After a good day out at Monmore yesterday attention turns to Sittingbourne this evening where the live on Sky card looks a cracker. One note on Monmore yesterday, before my old adversary Lil Risky ran the track was ridiculously overwatered which caused him to lose his action on the second bend in one of the numerous puddles on the track; a dog of his class deserves more respect than that! Anways, dog rant over. Here are my thought’s on the racing:

19.40 – 480m

This looks a great chance to get the dog blog off to a winning start for me. Short of me wagging my tail vigorously while barking and jumping around like a lunatic (behaviour which is exclusively saved for dinner time) I cannot stress how much I rate the chances of Zodiac Zeus in the opener. I nearly fell off the sofa when I saw odds of 2/1! As a likeable early-paced type he enjoys the track, has a great run with the mid-moving local next to him and barring Sakara Star getting a flyer which is rare (although he did in his last race) I think Zeus will be away-and-gone with no catching him. Indeed, Star is the danger but he is dog that would seemingly find trouble in a solo trial and if he turns in arrears he has pace to burn but his trackcraft leaves a lot to be desired: his presence just makes the price on Zeus even juicier.

20:00 – 480m

I like the start of this card. Peacemaker is progressing into a formidable sort who has won 6 of his last 7 starts including the Produce Stakes and he has shown he has a liking for the venue. Joscar is a danger but got turned over at long odds-on over a more suitable trip of 500m round here earlier in the month and one feels he will be stepping up in trip to 6 bends before too long: this should give Peacemaker a great run with Bursary Boy running well in the early stages of races but will surely be outclassed by the selection. A dog with pace and a great draw is Mash Mad Snowy who will make sure that Peacemaker wins the race in earnest but he can put in a moderate performance here and there, which cannot be said for the recommendation.

20:15 – 480m

A decent field for this bitches race seems a battle between the resolute Thurlesbeg Bound and the pacey Britania Joan. It’s hard to split the two and one should not discount the out-of-form Westmead Melanie (a bitch with tremendous heart on her day) and the early-paced local Agincourt Cilla but with Joan’s run, I expect her to make all from out-wide. It would be no surprise to see Thurlesbeg bounding alongside (sorry I couldn’t resist!) and outstaying the selection however, so stakes should be minimal.

20:35 – 642m

What a greyhound Blonde Fletch has been but unfortunately he cannot be trusted to stay at the odds he goes off at so although I wouldn’t be surprised to see him bolt clear and beat these, he is not worthy of any my dog treats these days. Droopys Aretha could run a big race at her odds but the power of Freedom Cache saw him installed as favourite for the St. Leger earlier in the year and his ability seems to have been overlooked here. He often starts ridiculously slow (I could teach him a few things!) but weaves nicely through fields and Fletch will be in real trouble if Cache is anywhere near him after the first circuit. The step down in trip for Buglys Billie seems a strange move but she will definitely be running on!

20:50 – 480m

An intriguing encounter for me to get my paws on with the still fairly unknown quantity of Lenson Peter providing a real puzzler to this doggie equation. Respect to my fast-out colleague Fifis Legend as well and Rio Torino could run well from an awkward draw (a feat he managed over C&D earlier this month) but with so many early-paced merchants the race could be set up for course specialist Freedom Chief. Chief does do things the hard way at times (I’ve told him getting out in front is the best way!) but he is classy when it all goes to plan for him and he is a tentative selection. Guinness Dusty is also no mug but tends to find this class a bit daunting.

21:10 – 480mH

Every man and his dog loves a bit of sentimentality on television and what better way to (most probably) end a terrific career than see Olivers Twist prove he is the best hurdler of his generation and jump magnificently round the Kent venue tonight. I’m not a massive fan of hurdlers (probably because they always confused me when I was running – jumping in a race?!) but I have great respect for Twist who through an injury-hit career has always saved his best for the big occassion. Lenson Teddy will take a lot of stopping but if Twist can utilise his great draw and his favourite trap to full advantage he should have too much class over the sticks for Teddy. Teddy’s jumping style is like Marmite in either you love it’s quirkiness or hate it’s imprecision but one thing is for sure: he is always susceptible to mis-time a jump that will prove costly in the Grand National. Indeed, one could argue he did just that in the Springbok when losing ground to Westmead Melanie when she was at her fluent best so Teddy can ill-afford a repeat of that tonight against an even better-class rival in the hurdler of his generation: Olivers Twist.

21:25 – 500m

A superb warm-up to the main event here with reigning Kent Derby champion Jazz Apollo being given a great draw for him on the rails where he is 3 from 4 from the red box. Be Real is a live outsider but may hinder Apollo’s chances and speaking about 3 from 4 – that is Westmead Maldini’s record over C&D. I said in a previous dog blog I find it hard to catch Maldini right but he is a superb animal who has everything in his locker and if he turns in front of Apollo, I can’t remember a dog ever running past Maldini when he is contesting for the lead (bearing in mind my memory may be going in retirement!). Never rule out Apollo in a race but Maldini once did a 28.91 over the 480m distance round here as well which would have won most of the races tonight over that trip!

21:45 – 480m

All the attention in the Kent Derby final is on the superb pace of Westmead Adonis and he was a worthy Derby finalist and demands the utmost respect in any contest. A sobering thought for backers though is that he did not win a single race in his epic effort in the Derby and that is a similar scenario that he faces in tonight’s competition. Does he win enough to warrant favouritism here? After deliberation with myself on my walk today I’ve decided he’s worth taking on and with possible chaos in the middle between Cash Game, Rusheen Major (where did his trapping come from?!) and Westmead Shaw, the recommendation to continue Adonis’ heartache in big races is Ballycowen Dave. I think that Shaw will perhaps lead that battle of early-pace but even if he does Dave has proven that he can overhaul him and the selection is unbeaten in the competition. Yes, some eager-eyed observers will note that Dave did not win in his last 13 races prior to the tournament but I would rather be on a dog at 5/1 with a good run that does not win his fair share, than a dog at 7/4 with a good run that does not win his fair share. Dave is unbeaten round here and if he can stay in contact with the leaders, he can add a Kent Derby title to Allsopp’s kennels tonight.

So there are a dog’s thoughts on the action this evening and as ever, please tweet me or comment if you have anything to say about a canine’s perspective of racing. Here’s hoping the Twist can give us one last demonstration of unrivalled hurdling before his probable retirement – I’m sure he’ll enjoy it because I certainly am!

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy.