A fantastic renewal of this unique tournament begins this evening. Whilst German and Spanish humans run around chasing a ball, the action at Sheffield is sure to be far more exciting! Just why the humans don’t jump on the ball and rag it when they have caught it is beyond me but there you go, we are all different I guess. The tournament was won by 25/1 outsider Clerihan Gold last year in a race which turned into a bit of a mess and that is often the case in this competition because of the 4 bend dogs not being able to stay in the final and then getting in the way of the genuine stayers! To be honest, if I was to run a 3 Steps to Victory it would be over the 225m at Romford, the 258m at Hall Green and then the 305m at Nottingham with that long run-up proving critical in me showing my devastating early-pace. Anyways, enough reminiscing and on to finding some value for the Lolly Faithful. Here are my thoughts on the proceedings:

19:58 – Heat 1

This tournament looks perfectly suited to Hometown Honey if she can qualify tonight but she is often best when dictating matters over a longer distance and whether she will be afforded that luxury tonight is another question. She is also potentially hazardously drawn next to the wide Mill Whiskers who has yet to fulfil the potential that he once showed around Sunderland. Kilmeen Bill has pace and a raider from Newcastle must always be respected these days so I think he will lead round which should set the race up for the classy 6-bender, Welton Arthur, who is a live runner in this tournament although his 4 bend pace may prove his downfall in the semi-final if he is not as well-drawn.

20:13 – Heat 2

If Hather George stays, which he has shown brief glimpses of, he would be a clear favourite for this tournament. This looks a penalty kick for him (can you see a football theme emerging?) and he is well worth backing at odds of 5/4 for tonight. It is hard to see how any of these will live with him over this normal 4 bend trip so he should kroos to victory as he is in the form of his life.

20:28 – Heat 3

This is arguably the most competitive of tonight’s heats and is a tough one to call, even for me. Future Gem has shown a great deal of pace but Jazz Tilly has enough early to live with that and should be able to assert from a good draw with Gem moving off at the bend. Sidelight is a runner in this tournament at a big price if she can qualify over this shorter distance as she struggled when fancied in the Bags Track Championship over 4 bends, particularly at Hall Green. Savana Roberto is hard to catch right but he definitely stays and if he qualifies for the final he could be away-and-gone in a messi final and not for catching.

20:43 – Heat 4

There has been a serge of money for Bouncy Bocko antepost based on some flying trial times and people seem to be making too big of a song and dance about him. We all now know that trials are for show and races for dough so he looks far too short now at a best priced 6/1. I obviously prefer the tastier version of dough instead of money but I can advise the Lolly Faithful to be against him tonight and side with the impressive Rewind Express, who has been showing great speed at Hove on RPGTV and can lead the inside to make-all tonight.

20:58 – Heat 5

After a nap this morning I was reading my copy of Dante’s Inferno when I logged onto the computer and nearly fell of the sofa when I saw the price for this dog. Romeo Recruit at 5/2 is barking mad! I will certainly be having many doggie treats on him and when he wins I’ll be buying a villa in Barcelona to enjoy my retirement even more! With a great run with Tibetan Skies not showing the level of form that he did in Ireland and Aghaburren Paddy being a dog more suited to leading 6-bend fields, Recruit will be laying down a marker here and if his breeding as a stayer is confirmed, he is worth siding with in the tournament at 16/1.

21:14 – Heat 6

Bansha Mo has a chance in this tournament but is an in-and-out sort of bitch and she is worth taking on having lost her last 3 races. Lode Vanquish could still a march on the outside and will not be for catching if he does so but I am more inclined to side with the ever gritty Ding Hero to be robben a late lead and stealing this heat. He is too big at 20/1 for the tournament too as he can overtake, he chases and has enough early to qualify for the final and perhaps be the victor.

Here are the recommendations:

20:13 – Hather George – 2 doggie treats @ 5/4

Ding Hero – 1 piece of bread cut in half @ 20/1

So there are a dog’s thoughts on the proceedings tonight and hopefully I’ll be munchen on some doggie treats later this evening. As ever, please comment or tweet me if you have anything to say and I’ll bark back with the enthusiasm I show when a squirrel runs out on me on my walk. Ding Hero should be gritty enough to qualify for the final and I am definitely forming an allianz with Romeo Recruit to win this tournament.

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy

P.S. If you are playing Football pun bingo, there are 10. 😛

The Golden Sprint always lures a top quality field and this year is no exception. The Lolly Faithful were on Blonde Snapper last year at 8/1 who subsequently went on to win the Derby, and there is definitely some value to be found in this year’s collection of my colleagues. The Golden Sprint for me is a relatively simple conundrum in that unless you are in the first 2 or 3 greyhounds at the first bend, it is hard to envisage you being able to compete for this Category One prize. So here are my thoughts on the antepost market and a couple of overpriced dogs in the heats:

Borna Monty has just about assumed outright favouritism and it is without question that this dog likes the track and trip: he is on a six-timer tonight. He has yet to prove himself on a regular basis against top quality opposition (which is in abundance in this tournament) and he is now on the short-side of a price where it would be worth parting with one of my beloved doggie treats. Droopys Loner is an admirable bitch and it is hard to not like her; the Derby semi-finalist from last year will surely go close as she warmed up with an emphatic victory last week so she is feared, but not value for me. Farloe Barracuda is a rising star for the Draper’s impressive kennel and this is definitely a warm-up for the Derby for him. It is hard to see him not going deep in the Derby if he takes to Wimbledon as a sprinting type normally goes far (King Lee, Droopys Loner and of course Blonde Snapper) but he is unproven around Romford and he has shown he does not like certain tracks. The value in the assortment of favourites is to go with the proven dog over this Course and Distance: Ayamzaman.

Ayamzaman has failed to discover another track that is to his liking, perhaps because he doesn’t get the 462m at Yarmouth, or perhaps just because he may be a “one-track dog”. I, for one, liked every track (even Wimbledon in the end!) but for Ayamzaman he is definitely a dog who’s home form is far stronger than his away. In his quest to find another track he likes, his form looks scratchy, but he was the joint-most winning greyhound last year because of his ability at Romford and he can win perhaps the easiest of the heats tonight to lay down a serious marker: this is his territory.

Of the rest of the field, if Slick Santiago stays fit he is a very fast hound but he is more injury prone than that human Darren Anderton (showing my age there in retirement) and so cannot be trusted in an antepost market for me. Glanmire Lad has put in some very suspect performances this term and so if he brings his best to the sand then he will be a force, but he is plenty short enough considering the consistency of Loner, for instance. Cluxtons Free bolted up in the Monmore Puppy Derby but that was with a very favourable draw and the nature of Romford being a tighter track to that in Wolverhampton concerns me, as does his draw in 4 tonight.

So then we get down to the other recommendation for the loyal Lolly Faithful for this year’s competition. Loughteen Blanco is too big at a standout 16/1 as he has the early to turn at least second or third even if he meets some of the sprinting types. He is a hugely likeable dog and was subject to a terrible draw on Trainers Championship night so had little chance in that race after the chaos unfolded. He can be forgiven that as he doesn’t choose his box and whilst the red box is a concern tonight, he has a great draw to work from as Yahtzee will be moving out mid-to-wide, as will Santiago and Borna Monty: Blanco can move middle-to-rails and muscle his way round the inside. He is worth backing tonight at 4/1.

Lil Risky just does not seem the force of old when I used to battle it out with him (I say battle it out but there was only likely to be one winner), and whilst he can be forgiven for losing to a track-record from Barracuda last week, he is missing the break more than he did in his prime and he is suitably priced now. Dusseldorf is an all-or-nothing type and the ex-Irish raider has not shown enough of his “all” style to suggest he can be a player in a tournament on these shores. Nans Turbo and Sharons Return are stalwarts of the Essex track and are respected at bigger prices, although they lack the class of the top of the field by some way. Turbo can however capitalise on Cluxtons Free’s draw and claim his heat at a juicy 10/3.

So here are the recommendations:

Antepost:

20:18 – Loughteen Blanco – 1 piece of bread @ 4/1
20:34 – Nans Turbo – 1 dog bone @ 10/3

So there are a dog’s thoughts on the proceedings that begin in Essex tonight. As ever, please comment or tweet me if you have any thoughts and I’ll bark back at you like I’ve just seen a squirrel up a tree. Not many have come to Romford and beaten Ayamzaman and ayamza believer in him for this tournament.

Enjoy the racing,

Jimy