An incredibly competitive card awaits us in front of the Sky cameras tonight and there are many opinions on all of the races which should make some fascinating viewing. One aspect that has not seemingly had a mention is that my Geordie colleagues inform me that the going has been favouring the outside at Newcastle for a while now and so that is worth holding in consideration when watching the first few races tonight. Today on the BAGS card there were two trap 1 winners but both were sent off at big prices which suggests that the locals are savvy to the problems that inside favouring dogs seem to be encountering. That’s why I always took the middle ground apart from when I used to get carried away and nearly run off the track around the second bend: I still won though! Anyway enough reminiscing about my career, let’s focus on the dogs running tonight and we start with another ground old campaigner like myself:

19:40 – 480m

Boher Paddy has always been a dog blessed with pace and determination and enters as a veteran for the first time this evening. In this five-dog affair the danger was perhaps the dog that was withdrawn (Manilla Flash) who has been known to trailblaze from the front but without him in the race it is hard to envisage anything else than a facile success for Lister’s stalwart. Graysland Bubba might provide some sort of a race but Paddy could arguably lead these and that would indeed be game over from the first bend. He never quite achieved his Category One success but he can demonstrate why he was feared by so many as a serious contender in any race throughout his career tonight. You won’t get rich backing him though!

20:00 – 290m

My old adversary Lil Risky cost me a few of my beloved doggie treats last week when missing the break (I’m sure he did it to spite me!) and he lines up against some very formidable speedy types tonight. Indeed, I would have had my work cut out to beat all of these but the one sprinter that stands out due to his track experience is Jumeirah Dubai. He has seen the traps and track recently (a very good 17.04 run would probably win this if he were to repeat) and although Risky started his career around here, that was a year-and-a-half ago and us greyhounds don’t have that good a memory! Drumcove Lad undoubtedly has pace but has had his fair share of injury problems and those looked like there were hindering him in his last start. There is no doubt that some will fancy Swabys Tony at a fancy price as he has pace but he doesn’t win as many as he should, hence the price. The other interesting runner is Drumnsa Major who is improving but may get squeezed by Risky and the rails-moving Lad which will set the race up for Dubai: that’s the theory anyway!

20:15 – 480m

Regular readers of this dog blog will know I have made a point of suggesting that Alien Planet has been overrated a lot this year, largely down to his surprise success against very useful pups on Derby final night. Well now the dog has come of age and although I still think I was right to a certain extent (I’m a stubborn old dog!), an unfamiliar draw cannot be the sole reason for this dog being 9/4 surely! He looks good to me. Lemon Velvet is no doubt a very speedy bitch with a good set of formlines from Ireland but Alien Planet oozes class and anything like a level break will see him surge clear on the dash for the turn and cut in to more familiar territory. Droopys Hope is also a nice sort who competed at the highest level as a pup when winning the Gymcrack but Planet looks a step up even from that class. Where are my doggie treats because they are going on him!

20:35 – 670m

A slight class drop for Mill Whiskers can see him demonstrate his pace here out wide and if the going is as I’ve been informed, he looks a good thing for this race. There are doubts about his temperament and consistency at times but he has enough class to see off the interesting youngster Lookoutforflash and the hugely unlucky Shambo Shine who was clear in her last race at Henlow before it was voided. Those two could provide a challenge but Kelly Macari’s charge could turn into something a bit special over a stayers trip if he can gain some consistency.

20:50 – 480m

So here I am banging on about the going and I fancy the inside two here! Us dogs can be fickle you know! Brunswick Jenny was superb last week when leading and can do it from both ways but I have a soft spot for Bansha Mo and if she can break slightly better she can get to the front and show her class. Mo has not quite hit the heights of her form when she burst onto the scene pre-season but she seems to have a tinge of class against other bitches and can show that tonight.

21:10 – 670m

The Great North Run final looks set-up to be a cracker! As I begin to salivate thinking about crackers I might also be doing so because it is almost impossible to call this race due to the quality of the field and connotations that could occur. Therefore, the Lolly way is to go for the value and that looks to me that it belongs to the paws of Derrane Jake. The others prominent in the betting, Welton Arthur and Ballyard Buddy, have lots of claims for this title but there are question marks about them. Arthur was disqualified earlier in the year and whilst many felt this was harsh (particularly Elaine Parker!), he did move his head slightly towards his fellow competitor and so he must be very careful not to repeat such antics if bad thoughts come into his head: that is too big a doubt for me against this class of opponent. Ballyard Buddy on the other hand has been running these Newcastle bends very wide and whilst he might improve for the run and arguably should do, he may just be carrying a little niggle as he appears to be checking when turning. Therefore, the mesmeric run from Derrane Jake in the Semi-Finals shows that this dog is full of running and whilst Arthur could be away-and-gone, Jake could follow him and give him a race this time. A great race in prospect.

21:25 – 480m

Another superb final with some very promising puppies taking to the stage but the one with the most top level experience, Killieford Deal, also is the one for me to take this race from out wide. He has not been trapping particularly well of late but he is undoubtedly very useful from the front and the back and his wise old head on young shoulders should be enough to win this. Jaytee Hellcat is well-drawn and very pacey but runs the bends a bit erratically which should give Deal enough time to get competitive and assert. Another useful prospect is Express Flame but Hellcat showed he had more pace than him in the Semi-Final and it is hard to see a reversal of that form. Indeed, Lemon Pluto beat Deal in the Semis but it was a good run from Lister’s charge to just qualify and if he traps anywhere near to the level he is capable, then I will be dining on many a treat tonight!

21:45 – 480m

The All England Cup final provides us with a stellar cast and the money for Mags Gamble is a plunge as big as that Austrian sky-diver’s the other day! 3/1 was undoubtedly too big on William’s charge who has progressed significantly since his win in the Monmore Gold Cup and he definitely loves it round here (9 wins from 10 starts). Another though, who has taken to the track like a duck to the water on top of the Polish pitch last night, is Bubbly Phoenix and he can prove the market-doubters wrong by holding his position at the first bend next to the fast up Denwill Star and unleash his pace on the back-straight. He is six from six since his return from injury and showed on Derby final night that he was capable of winning the premier competition in England; this type of galloping circuit arguably suits his style better though! Times can often be misleading and their is perhaps too much being read into Gamble running 10 spots quicker than Phoenix and so I think the class of the latter will come through tonight. Gamble is extremely talented but Phoenix seems to be a bit special and he hopefully will show that tonight. This is not to discount the other runners, however, as Skywalker Louie will always give his best and Whittle Murtagh is building a superb profile; you feel they will have to produce a career best to even be competitive though. Tudor Prince is worth a mention as he has a good make-up but despite reaching many finals over the years, he struggles to win at the highest level.

So there are a dog’s thoughts on the proceedings tonight in what promises to be a memorable evening. As ever please tweet or comment if you have anything to say about the dog blog and I’ll try to type as fast as I can with my increasingly agile paws as they become used to keyboards. One thing is for sure, the night will be more exciting than watching a referee throw a ball around a sodden pitch last night. Do they have a roof at Newcastle? Let’s hope it doesn’t rain….

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy