On a night where the Regency will be dominated by the greyhound superstar that is Farloe Tango, it’s a surprisingly competitive card at Hove considering how close it is to the Derby beginning. The Lolly Faithful will know that Hove is one of our regular haunts on a Thursday evening and with it’s long galloping straights and smooth bends, it makes it a really level playing field for my colleagues. Due to the regularity of Open racing at the track there are some real course specialists and with so much form for me to paw over, I’ve found some value for the Lolly Faithful, as ever:

19:34 – Sprint

Everyone’s favourite race to start the proceedings and it looks like a Category One final line-up! Arguably the four best sprinters in training go to the traps here and when there is this sort of quality clash, the draw is particularly crucial. The good draw has fallen upon Aero Twizzle who likes it out of trap 1 and will have the mid-to-wide moving Wee Tiger Tots (who is yet to break well from this close to the rail) setting the race up for him. Twizzle showed he was in good order when he defied a paw draw last week to win the sprint at Swindon and with a favourable position here, he can account for his esteemed rivals. They include Helenas Sailor who would much prefer to come out of trap 6, as would Zenas Boy and with so many dogs looking to course the hare on the outside here, the first bend could have a pile-up to gift Twizzle the race. Express Max looks a good prospect but has fared worst in the draw and Call Me Millie is capable of a flier, further adding to the expected chaos.

19:49 – Puppy

The youngsters have a go here and there are some nicely progressive types to take on the unbeaten over course and distance, Droopys Jarrow. Whilst he clearly loves it round this South Coast venue (5 from 5), he can all too often find trouble in his races by running into the back of dogs (not advised) and he can ill-afford to do that against this class of young tyke. Millwards Teddy was unfortunate not to win last week when showing his usual early to be denied his lead by a freak break from Bailiff Turbo and he can make amends for that defeat this evening. He is yet to come out of trap 5 in his career but with Ballymac Bocko not possessing his early pace and Benkaat Panther looking outclassed, Teddy can lead at the bend. Ballymac Loch has shown good early of late but is desperate for the line over this long 4 bend trip and his toiling in front on the rails could hinder the late challenges of Droopys Ward and Droopys Jarrow. Either of those latter two with a clear run will almost certainly back-run Teddy, but the race has the look to me of get out and go clear: Teddy can do that.

20:04 – Hurdles

Two very good obstacle jumpers line-up here and again, the draw proves decisive in selecting the winner in that Mash Mad Snowy will have a lovely run round the outside as Rummy Lord moves in to the rails. Razldazl Butch would give him a race with a clear but it is hard to see how that will happen with Scolari Express having good pace on his inside and the aforementioned Lord diving straight for him. Also, it is Snowy’s optimum distance as he stays strongly over a normal 4 bend trip so it is hard to envisage him not asserting if he can hold his jumping together.

20:19 – Bitches

I particularly like watching these bitches races and I’ll be on the edge of the sofa as they are paraded beforehand. One bitch I am particularly fond of is Droopys Posh who is versatile and simply adores it round here (7 wins from 9). She will have to ride her luck around the first 2 bends but if she can secure a clear passage, this circuit plays greatly to her galloping strengths to the extent that she once chased down Swift Keith around here (20/1 for the Derby). Express Coral is an in-and-out type of bitch to me which isn’t to everyone’s taste and the presence of early-paced merchant Alarming Jacks on her outside, could mean that those two put paid to their respective chances. Droopys Cottage is progressive but has yet to prove she can be a match for Posh when they meet around here.

20:34 – Stayers

Droopys Ed Moses has his critics due to the way he drops himself out to a ridiculous extent at the start of his races but it was hard to ignore him absolutely motoring in the second half of his race last week at Swindon. The fact there two early-paced bitches and no wide dogs in this race will help his cause (Universal Dream and Rockburst Liz with the early). There is no doubting his ability against this type of class, he could quite easily destroy them for pace when he decides to go. His style is very similar to that of the living legend Farloe Tango (who we have the pleasure of seeing later) and this race can give us an Appetiser of Bread and Water before the Main course of Chicken Breasts and Bread later.

20:49 – Marathon

This is an extremely long marathon even for marathon standards and for that reason, it is hard to back the favourite who has ran-on over the 6 bend trip here and flew to the pick up, but will she stay in race conditions? For that reason, Miss Understated is proven to stay and will take all of the beating if she can lead like she did for the Lolly Faithful when she won for this dog blog at 8/1 last week. She has taken a while to settle in England, clearly, but now she has her paws on the ground and is comfortable on her kennel bed, she has the pace and staying power to give Old Refrain a real target here. Will Old Refrain stay? Evens is not a price I would want to put my beloved doggie treats on that.

21:04 – Standard

Several Derby contenders are put through their paces at their preferred style of track (to Wimbledon) and it should be a fascinating contest between Droopys Odell and Exocet. The former, the Juvenile champion, has always gone for the rails whenever he can and I think that could be a problem this evening for him as Hipower Rhino is a reliable trapper on his inside with a decent turn of paw. If Exocet decides to turn up his brilliant best, which is hugely questionable, then he could make this a formality but he just seems to throw in too many lacklustre performances to be trusted at such a short price. He will also dive for the rails at the first bend as he cuts the corner and if he has not made the bend ahead of his rivals on his inside, this could spell trouble and for that reason it is worth taking a flier on the outsider of the field to sweep around the outside. Regal Bailio is a very frustrating sort who looks a Derby contender one week and then a grader the next; he has pace to burn when he is on a going day and whilst he would still struggle to match Odell or Exocet if they get clear, if there is the expected trouble, Bailio is the one to likely benefit. He has thrown up many a shock result in his career and he is not a 25/1 shot with the make-up of this race.

21:19 – Regency Final

With the unfortunate withdrawal of our antepost selection Fear Emoski due to an injury she sustained when she qualified last week, this race is all about one dog. He could even lead tonight by the second bend. What price that Farloe Tango breaks the long-standing track record at Hove tonight?

Here are the recommendations:

20:49 – Miss Understated – 1 breast of chicken @ 7/2

So there are my thoughts on the proceedings! As ever, please tweet me if you have any comments and I promise to bark at you with as much enthusiasm as I’ll be howling in delight watching the mighty Tango tonight. He divides many, but in my dog’s honest opinion, he’s one of the greatest of all time: savour him.

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy