The first round heats conclude this evening after two scintillating nights of action and the elimination of Scottish Derby victor Dorotas Woo Hoo last night shows that this format takes no prisoners!  Elsewhere Bubbly Bluebird produced a dazzling turn of foot to the bend to overcome a gallant Bruisers Bullet which is a contest that we will hopefully get to witness again further into the tournament!  The heats have served the Lolly Faithful well so far and let’s hope that can continue this evening!  As ever, I have found the value for the Lolly Faithful:

7:39 – Heat 22

A fairly weak heat paws off the proceedings and it looks an ideal opportunity for Swithins Brae to begin his campaign with a victory.  He’s yet to adapt to the English-style boxes being left at the start in the Arc and in his efforts at Towcester to date but his all-round pace should be too much for this field.  Maglass Razzle could not ask for a better draw but he has not run the track particularly well in his trials and is expected to leave the dog flap wide open for Brae to take advantage.

Selection: T4 – Swithins Brae

7:54 – Heat 23

Vancouver Shea has an eyecatching piece of trial form having caught Pacey Bambi on the 17th May who has since won his own heat very impressively.  Here he faces the progressive pup The Other Reg who has looked to chop the bend in each of his trials; therefore he is likely to encounter traffic problems which means Shea can swoop round the outside.

Selection: T6 – Vancouver Shea

8:10 – Heat 24

King Eden will have to be at his sumptious best to beat this decent field but his preparation for the competition couldn’t have gone better and whilst he stays pretty wide on the straights, he can make the bend in front and not be caught here.  Kranky Mark on his inner is a well-bred useful hound but like many he looks to the rails approaching the first so he can give Eden the freedom of Northamptonshire round the bends.  Cable Bay has not taken to the track well at all for a dog of his ability and Coconut Corker is becoming increasingly disappointing as a dog who misses the break all too often.

Selection: T6 – King Eden

8:26 – Heat 25

Defending champion Jaytee Jet makes his bow-wow here and he more than most probably wishes that the Derby was still at Wimbledon! His style is not totally suitable to Towcester as he stays wide on the bends relinquishing ground and he is also faced with a tough assignment here to clear Sonic who has been very wayward at the course!  In this all-Irish affair the call has to be Droopys Wilbury who could be tailor-made for the track.  His human Pat Buckley decided to trial all of his dogs over the 480m trip to save their legs and any hound that dips below 28 seconds for that distance is shifting!  He comfortably gets this longer trip and seems a big price to account for his compatriots!

Selection: T3 – Droopys Wilbury

8:42 – Heat 26

A nice competitive affair can go the way of locally trained Barricane Tommy who has taken a particular liking to his new surroundings.  He can turn handy to Crossfield Hugo who simply just isn’t staying the trip; whether he can gain his lungs throughout the competition is yet to be seen but his efforts so far have been full of promise until he needs oxygen off the last bend! Salacres Koeman is a young tyke with a lovely galloping stride and is well-equipped to pounce out wide should Tommy fluff his lines.

Selection: T4 – Barricane Tommy

8:58 – Heat 27

This looks a scrappy contest as I’ve never been fully convinced about Teejays Apache’s desire to chase that pesky bunny and Barricane Jack was being a naughty boy in the Gymcrack final!  Kildallon Turbo has gone rapidly backwards since his younger days when he looked a star in the making but still will be looking to edge across on the run-up.  Always Thirsty is a pinging railer around the venue and so will be cutting in from trap 4 so a chance is taken on Sallows Ford to swing round the outside and stay on.  The graded strength at Monmore perhaps isn’t as strong as it was in years gone by but he still has excelled in Wolverhampton of late and if he can build on his respectable first look then he can pick up the pieces of a race that is there for the taking.

Selection: T6 – Sallows Ford

9:15 – Heat 28

Forest Con is yet another rapid dog hailing from his superb litter but I’m not convinced he stays round Towcester and is worth taking on.  He also has the local Far Bank Frank to negotiate who could find trouble in a solo trial so preference is for Clares Dream here who has a lovely draw to work from.  He isn’t the most fluent of trappers but he can still lead up the tardy Paradise Marco and Awe Struck which can see him turn handy enough to capitalise on any stamina issues that Con might have.

Selection: T1 – Clares Dream

9:32 – Heat 29

The illustrious career of Ballymac Matt has been a joy to watch and he can win this heat as he starts to contemplate his glorious life of napping on a sofa!  Droopys Bonucci is favourite having posted a flying trial but he can often leave his races in the boxes and can ill-afford to give a dog the class of Matt a headstart.  Matt’s trial suggests there’s life in his old dog bones yet and if he can avoid the inevitable trouble on his inner then he can roll back the years this evening.  Silverhill Conor has a questionable rails tag on him for a dog that runs at least mid-to-wide and that coupled with Jaytee Dutch next to him who often forgets to turn left at the bends means there could be trouble at the first: Matt should have galloped long clear by then!

Selection: T4 – Ballymac Matt NAP

9:48 – Heat 30

Priceless Brandy comes into the tournament as one of the favourites and with a vacant box next to him he can’t ask for a better opportunity to get off the mark.  It is hard to envisage him not skipping clear comfortably down the back and his main danger Crossfield Giles is perhaps a class or two lower than the Irish raider.

Selection: T4 – Priceless Brandy

10:03 – Heat 31

The Doctor, Droopys Who, has lovely early when he gets his break right but how he adapts to being in trap 1 with the useful Azzurri Genesis on his outer means those two could get into a barging match on the run-up.  The selection is therefore Brinkleys King who can throw in the odd paw performance but he has already proved he can catch Who on the bunny and this a relentless galloping sort than can account for him again this evening.

Selection: T6 – Brinkleys King NB

10:18 – Heat 32

His father was surely one of the most unlucky Derby dogs in recent years but Holdem Spy’s son, Calico Ranger, can make amends for his family this year.  He runs just like his supremely talented father and is part of Team Lolly at a huge price.  This track is perfect for him unlike Shawfield (that he never got to grips with) as he gallops powerfully round the outside of the Northamptonshire circuit.  Tougher assignments will face him along the way but he looks value at odds-against to simply be too good for these.

Selection: T6 – Calico Ranger

Here are the recommendations:

8:42 – Barricane Tommy – 1 doggie treat @ 9/4

8:58 – Sallows Ford – 1 piece of bread @ 8/1

9:32 – Ballymac Matt – 2 dog bones @ 11/4

10:03 – Brinkleys King – 1 breast of chicken @ 5/2

10:18 – Calico Ranger – 1 chewstick @ 5/4

So there are my thoughts on the proceedings! As ever, if you have any comments please don’t hesitate to tweet me and I promise to bark right back at you!  It looks a night for the favourites this evening so let’s hope we can send the bookies home with their tails between their legs!

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy