Well what a dramatic couple of days we have had already! The antepost market has been ripped wide open with market principles failing at the first hurdle with remarkable consistency. Whilst the Derby should be a gruelling test from round 1, I cannot help but feel that the going is too fast which has factored in to so many of my fancied colleagues exiting our greatest competition. It seems to me on this track at the moment that unless you lead, it is almost impossible to come from off the pace to win. In my dog’s honest opinion I think I could have won a round on this surface! With Team Lolly now sadly reduced to 3 hounds, we have 2 of them making their bow wow tonight with Graduation Day and Vanrooney: let’s hope they make it through! Elsewhere, after a successful night yesterday, I have found some more value for the Lolly Faithful:

19:25 – Heat 24

A fairly low key affair to kick us off here and the battle for early supremacy looks to go to the way of proven stayer Jet Steam Duke. Salad Dodger has come a long way since losing in A6’s at the start of his career but his style will not be suited if the track is running like it has done for the past two nights, which it will be.

19:39 – Heat 25

This looks like a penalty kick in a game of pawball for Fiery Splendour with no dog on his outside and Droopys Pride wanting the rails. He should blaze a trail here.

19:54 – Heat 26

It is worth taking a slight chance on the fitness of Graduation Day here who hasn’t ran since November. Blighted by injuries throughout his career, he has a lovely turn of foot and is a powerful galloper from in front or behind. If Day can lead the unknown quantity of my Hungarian colleague Attila, he will take some catching. Ballymac Matthew has to lead and is more than capable after watching his brother (Ballymac Niall) ping out yesterday but Day can be too powerful for him. Screen Critic is a class act but his injuries are career defining and he looks like he feels his way around the bends these days, sadly.

20:10 – Heat 27

This time last year Laughil George pinged from nowhere to take his first round heat and he is strongly fancied to repeat the does here with no early pace in the race whatsoever. Bubbly Gold is clearly quick and talented but with no trial and conditions against him, is hard to fancy. Islas Scolari is never out of a race, but will have to work wonders to pick up George.

20:26 – Heat 28

Airport Captain is a very fast hound on the bunny and if he can hold his pitch to the turn against the useful Priceless Bolt, he can start his campaign off in style for a dog that has been slowly nibbled at antepost. Mr Marmite has shown lovely early at Henlow and if he can translate that to the Plough Lane circuit, he could be a lively outsider here.

20:42 – Heat 29

Mark Wallis believes he’s got a Derby contender in Aero Nemesis and who could argue with the human who guided Blonde Snapper and Kinda Ready to Derby glory in recent years. He will have to be on his paws to beat these as Newlawn Impact has some stunning Irish form and Hather George was simply brilliant in last year’s Derby; question marks hang over that pair though (fully fit/age) and Nemesis can lead them all a merry dance.

20:58 – Heat 30

One of the barking dogs of the Derby lines up here in Swift Keith but with some good pace on his inside, and him not ideally berthed in trap 4, we could see another shock here. Leameneigh Turbo when right has beaten and mixed it with the best in Ireland and with a nice draw next to the erratic trapping of Greenwell Mentor, he can swoop round the outside of any trouble and not be for catching.

21:15 – Heat 31

Whether Ballymac Vic will ever claim a Classic which so many humans believe he deserves after bad draws and injuries is neither here nor there tonight; he will blow these away. The only danger could come in the form of Calzaghe George who has pace, but connections cannot be happy with Vic next to him.

21:32 – Heat 32

Hardly the most inspiring affair here but Swithins Way has some half decent formlines and can account for these. Razldazl Butch runs the track well over hurdles but has lost his way recently and Zero Two will have to be at her very best to cope against the big dogs.

21:48 – Heat 33

Borneo comes from a very decent litter and has shown in Ireland that he has pace to burn when given racing room. Underground Paul is likely to give him a start and that could be that. Express Max is a live danger as he is clearly blessed with a lot of pace, but it is hard to see Borneo getting picked up if he gains his anticipated cheap lead.

22:03 – Heat 34

Sidarian Teejay was desperately unlucky to be withdrawn from the Puppy Derby over course and distance due to injury and after being nursed back for this tournament expertly by his humans, he has flown round in preparatory trials. Themoponspeed is no mug, however, having landed some nice prizes as Catunda Joe in Ireland. It would be a great story around the kennels if Teejay could go deep in this Derby, and he will have to be able to beat dogs of the calibre of Themoponspeed to do so. Intriguing contest, this.

22:18 – Heat 35

This will be interesting to see as Vanrooney on a normal surface would hack up here but will he be able to get to the early-paced merchants? Blonde Razor has good early over a longer trip and may be able to pinch a lead here over kennel-mate Benkaat Nero who has had his setbacks. Vanrooney is the type to ignore at your peril, from anywhere.

22:35 – Heat 36

The final race of this mammoth first round – phew! In it, we have the Irish contingent of Tarbrook Taetoe and Brick Lane vying for favouritism but they could do each other no favours at all. With that in mind, it is worth backing Kerris Hawk to produce one of his fliers and repeat his encouraging trial.

Here are the recommendations:

19:39 – Fiery Splendour – 1 doggie treat @ 8/11

19:54 – Graduation Day – 1 piece of bread @ 5/2

20:10 – Laughil George – 2 chewstix @ 7/2

20:42 – Aero Nemesis – 1 bowl of doggie food @ 2/1

20:58 – Leameneigh Turbo – 1 breast of chicken @ 7/1

21:15 – Ballymac Vic – 2 rump steaks @ 11/10

22:35 – Kerris Hawk – 1 core of apple @ 7/2

So there we are, when it is all barked and done that will be the end of the first round of the Derby! As ever, please tweet me if you have any comments and I promise to bark back with as much enthusiasm as I will be showing if Vanrooney and Graduation Day qualify tonight! On a night that promises lots of drama, away you go Vic.

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy