GREYHOUND PREVIEW: The focus is on the opening round heats of the Ladbrokes Gold Collar from Crayford on Saturday morning – live on RPGTV. Barry previews all six opening round heats.
The Gold Collar
The 2023 Gold Collar gets underway on the early morning card at Crayford this Saturday and as expected it has attracted some star names. Six first round heats will be run on Saturday morning with the first due off at 10:53. For outright honors my selection would be the inform Aayamza Sydney. A winner of his last three starts around Romford he looks like he will be suited to the similar Crayford track and moved extremely well in a recent trial around here. Sydney goes in the first heat and is expected to come through the opening round with flying colours.
Havana Lover looks likely to take the beating from an ideal draw in the second heat although Caumrue Lemon has some good form over the track and trip and should give her plenty to think about.
On to heat three where the winning machine that is Laughil Jess will be well fancied to go in again. Since making the switch from Ireland Jess has won an incredible sixteen races from eighteen attempts around Crayford as well as victories at the highest level around Central Park, Perry Barr and Harlow. She’s impossible to oppose on those figures alone.
The evergreen Warzone Tom will be popular in heat four at 11:54 but this can go the way of Moaning Rossi in trap one. Rossi has been running well around here in recent weeks and can make full use of an ace draw in one. Don’t dismiss Towcester raider Makeit Magical from six. A lightly raced bitch she has shown promise on more than one occasion over a variety of trips around Towcester, but a lack of a recent run around here may just hinder her chances. She’s certainly one to keep onside.
The penultimate first round heat is due off at 12:24 and Dazl Rolex looks set to go off short here after his power packed display last time out. Theres no doubt he has pace is spades but I’ll be taking him on in this heat. For me he lacks a yard or two of early pace and could find himself shuffled back through the field in the opening half of the contest. I’d be keen to lay him and maybe have a small bet on Sudden Spike to make the most of his inside draw.
Finally, onto heat six, some may say it’s the race of the opening round and you can see why. The inside trio look set to dominate and I’ll just side with King Ezra to get the better of Wrighty and Minnie Bullet. All the Crayford action will be live on RPGTV on Saturday morning.
RPGTV English Puppy Derby from Towcester >
Four opening round heats of the RPGTV English Puppy Derby will feature on the channel on Sunday afternoon alongside the Irish Mullingar action, I will once again be the remote guest this Sunday hoping to point viewers towards a winner or two. The first of the four semis are due off at 13:57. The strong running Velvet Hurricane got the better of Queen Leona last time out, but I think Leona can reverse the form this weekend, that still may not be good enough to see off Sir Oreo who runs from trap one. Oreo has displayed fine early pace in his recent starts and should come on for last weeks run when just caught close home. The Ballymac Pair of Ballymac Lineout and Ballymac Diana both have exceptional pace but for me just face tricky draws outside some early paced rivals. King versus Queen in heat two where Queen Shakira should get the better of King Memphis if she reproduces last weeks effort. The pair look well clear on all known form. Heat three looks the standout heat of the opening round. If King Capaldi can back up any of his recent sectionals, he will race clear to the bend, and it’ll be a case of catch me if you can. His brother King Combs and the exciting Skywalker Pele look most likely to threaten. Its hard to get away from Droopys Eddie in the final heat and he can confirm form from last week over Droopys Crisp.
Other News >
The semi finals of the ARC Classic will be run at Sunderland this Friday night. We lost Links Maverick last weekend. Swift Iconic now heads the market at 11/4 but I still think there is some value in Bluejig Hank at 10s. In Ireland we are down to the last twenty-four in the Irish St Leger. Ante Post selections Sober Glory and Kildare have safely made it through to the quarterfinals. Swords Rex was once again exceptional last weekend and now heads the betting at 7/2.
