One of the highlights of the year for the stayers begins tonight and the list of previous winners has the feel of a who’s who of 6 bend champions of the past. Therefore, to find value in this tournament it is imperative that the top of the market is treated with great respect as at Hove over this long 6 bend trip on a galloping circuit, the cream of my colleagues normally rise to the top.

One potential superstar of the 6 bend scene is Fear Emoski who has turned encouraging 4 bend form into devastating displays of all-round pace and determination in her 2 wins over 6 bends to date (from 2 races). It really is hard to ignore her at the head of the market and those lucky enough to have been on her at an opening price of 9/2 really have found some value. For those unlucky enough to miss that price, which includes myself as I was having a nap at the time, the 3/1 still available still looks worthy of one of our beloved doggie treats. She has a great draw in the heats with the reopposing Crinkill Jewell being the only realistic challenger this evening and Emoski can progress to the tougher challenges ahead in the Semis and Final; which I believe she will cope with consummate ease.

Michaels Gift is an intriguing bitch from Ireland and it is hard to gauge how impressive her facile win last week over the course and distance was as it was basically a trial for a bitch of her class. I think the market may have overreacted and so the value is not there at a best priced 10/1 for me. In a similar fashion, Musical Gaga has been backed having caught Bubbly Swallow last week but Swallow is an enigmatic bitch and it may have flattered Gaga that she was able to get on terms and overtake. Droopys Xavier is the nearly-dog of the 6 bend division and only appeals as each-way value in competitions like this: odds of 14/1 look cramped and unappealing. The aforementioned Swallow is in my opinion, and I am only a dog, a bitch without a distance and the fact she was picked up having led last week reaffirms my belief that she should be feared in any race but not to be backed at short odds. Dural Bound nearly found himself on my most prestigious of lists that I recommend to the Lolly Faithful, as he is a game sort and could be a force over the next year, but he is priced accordingly with Killieford Khali: they could both be very good but it will be a brave human to back them at the moment as they need to progress.

A dog that does not need to progress to win this is Swift Signal who is arguably not the force of old, but that is more than catered for in his odds. He is a powerful, determined colleague and is capable of raising his game back to the heights of last year and winning this tournament, if Emoski was to fail. He has a good draw to work from tonight being drawn next to the slow-away Dural Bound and the disappointing Freedom Cache and can march into the Semis. He is slightly draw dependent as he likes the rails but he normally has enough early to turn prominent against most 6 bend sorts and without many early-paced merchants in this tournament, he can turn handy against virtually all of these entries. Blonde Reagan is starting to get down to a price where he will be backable as he is capable of reproducing his all-conquering form of last year at any point, but preference is for Signal at similar prices as his form has not dipped as far as Reagan’s has.

So here are the recommendations:

Swift Signal – 1 dog bone broken in half @ 18/1

So there are a dog’s thoughts on the proceedings. As ever please comment or tweet if you have anything to say and I promise to not howl at you like I do when my food is being prepared. Fear Emoski looks a potential star for Charlie Lister and claims of “she will never be beaten over 6 bends” that I have heard being barked around the kennels, will be put to the test in this high class affair: she can pass this test.

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy