Well it wasn’t the start to the Derby that the Lolly Faithful were looking for yesterday but there is plenty more action over the next month to make amends and the run of Holdem Spy was of great encouragement for us. It was of particular note that front-runners (on the inside especially) had it all their own way yesterday and whilst I am not at the luxury (even though I am on my sofa) to react to the going because this is a preview, I suspect front-runners to go well again tonight. This round of heats look an intriguing set of races and all eyes will be on Heat 20 where the big gamble and antepost favourite Kereight King begins his campaign. Elsewhere, we have one antepost runner in De Real McCoy who will hopefully qualify and as ever, I have found some value for the Lolly Faithful from the rest of the card:

19:39 – Heat 12

Droopys Ward is progressing nicely into a strong galloping sort and having gone well in a trials stakes here against some classy hounds, he can build on his 2 from 2 wins record out of trap 1. As I barked earlier I want to be on front-runners this evening and that comes in the shape of Boom Boom Hero, but I feel that Ward has a good enough run next to the Hall Green A1 dog (Caribbean Star) to be able to get a run at my colleague in 4. If Boom Boom Hero wins, beware of the track conditions as Ward should have too much pace and ability with a clear run in my dog’s honest opinion.

19:54 – Heat 13

Here we have some unexposed sorts against a classy performer around here in Bubbly Rocket. Whilst the Rocket is always one to consider around this track having gone so well from the front in last year’s Derby, he is a mid-rails sort who will be desperate to come in from trap 6. In his only career start he did win from 6, but that was not against Derby dogs and he was afforded a cheap lead on the inner. With that in mind, he is passable in favour of a dog who could be anything: Take The Crown. This highly-regarded Perry Barr raider has been beating average sorts with consummate ease in the Midlands and stepping up in class today could be the making of him. If he is not up to it, Barefoot Agent will not need a second invitation having looked so powerful and cute against Jolly Bullseye when he backed off at the 3rd when Bullseye slammed the door shut on his nose at the third bend last week. The value has to be with Take The Crown who is capable of being a bit special.

20:10 – Heat 14

A front-runner who will not give his lead in easily is Ballymac Bobbyjo who was admirable in the Monmore Puppy Derby when he poached a lead on the eventual winner, Farloe Nutter. Leading Nutter is no mean feat and Bobbyjo can assert against this field. One of the barking dogs of this tournament is Paradise Silva but he gets beat all too frequently at short odds to be recommended here; worthy favourite though he is, Bobbyjo takes a lot of catching, especially on the anticipated going.

20:26 – Heat 15

Jolly Bullseye warmed up for his tilt at our greatest prize by blitzing out in trademark fashion and doing his all to repel the aforementioned Barefoot Agent. He should come on for that run and he has the ability to poach a lead and not be for catching against another of the same prefix in Barefoot Scholar. Scholar was rated more highly than Agent before the tournament having clearly been impressive behind closed-doors, but he has looked a little too green being such a young, inexperienced type and the grand servant that Bullseye is, is value to lead and repel all-comers here. Express Master clearly has ability but injuries may have taken their toll; his big presence will not do Scholar any favours at all, however.

20:42 – Heat 16

Greenwell Lark is hardly ideally berthed in trap 4 for a wide bitch but it is hard to make a case for any of her rivals being good enough or well-drawn enough to beat her here. Without any real pace on her outside, she can quickly get to the front on the wide and then pick off any dogs that may have slipped her paw grasp on the inner.

20:58 – Heat 17

Exocet is clearly a very fast colleague of mine and will take all the beating if he brings his A-game to work here, but he is yet to win this year (from 4 starts) having been sent of 5/4, 6/4, 9/4 and Evens. With that in mind, he is worth taking on until he shows his confidence has been restored and he will have to be on his paws to match the early of ex-Irish Ballymac Niall. Bred to be a sprinter, Niall has shown a liking for the run-up at Wimbledon and will relish the ground if it is as quick as yesterday.

21:15 – Heat 18

The Heat of Death, so to bark here, with heavyweights Droopys Odell and Sidarian Blaze being the meat in the juicy sandwich of the old-timer Coolavanny Bert (3rd in Derby 2012) and young tyke Farloe Nutter. I just cannot see how there will not be trouble in this as Bert is a reliable pinger and a big old dog. Odell could clear him with an absolute flier, but he is hardly renowned for scintillating early even if he has been pinging a lot better of late. Farloe Nutter is unlucky with his draw as he has the potential to be a useful dog but his role could be more in perturbing Sidarian Blaze, who did not like it out of 4 at all at Sheffield and has looked like he doesn’t like dogs leading him. Of course, like any of these inside 4 he could get an absolute flier but that is hardly comforting at his odds and with the unexposed, unbeaten in England Ballygibbon King looking like he wants the rails too, this could be chaos. That could set the race up for Ballymac Bocko who has disappointed since his debut couple of runs but definitely has the pace to at least be up near to these should it turn into a scrappy affair and he is drawn to outrun his odds.

21:32 – Heat 19

Here we have our outsider of Team Lolly running in De Real McCoy. He has a good opportunity to lead here with Lemon Laveer dropping out and Johnny Kwango normally saving his best for trials (although that best is very fast). McCoy is under the radar for me and if he can put in a solid set of runs (which he struggles to do, admittedly), he can run well in this year’s Derby: it starts here.

21:48 – Heat 20

The Antepost gamble Kereight King will go off a warm order here and if he can trap better than he has done around Wimbledon, he is sure to go close with his ability. Tonight, however, he meets a rapidly improving, pinger of a dog in Brother John who is beginning to show more consistency at the boxes, which is crucial for him. If he can pinch a lead, he will be hard to reel back and whilst King can qualify, John is the value to beat him.

22:03 – Heat 21

One of the few genuine sprinters runs here in Southern Mesut and if he can confirm his stamina (which Charlie Lister OBE believes he can), he will go deep in this year’s Derby. His scintillating early will be a devastating weapon and he can make all here from the erratic King Dec and the well-drawn but stamina doubtful Borna Karma.

22:18 – Heat 22

Airfield Paudie has held a prominent position in the Antepost market without actually really doing anything and whilst he could be a very good dog, I am yet to be convinced without seeing him run around Wimbledon. Farley Champ brings decent puppy form to the table here and he has the ability to lead and assert if Paudie is not quite as talented as some believe.

22:35 – Heat 23

An intriguing affair to end the evening here and whilst Candlelight King is a tenacious sort from Sheffield, he has yet to prove himself effective elsewhere. El Flutter is arguably Mark Wallis’ best hope to regain his Derby crown that he won with Blonde Snapper two years ago and has enough all-round ability to win this concluding race. Gizmo Classic is a strong sort who is of interest given his style of running.

Here are the recommendations:

7:39 – Droopys Ward – 1 doggie treat @ 11/8

8:10 – Ballymac Bobbyjo – 1 breast of chicken @ 8/1

8:26 – Jolly Bullseye – 1 rump steak @ 11/4

8:58 – Ballymac Niall – 1 piece of bread @ 6/1

10:03 – Southern Mesut – 1 chewstick @ 7/4

So there are my thoughts on Day 2 of the proceedings. As ever, if you have any comments please tweet me and I’ll bark back at you faster than Southern Mesut makes the bend this evening! It should be another cracking night of racing and let’s hope De Real McCoy is de real deal.

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy