The Sky cameras descend upon Hall Green this evening with the St. Leger hero Fizzypop Buddy looking to start his first full campaign with a victory in this prestigious competition.  It is easy to forget that he is still very inexperienced due to his exploits and he is entitled to improve further this year which would be ominous for his 6 bend rivals.  Elsewhere, it is a decent card with a local flavour to it which should not go ignored as Hall Green’s kennel strength has risen in recent years, shown by their commendable 3rd place finish in the BAGS Track Championship against titans Towcester and Newcastle.  The “best of the rest” title that Hall Green effectively received there should not go ignored this evening when assessing their dog’s chances and the best bet of the year so far can be found in the track’s star.  There is a Lolly Goliath advised for the Faithful who wish to have an interest in every race for a small cost (we’re looking for a big profit of £50,000 tonight!) and I’ve found the value for those singles players out there:

19:11 – Puppy

The young tykes paw off the action here and a useful contest can be upstaged by the rapidly improving local Quivers Manor.  Manor has shot through the aformentioned strong grade at Hall Green and his progress was only halted by the well-bred bitch Ballymac Madge (Ballymac Bull x Moyar Kite) who’s exploits in the past couple of months include being on the floor in a graded contest and still getting up on the line to win in a memorable contest; when Madge led Manor down the back in their contest he didn’t have an answer for her but that would be folly to dismiss that as a paw effort.  From 5 this evening, he can be characteristically slow away before pacing up and riding the bend (like a proper dog) to lay down his challenge down the back.  It’s a strong race, however, with the likeable Castell Henry (who won at Romford for the Lolly Faithful on Sky at 8/1 last week) who has useful early and gets the trip and Mystical Dreamer who caught the sadly now-retired Droopys Sarafina to land the Sussex Puppy Cup; neither have had a look at the track though which is a recipe for disaster at Hall Green as dogs invariably swing off at the 2nd bend in particular, losing ground in the process.  Romeo In Milan is a quick hound but it is questionable whether he stays and I would expect Quivers Manor to progress past him in the not-too-distant future: perhaps tonight.

Lolly Goliath: T5 – Quivers Manor

7:26 – Super Stayers

The comeback of Billys Bullet is a joy to behold as the unquestionable stayer of 2015 suffered an awful injury down the back straight during the Regency when he was so far clear; sentiment aside however, the 2015 Prestige champion looked to my eyes like he didn’t stay in his trial around the Birmingham venue.  He is strongly taken on at odds-on.  Racenight Jenny has been disappointing since lighting up the first round of the St. Leger in 2014 but if she retains any of her former ability, she should be able to lead the mid-to-rails to hamper Bullet (who didn’t ping in his aforementioned trial either).  Trapper Kate is a bitch going places but is desperate for trap 0 and her draw is a disaster for connections.  The dog to get onside here is the in-form Barnish Panther who needs to negotiate the wide Oneco Sky (who pings and then drops himself out over the first circuit) and then get on the bunny where ‘Barney’ is rapid on the flat.  Unlucky to be withdrawn for the Great North Run final last year (where he surely would have gone close), whether ‘Barney’ actually stays 670m is questionable but this is not a strong contest and quotes of 9/2 are too big for a dog that could easily be on the bunny out wide down the back after he posted a rapid trial over the 480m here (the quickest of the session by some distance).  Uncharacteristically, he flew out at Wimbledon in his Springbok Trial Stakes victory and whilst he looks a live contender for the Springbok, a change of tracks is also a blessing for this enigmatic dog who it took what seemed like an eternity to register his first UK victory last year.  Now connections have got to the bottom of him, he’s a dog to keep onside in contests where he is simply quicker than the opposition.

Goliath: T6 – Barnish Panther

7:43 – Maiden

As I’ve barked already, the local runners could have a field day this evening and whilst Barricane Tiger could be a class above these in due course and almost certainly wins if he gets on the bunny, the bitches Ballymac Spacer and Nippy Chick are class acts round this course and distance.  Spacer has won useful sprint races and rushes up from her favourite trap 1 in strong A1 contests so Tiger will have to be paw perfect to clear her, but the value in the race is Chick. Never posting a flashy time, this bitch just gets the job done out wide round here by flashing out and making-all in around 28:80: that could easily be good enough.  Ballymac Moran has been driven by his humans (dogs can’t drive) down to Wimbledon a couple of times (with a Derby entry in mind possibly?) and landed a huge gamble in A2 company last month: he clearly has ability and should not be dismissed entirely.

Goliath – T6 – Nippy Chick

7:59 – Sprint

Everyone’s favourite race here sees the winningmost open racer of 2015, Cape Impact, draw time on his work and hang up his racing muzzle.  A hound that loves trap 1, has always been a useful sprinter and has arguably improved as he comes to terms with his greybeard can see off his career in style here.  He’s not won at Hall Green before from 2 efforts but don’t be put off this dog leading the inside here where he’ll rail them to death.  Quivers Lima is a useful early-paced local and the presence of Kavarna, who you do not lead round Hall Green in any company, will put paid to the gamble on Romeo Assembly out wide.

Goliath: T1 – Cape Impact

8:16 – Standard

It’s not often I fall off my beloved sofa.  When I do, it’s normally due to my pre-nap routine of stretches and licking the armchair being disturbed by a ridiculous price on a greyhound: step forward Paradise Cuba.  It is hard to see how this Derby-bound hound gets beaten tonight with anything like a level start.  A superstar for the Hall Green Intertrack team, he’s won at Swindon and on finals day at Perry Barr before returning a triumphant dog with a devastating display of early and middle speed against arguably the 5 best dogs at Hall Green; the grader tried to compete with this dog by having him in 5 with pace either side of him and the railers drawn in their favoured boxes. Cuba blew them away.  Kilkenny Treve is a sprinting hound who is well in himself, he can hassle Supreme Turbo on the inside enough to stop either from getting near to the selection.  From trap 6, this is like finding doggie treats littered on the street.

Goliath: T6 – Paradise Cuba

8:33 –  Stayers

The draw is so crucial in greyhound racing and this is a prime example of a bitch with an absolute solo at 10/1: Garryglass Zara.  Trapper Kerry is a rails-lover like her litter-sister Kate so is going straight left, Leons Buck wants the middle-to-rails ground and arguably doesn’t stay and Cabra Miller is a dog blessed with pace but Towcester hounds seem to struggle on their travels for whatever reason (he ideally wants to be middle too).  That leaves Garryglass Pixie who trialled well for the first 5 bends but is struggling to get home which was certainly evident in her defeat over 750m at Romford where she cramped with at least 100m to go. Zara can stay high-wide-and-not-so-handsome-as-me to make her odds look very generous; she has useful looking form at Wimbledon, posted a good time for the C&D behind the Prestige favourite this evening and can avoid the inevitable chaos on her inside.

Goliath: T6 – Garryglass Zara

8:51 – Standard

Two experienced, versatile stalwarts of the open-racing scene line-up here in Blackstone Marco and Calco Flyer and both are hounds that if they lead, you are not picking them up (you cannot write them off from in behind either!).  Without their preferred draw nearer the rails though, preference is for Ballymac Darragh to upset the established pair with his time of 28:57 round the venue showing his liking for the track.  He’ll most likely move mid-to-rails on the run-up which could give him that all important impetous at the first bend to assert over the 3 and 4.  Fabulous Expert is no mug but the old adage of a good dog beats a good bitch could be her undoing in this particular contest as drawn.

Goliath: T1 – Ballymac Darragh

9:08 – Prestige Final

At the start of this competition, it was hard to see who could get near Fizzypop Buddy in the field and so he was advised to the Lolly Faithful as favourite at 7/2.  After his beneficial further sighting of the track in the heats, he can win decisively here.  It has been barked elsewhere that Elwick Glory is well-drawn in trap 1 but I’m not so sure as I think Wiki Waki Woo rails round here and Deanridge Pennys rushes to the rail on the run-up in my dog’s honest opinion.  If Buddy can negotiate the talented but often clumsy Farneys Cookie, I can’t see Ferryforth Fran picking him up and it will be all over bar the woofing.

Goliath: T5 – Fizzypop Buddy

Here are the recommendations:

7:11 – Quivers Manor – 1 doggie treat @ 6/1

7:26 – Barnish Panther – 1 piece of bread @ 9/2

8:16 – Paradise Cuba – 3 chewstix @ 15/8

8:33 – Garryglass Zara – 1 breast of chicken @ 10/1

Already Advised:

Prestige:

Fizzypop Buddy – 1 dog bone @ 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 back at you louder than you will hear me on Sky Sport this evening when Cuba turns down the back: “WOOF WOOF WOOF!!!” It should be a great night’s entertainment, and let’s hope a buddy sorts the Faithful out.

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy