if getting to the front early. Last years winner High Trend loves it around here and will be hoping to put a disappointing run around Nottingham behind him. Youngster Droopys Polish is another with good form around here and is worth considering.
The unbeaten Droopys Bookem goes in heat nine and certainly looks one with a big future however on this occasion he may find Untold Dollar too good. Gramham Hollands Untold Dollar has already broken twenty-eight seconds when winning around here in the summer and will take this if near that level of form. Heat ten looks wide open but Droopys Carbine just gets the nod. Don’t ignore Crafty Alejandro in here, despite only the one success to his name he remains a greyhound with a big future and can go well from a fine draw on the fence.
The penultimate event of the opening round can hopefully see Radical Harry get back to winnings ways. This dog won on debut in 28:18 and made it to the semi-finals of this years Kirby at Limerick. He has been racing in hot company at Shelbourne Park recently and despite a tricky draw here he is good enough to overcome it.
The draw again looks crucial in the last, but a chance is taken that Burgess Supreme can find one of his better starts and get the better of Romeo Falco.
A couple of ante post selections for me will be Radical Harry 16s and Evolution 18s.
Good luck to all connections.
Empress Stakes at Towcester
Three semi-finals of the Empress Stakes will take place at Towcester on Sunday with the top two from each heat making it into next weekends final. Leighas Dream has a peach of a draw in the opening semi and will be looking to make all. She is a bitch in top form at present an impressed when winning around here last time in a smart 28:84. Leighas Dream has only been out of the top two once in her last fifteen starts and looks sure to go close. Fabulous Terra can take second place.
New Destiny goes in the second of the three semis, she was back to her best when making all to score last time out in 28:75. She has a perfect draw on the fence and with a half decent exit she will be tough to best. Queen Georgia was another to step back in distance last week and she too impressed when making all. For me she must lead up New Destiny but, on the draw, I will just side with the Mark Wallis trained bitch New Destiny.
The final semi is due off at 16:26 where Coolavanny Mercy can prove too good for the fast-finishing Urlee Star.
All the best
Barry
