The action starts to come thick and fast on Sky Sports from now on and tonight we have an intriguing card from Newcastle to get stuck into – howoof!  The Maiden Derby Final is the feature which looks a wide-open affair but before then we have a decent card for the time of year and plenty of pointers can be found for the likes of the Scottish Derby (in particular) coming up in the Spring.  As ever, Newcastle has a strong local kennel strength so it is always worth treating my colleagues from the Toon as serious hounds.  It is a tough card on the whole to come up with any strong fancies, but as ever I have found some value for the Lolly Faithful.

19:11 – Puppy Maiden

A truly baffling decision by the humans that claim to be in control of running greyhound racing that they have put this race on for the main Sky program.  An impossible race for punters (without inside information) and you might as well throw a dart at the card and hope it drops off and you move on to the next race unscathed.

19:26 – Standard

Likeitalot proved a class apart to his rivals at Hall Green last week when he missed the break and still had enough early to make the bend from trap 4 to chop his rivals off.  He has to be taken on here though, despite his obvious class, as he ran a shocker from trap 1 in the Northern Puppy Derby final (when fancied) and just looks a dog that needs 3 or 4.  He could just be too good for these and make the bend regardless, but at his price it is prohibitive.  His full litter-brother is interesting in 3 but he has had an interrupted start to his career and whilst he hails from a spectacular looking set of young tykes, he may just need this run and in particular to miss his brother who will be coming for his room.  Gainstown Beaver in 2 needs a mid-tag on him as he does not rail so this race all shapes up to be a bit of carnage.  A tentative vote goes to Bua Farah who is a local who sprung onto the scene in impressive fashion last year with all-the-way efforts before losing his way slightly when upped in class to take on the real class hounds that turned up for the All England Cup.  After a decent trial, Farah looks too big to make the bend and account for his pawly drawn colleagues here.  The 6 has a cracking draw and had two decent trials here, whether that can be translated into a race scenario remains a doubt and looks about the right price in my dog’s honest opinion.

19:43 – British Bred

The best nation to breed hounds from take each other on here and it looks to me as who can make the bend out of Eric Court and Pond Beethoven.  Preference is for the latter as this local lad has good early and is a dependable sort round his beloved Brough Lane circuit.  Eric Court is the type of dog you take on at short-prices (particularly out of his unfavoured trap 1) as he can put in a really flashy run in a good time (his two victories against the Greyhound of the Year runner-up Newinn Yolo spring to mind) but then he can put in some woeful efforts if not getting on the bunny.  Beethoven is more dependable and that is music to my floppy ears.

19:59 – Maiden

This maiden could see the start of a useful sort’s career in Pinpoint Classic who has been bought to be a class early-paced hound (as many of Alan Findlay’s are) and he could blow these away if he pings like me.  His early in the first round of the Maiden Derby was scintillating and whilst he didn’t get home that day, he looked like he needed the run so he should get the trip today.  He totally blew the start in the Semi-Final and that can be more than forgiven considering he is as big as 7/4 to effectively lead these tonight: that is too big.  Tarmons Jet can punish him if he fluffs his lines again but I cannot see Jet leading Classic with a level break.  The others look a level below the required standard here.

20:16 – Stayers

Blackhouse Heidi is a talented bitch who can mix it with the best 6 bend performers in the country.  Whilst she can be a bit clumsy when she gets trapped in behind, she has now won an A2 and A1 in succession around her home track and over a trip still arguably short of her optimum here, she should still have plenty enough time to mow these down.  The 3 was fancied in the BAGS Track Championship over a trip but must surely be miles clear of Heidi to beat her today and that is very hard to envisage.  Odds-against quotes on Heidi look way off the mark to me and she can make the layers feel klum.

20:33 – Standard

All the doggie treats have been for the local raider Magical Reid here and punters are looking to land two gambles on Sky in successive weeks.  Now that his price has gone it has made one or two of the others look attractive.  A chance is taken on the class act in this field Calzaghe Davy to have too much all-round pace for these as he is no doubt capable of.  Whether he can muck it with the cream of the greyhound world is still very debatable but he has a habit of demolishing moderate sorts, of which these could be.  The other negative for him is that he has had a lay-off and might get a whack from the 4 out of the boxes, at 4/1 though he is still worth having on-side for the purposes of this blog, though.

20:51 – Invitation

The best race on the card here sees a young tyke (and the third of the aforementioned quality litter that is emerging) that has been underestimated by the layers at 5/1:  Northern Puppy Derby winner Kneejerkreaction.  Subject to a huge gamble in that final, he shot clear out of 3 (which he has today) and never looked like losing against some seriously nice young sorts.  He will have to be at least as good today to account for, in particular, Maum Legend, but he could just be as good as that dog and is more than twice his price from a better draw.  Legend is a game colleague of mine who has devastating Category 1 pace when he can use it and Newcastle definitely plays to his strengths; he can however miss the break which could give Kneejerkreaction enough room to boss him at the bend and show him a clean set of hocks.  Swift Hoffman has been continually purpawted as a superstar in the making but not only will he have to contend with the ever-dependable old gal Greenwell Lark, he is becoming overrated in my eyes and looks plenty short enough.  He could beat these by a way if he gets on the bunny, but I can’t see him getting an uncontested lead here and certainly he is not a consideration at his price.  Kneejerkreaction could just be as good as Legend and is a must-bet at the prices.  The 2 is of interest if it can get on the bunny but I cannot envisage him leading any of these, even from a great draw.

21:08 – Maiden Derby Final

A tough race to bark with the market reflecting that and whilst the bitch in 1, Musical Storm, was impressive in the Semi-Final it was sort of a flash-in-the-pan type of run and it will be interesting to see if she can follow it up tonight.  If she can she should win this but it is better to look at a more dependable sort for me.  Farran Heaslip needs further and would need it to get messy up front which is by no means unlikely.  Burgess Oscar could be better than these in time but he has looked green to me so is respected but is one for another day.  Farloe Quest ran well on the bunny but I cannot see how he clears the 4.  The 6 will need it to get very messy but is well-drawn nonetheless as the 5 will be going left.  With all that considered, the slight value here is the stalwart Valentia Frosty to beat these to the bend and not be caught, which is a possibility that is less than 9/2 for me.  He is a proper dog who always gives his all and the fact that his connections are barking about a tilt at the Derby suggests he could have even more in the locker than we have seen already: he will need it in the Derby!

Here are the recommendations:

19:59 – Pinpoint Classic – 1 doggie treat @ 7/4

20:16 – Blackhouse Heidi – 1 breast of chicken @ 5/4

20:51 – Kneejerkreaction – 1 piece of bread @ 5/1

So there are my thoughts on the proceedings!  As ever, please tweet me if you have any comments and I promise to bark back at you faster than Classic makes the bend tonight!  It looks a tough night punting-wise but that’s never stopped the Lolly Faithful in the past and we all need a challenge once in a while, we have one this evening!

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy