It’s fantastic to see so much action from us dogs on Sky Sports and it continues this evening with an intriguing card at Sheffield. There are some fascinating finals to analyse after the heats last week were arguably ran on ground favouring the wide runners; we will see tonight if that was the case! Sheffield is one of the strongest graded tracks in the country (along with Newcastle) and so it is always worth keeping on the right side of those pesky locals who are unexposed against the familiar doggie faces that we see most weeks. The track is a nice galloping circuit which gives a fair chance to any way my colleagues like to run their races and so it should be a great night’s entertainment! As ever though, we’re not just looking for entertainment as value is what really gets the Lolly Faithful howling in excitement! I have found some for us this evening:

19:34 – Marathon

These long-distance races are becoming a regular feature in front of the cameras and without a particular standout candidate for a superstar in the division, they often throw up strange results at the moment. One bitch that could defy that general trend is Burgess Borna who thrives when given racing room and showed at Hall Green last time out that she craves these extended marathons. She ran on really well to catch the proven stayer (who is albeit one-paced) Incitatus in her last race and she can assert earlier in this race. Supreme Rossie also chased down Incitatus in the aforementioned race but Borna looks to just have a slightly better turn of foot than the Stuart Buckland runner (who’s kennel is flying at the moment, admittedly).

19:49 – Sprint

The highlight of the night here as the sprinters line up in what looks like a three-way affair to me. Lode Henry has trapped poorly from the 1 box every time he has been drawn there so he can be swerved and whilst Mustang Blitz clearly has pace, he has had little to beat when he has won. Of course, he can only beat what he is racing against but Guinness Sky has an (all-too infrequent) touch of class and if he pings like I used to, then he is the value here. He can run shockers at times, but has searing pace when he is on a going day.

20:04 – Stayers

Well, last week at Hall Green saw Scala Dromin break the hearts of the Lolly Faithful when she collared our antepost selection, Blonde Razor, in the final strides of the Prestige. Dromin clearly has pace but the energy-sapping conditions in Birmingham last week could have perhaps exaggerated his talent and he is worth taking on here. When looking at the prices, I nearly fell off my sofa and got so excited to the point I have barely been able to have my usual 4 naps before my afternoon walk: Bit View Bugatti is absolutely huge at 7/2! The Kinsley raider has brilliant early around here and whilst she does need the line over this trip, I expect her to be a country 1609.3 metres clear of the field after the first circuit to put this race to bed (I am aware that my calculations may be a slight exaggeration). Tambourine Man and Glenpadden Isle do all of their work all too late in most of their races and I just cannot envisage Coolavanny Doll leading Bugatti. Of course, if one of the chasing pack gets a dream run or a flyer out of the traps, then Bugatti will be in trouble, but she is well, well overpriced for me at 7/2.

20:19 – Standard

The influence of one-race form is a perillous guide to a dog’s form and I think that the humans have overreacted to Candelight King’s minor blip last week in the heats of the competition run later tonight. Aside from Pay Freeze, I would suggest he is the best dog at Sheffield and he can quickly assert here and lead the highly thought-of young tyke that is Farloe Striker. The main danger comes in the form of Hather George who is arguably the most consistent dog of his generation and will always give his all; yet that approach might be taking it’s toll on George who is uncharacteristically 0 wins from his last 4 starts here. I am loathe to taking him on normally but I simply have to with the track star (6 wins from 9) that is Candlelight King.

20:34 – Marathon

Another extremely difficult marathon to assess here as it is solely based on if Fearsome Liberty is race-fit for this distance. The market seems to think so and if she does not need the run, she will saunter clear of these. I, however, think that you need to have had at least a run over a long 6 bends before a marathon and therefore I think the value is in Borna Standard who is stepping up to this distance for the first time. Of course, he will have to confirm he stays too but I would rather have a dog that has built up his stamina (and believe me they need stamina for this ridiculous distance!) and I think he is the value. Crooks Mercedes is another viable alternative but again, she has not ran over any sort of staying distance since 19th December. Standard is a very tentative selection.

20:49 – Bitches

This race has really got me salivating (and not just because they are bitches!) because I think it is one of the finals that may have been affected by the going last week. Rewind Express was a good way clear before getting dog collared on the line by Greenwell Lark and I think she can reverse that form tonight at a price. She has a good draw to work from with Story Time mid-to-wide and so she can have the rails to herself. Droopys Hope is just not the force-of-old for me since she became a mother but if the Oaks winner of 2012 can reproduce that form, then she will go close but I don’t think she quite has the same desire to win races and perhaps has more of a desire to be with her pesky tykes. Hope can, however, provide a nuisance to Lark to the point where Express has built an unassailable lead.

21:04 – Bitches

Two bitches races on the TV in a row – what a treat! This one is far more hard to call with a case to be made for virtually all of the runners. There are so many unexposed sorts in this and the break will prove pretty crucial. Akerview Gem is a confirmed front-runner but may have to deal with Caseys Wonder going for the rails from the off. That could set the race up for the bitch in-form that is Proper Fancy who showed great desire in the heats to get on the bunny. She is closely matched to Razldazl Katie on their local form but I Fancy the 3 bitch to prevail based on her recent form.

21:19 – Dogs

So the finale here sees one dog that in houndsight, I back too much but he is once again unavoidable in his beloved red box: Droopys Odell. The pace that this colleague of mine shows when he has his rails is scintillating and even before the withdrawal of Droopys Dave in trap 2, he had a great draw and he simply has to be backed at around evens. He has come back to all-conquering form around here and the fact that he may even lead tonight suggests this could be a forlorn race for his rivals. Aghaburren Paddy rates as the danger as he stays and occassionally pings, but once again the Lolly Faithful will be on Odell in one.

Here are the recommendations

9:19 – Droopys Odell – 2 chewstix @ 4/5

So there we are! There are my thoughts on the proceedings and as ever, please tweet me if you have any comments and I promise to bark back with as much enthusiasm as I showed when I saw Bit View Bugatti’s price this morning (and believe me, there was a lot of spinning in circles and barking then!). As you will know from my racing career, I was very predictable and some might argue that has transferred into my career as a Freelance Journadog; backing Droopys Odell in trap 1, who’d have thought it…

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy

Well, it’s been raining cats and greyhounds in Birmingham all day and whilst it was an intriguing card already, the key question to ask about my colleagues this evening in assessing their chances is: how good is their doggie paddle? Apart from enjoying my hilarious jokes, the Lolly Faithful are also happy with our antepost selection of Blonde Razor in the big race; he has a similar draw to last week and must have every chance of getting his paws on the Prestige trophy!

Hall Green is a track with good drainage but when the rain is as persistent as this, it does tend to favour the outside and so the wide dogs should prosper in the conditions this evening; that is not to bark that the inside dogs do not have a chance as I am sure the track humans will be doing their utmost to ensure as level a playing track as possible. It is a welcome return for Hall Green to the Sky cameras as whilst some humans criticise the tight bends (in particular the first 2), it makes it easier in my opinion to assess the chances of my canine colleagues. Another crucial factor, as a generalisation, is that I am yet to see a dog who has not had a sight of the track go round the 2nd bend with any sort of fluency as it is tight and approaches all-too-quickly for those who don’t know it’s there: track knowledge is a big factor here! The strength-in-depth is perhaps not quite there this evening like most Sky cards, but it is still competitive and as ever, I have found some value for the Lolly Faithful on the rain-sodden surface:

19:34 – Sprint

It’s always nice to see everyone’s favourite race begin the evening, and here the value is with the mid-to-wide running Wee Tiger Tots to continue building his progressive profile. I know this immediately contradicts what I barked on about in the introduction in that you need to have a look at the track at Hall Green, but the 3rd and 4th bends are very forgiving in comparison so the sprinters should not have a problem negotiating their way round. Aero Twizzle is a huge danger but is erratic at the traps, particularly on his first go at them, and he will have to clear the reliable Cape Impact who is a rails hugger. Ballymac Denis is the track record holder and if the veteran can find his old form, he could make a mockery of his price at his home track.

19:49 – Puppy

The youngsters have a go here and it features a lot of little tykes that are unexposed. For me, it is even more important for the puppies to have a look at this track and therefore the value lies in Swift Suarez who’s trial was unspectacular, but at least he knows where to run now! Lemon Laveer clearly has a lot of pace but looks a stayer in the making and whilst Coolavanny Mario has a nice draw, his inexperience at this circuit could be his downfall.

20:04 – Marathon

Here we have the first of two marathons for these barking mad dogs who want to go round the track twice! Enda Causeway was eye-catching in defeat when losing to Blonde Razor in the heats of the Prestige as she was making rapid headway late on, yet she is still yet to prove she can stay this long marathon distance on a heavy track. One dog that will definitely get this distance and go for a victory lap at the same pace if he wins, is Incitatus. He is a very one-paced colleague of mine but the TV Trophy third has a pair of lungs on him and can grind these into submission. I am unconvinced that his calculated 28:56 trial is a genuine reflection of his trial the other day but he has now had three looks at the track so will be all-too-familiar with the tight bends. Ballymac Ruth is interesting stepping up to a true marathon after running-on in virtually all of her 6 bend efforts; whether she has the pace to keep up with Causeway or Incitatus for the majority of the race is questionable though.

20:19 – Stayers

The perfect example of my analysis of Hall Green can be viewed here in the form of Sidarian Jaguar who on his first look over the 4 bend trip, was noted as being “W2” (Wide 2nd Bend) which indicates to me that he ran-off at the bend. Yes, he is a wide dog as a rule but now he has had a look, I expect him to come on for that run and he is a different class to this field in my dog’s honest opinion. He has been running with real credit against useful Romford sorts and this slightly longer trip should play right into his hands. Connections of Tooreen Hawk will be desperate for him to impress hear after howling in disgust at him not being accepted for the Prestige itself, yet he has a draw fraught with danger as Sidelight is always capable of a pinging break on his inside. King Danni is a consistent sort but her posititioning next to Jaguar only enhances his chances of getting a solo out wide and powering to victory.

20:34 – Maiden

It is rare to see a maiden on a Sky card but I am making no bones about it as there is great value in track stalwart Old Codger here. I would fancy him even more if I was typing this with my paws halfway through the night knowing the going was a level playing track, but he is still worth getting on side here. He has proven in his comeback trials that he can be explosive on this sort of sodden ground, and whilst his competitors may be treading water, he’ll be flying up the inside to assert. Keady Bosco is an interesting entrant as we really haven’t been able to see the best of him as he has been pitched in the deep end on virtually every run; I am happy to take him on but he is definitely the unknown entity of the field for me. This brings me to my discrepancy with the trial of Incitatus that I mentioned earlier: I cannot believe Pleasant Moments gained 0.61 seconds off a 5.02 split around here for her second look at the track and I think you are barking up the wrong tree if you think she can repeat that. If she doesn’t repeat that effort, this race is at the mercy of Old Codger.

20:49 – Marathon

I know I am going against one of Jimmy Lolly’s golden rules of acquiring doggie treats here in going against my overall opinion, but I just cannot see how Em Millie is not a very strong favourite here. She has not had a look which is my concern, but it is only a minor one as the marathon dogs will not be going as fast into the first two bends as the standard distance hounds. In the voided race at Romford on Sky last time out (because of Barley Bussell sadly breaking down on the track), Millie was cruising into a position to assert over reopposing Lady Belle. Indeed, Millie’s main opposition here for me is the second worst drawn dog on the card in Aayamzabella who loves to rail, and trap 5 isn’t the place to be doing that from the off. She is a superb marathon bitch but Aayamzabella’s craving for the rails sometimes overtakes her craving for chasing the bunny and whilst she is as genuine as they come, her rails fetish will be her downfall here for me. Boherna Bridge will almost certainly struggle to get this distance on heavy ground and whilst Burgess Borna seems to motor in trials, her efforts in quality company leave a lot to be desired. Em Millie to cruise round the outside here.

21:04 – Standard

This brings me to the worst drawn dog on the card: Garryglass Rodge. He set the Derby alight last year with his fast starts but one thing that is so memorable about him is his immediate dash to the rails, regardless of obstacles in his way; therefore I am discounting traps 1,2 and 3 before I even begin contemplating the race as Rodge could cause chaos. That accompanied with the anticipated going favouring the wide dogs meaning that it is a call between Mountjoy Rebel and Southern Mesut. I have sided with the former as he is the value based on his efforts over this true 4 bend trip. Of course, if Southern Mesut can keep his exhillirating early-speed up for the full 4 bends he is a faster dog than Rebel, but that is far from guaranteed and he is certainly not value to do so. Rebel has also had a look at the track and so if Rodge causes chaos, Rebel can confirm his stamina over Mesut.

21:19 – Prestige Final

So here we are! Can Blonde Razor cheat his draw again and win the Prestige for his connections and the Lolly Faithful! Much has been made of his draw but I think he is actually in a better position than his main rival, Senior Cup, because Cup is a confirmed railer around here and will have to be paw perfect to get to the rails from the coffin box. Razor is less eager to get to the rails and could have a nice run to the bend if Cup does indeed turn left. Whoever leads out of those two wins for me as it is hard to see the rest of the field being able to back run them. Midway Nick is a dependable sort but he just lacks the pace to be competitive in these sorts of finals.

Here are the recommendations:

Em Millie – 3 breasts of chicken (and my kennel if it is favouring wides) @ 5/2

So there we are! It should be fantastic night and as ever, if you have any comments please don’t hesitate to tweet me and provided I’m not swimming around the field on my walk, I’ll bark right back at you! Blonde Razor needs to be sharp at the start for us tonight, but he is more than capable of pinging like me tonight!

So here we are at the start of a New Year! After successful years in 2012 and 2013, I am eagerly anticipating the year ahead and hopefully the Lolly Faithful are too! We begin 2014 with a brilliant card from Romford for the time of year with some very competitive racing. It is nice to see my colleagues on Sky so early in the year after the ridiculous fiasco last year when the racing was to be replaced with basketball; I’m sure us dogs could jump high enough but asking us to clutch the ball with our paws was ridiculous! Anyway, sanity prevailed by March and we were back to racing and thankfully we have a stellar set of Sky dates this year. The first of which sees the final of the Coronation Cup where Champion Trainer Mark Wallis has 4 of the runners. It is evidence of just how well he got my colleagues running at the end of 2013 to produce a late surge to pip the Derby and St. Leger winning legend that is Charlie Lister. It is hard to pick between his four protagonists in the final but before we get there, let’s find some value for the Lolly Faithful in the other races:

19:34 – Standard

Romford really is a specialist’s track with it’s tight bends and emphasis on leading being more pronounced than many other tracks; here we have a track specialist who is 6 from 9 over the Course and Distance from his favoured red box and Shaneboy Ozzy is fancied to start the night off in style for us! He has a decent draw to work from as Bush Standard and Landed at Last are not natural rail huggers and he can turn handily to assert down the back. Guinness Sky is a temperamental sort who is hard to catch right but when he does, he is reminiscent of his superb injury-hit father Rayvin Giovanni. Borna Monty seems to have lost his appetite for the game as he was a brilliant front-runner round here at his peak, but the formlines of him losing to Ozzy the last 4 times he has met him (excluding last week’s run) are there for all to see.

19:49 – Hurdles

I was barking about us jumping earlier and here my colleagues have a go at racing over the sticks. There are a lot of finishers in the race who are arguably not suited to Romford such as Assasin Eight, Green Amigo and Mash Mad Snowy and so the value is with track-specialist Rummy Lord to pinch an early lead and cling on for dog’s life at the end. He is 8 from 10 around here and whilst that is normally against lesser sorts, I can’t find value in backing Amigo who has not seen the track (let alone the hurdles) and Snowy who definitely runs the track well but needs further. Cornamaddy Jumbo is the barking dog of this race with Wallis being very confident that he will “win the Springbok” for Novice hurdlers this year; he was once fancied at Shelbourne to give an on-fire Farloe Warhawk a race so there is no doubt that Jumbo has the potential to be very useful, it’s whether he can jump is the issue as hitting anything hurts at our speed, trust me!

20:04 – Stayers

Some of us dogs want to lead (like me) from the front and here we have the perfect example of a dog who is a different specimen on the bunny: Steves Dream. If he can clear Drumna Hawk (who has the ability to ping like me now and again) he will take the world of catching in this race. Britania Rachel is a decent bitch in the right race but struggles in this sort of company for me and Aines Marx is a bitch without a distance. Steves got a Dream draw here and he can make-all.

20:19 – Standard

Romford’s Golden Sprint comes later in the year and this race would be a very good final of that Category One tournament. It’s a cracking field! If anyone would like to confidently suggest who will lead then be my guest in my kennel, but I for one, am struggling. The fact that the once arguably unbeatable Romford-specialist Ayamzaman is 10/1 is quite a surreal things to see: I nearly fell off my sofa! Yet he is still not the value in the race for me as there is so much early I have to side with the dog with the best draw and that is Dower Matt. He will have to reproduce his scintillating 3.56 sectional that he did just over a week ago to be competitive but if they all make the bend together which is very likely, he can squeeze round the inside. Newinn Rocket is an awesome early-paced merchant at Monmore and Southern Mesut has fantastic early but was rather fortunate to go clear on Friday if you ask me. Droopys Quincy is favourite based on the fact that if he does make the bend, he won’t be caught but I cannot have him inside Southern Mesut (who is mid-wide) and Newinn Rocket who has a tendency to run off the bends. Those two factors, accompanied with the aforementioned Ayamzaman who could be the most overpriced dog that I can remember if he is back to his best for one last race, means that Quincy has to be taken on: Matt can squeeze up the inside, just!

20:34 – Maxi Marathon

This is the type of distance that has me standing in the corner with my ears pinned back hoping that the human’s don’t make me run it: 925m! When they bark “Maxi”, they mean “Maxi” and us greyhounds were surely not built to run this far! Anyway, some of my crazy colleagues can get this distance and one which could probably go further is Barley Bussell. She only starts to get going on about her 5th circuit but she is one of the few that can genuinely grind this distance out and she can swoop late. Express Vision beat Mullpark Millkai over the Course and Distance the last time Sky were here but that was a weaker race than tonight’s. Fatice Cream stays as well but lacks the change of gear that Bussell has. Em Millie won the Boxing Day Marathon impressively at Crayford but it was hardly a vintage renewal of that tournament and most of her colleagues were still probably full from the Christmas meal of Turkey, Bread and more Turkey. Bussell to make late strides to win this.

20:49 – Stayers

Here we find the best value of the night and it’s had me barking and running round in circles all day at the thought of the doggie treats I can have on him. Fairhill Paddy can make a mockery of his price here. He has really come into his own over this Course and Distance and whilst he bypassed the Coronation Cup, he would have been one of the main protagonists in tonight’s finale had he been entered for the tournament. His mix of early pace and drive from the 3rd bend is the perfect combination for this niche distance and he can make-all. Smiler Jack has been a credit to connections over the years and whilst this is his favourite track as well, he doesn’t quite have the same ability that he did in his hay day. Lenson Pele is a good dog on the bunny but it is hard to see him leading Paddy this evening which is a similar story for the bitch Cavan Dancer. Paddy’s a fair bit better than these.

21:04 – Marathon

Laughing Sam is another classic Romford sort and can have us howling from the sofa if he leads tonight. Stepping him up in trip worked the oracle last time as he needs to lead to be seen at his best: he can lead tonight. He has a good draw next to the enigmatic yet strong Castlehill Aris who we will not want to see near Sam at too early a stage. Mollys Hope has brought some consistency to her game but often finds one or two just too good for her; she certainly has the ability to win. Sam is the value though to make-all.

21:19 – Coronation Cup Final

In a race where one of Mark Wallis’ four runners will surely be crowned the winner, the Coronation Cup Final has a really open feel to it. The crucial aspect of the race for me is that there are a lot of front runners in the race who don’t like to be headed at any point of their efforts. These include Jazz Tilly, Aayamzamodel and Reel Trickyone and whilst they don’t throw in their dog towel if they are led, they rarely overtake another colleague. If any of those three skip clear then they all stay so it will be hard to envisage anything overtaking them (bar a highly unlikely dream run for Tambourine Man). So, the value in the race is to go with the best drawn bitch and that is Hometown Honey who likes to lead herself, but this is a trip short of her maximum so even if she doesn’t lead, she can stay handy round the outside before potentially overpowering the front-runners in the latter stages. It is a really competitive race with the break being of great importance, but Honey is the value because of her staying prowess if she does get to the front eventually.

So, here are the recommendations:

Laughing Sam – 1 chewstick @ 5/1

There are my thoughts then! As ever, if you have any comments please tweet me and I’ll bark back at you faster than the Maxi Marathon is ran tonight! It promises to be a fascinating, compelling card and I want to hear the Lolly Faithful’s howls of delight when Paddy leads from the comfort of my sofa!

Before my colleagues started their campaigns for the Essex Vase, I thought that 10/1 the field was about right for an extremely competitive line-up and so it has proved with the final this evening being very wide open. Romford is a real specialist’s track with it’s tight bends and general lack of room that my colleagues enjoy at more galloping friendly tracks; the only way in Essex is to have a look in a trial before racing round here to be at your best and that can help us tonight. In keeping with the competitiveness of the finale, the supporting card is equally as tough but with that, I can find some value for the Lolly Faithful for dogs that I know will run the track capably. Some humans might suggest it is a night where luck will play a huge part but I think that has more than been factored into the odds for the recommendations and as the Lolly Faithful know from my racing career and career as a freelance journadog, I don’t rely on luck (well maybe a little!). Here are my thoughts on the proceedings:

19:34 – Standard

Ayamzaman was undoubtedly the track champion of this track for at least a year but he is not the force of old and he is worth taking on these days (0 wins from his last 10 starts); if he is anywhere near his formidable best then he will make me look like a silly doggie indeed but we will see in houndsight. Landed At Last ran very well in the Puppy Cup round here and has subsequently produced some useful 24 second runs when pinging the traps; if he pings like me tonight from the best box at Romford, trap 3, then he can get out in front and repel allcomers. Alis Avenger is a nice bitch but struggles against us dogs and Oscars is also not Onfire against this class of rival. Jet Stream Odds takes a step down in class having succumbed to some superb Romford railers (Garryglass Rodge and Bonamassa Rocks) but he is poorly drawn as Ayamzaman still has the early to go up with most in this class and he will have to clear the selection, also.

19:49 – 925m

I know I keep barking on about it but recent track experience is crucial here and whilst my colleagues here will get a ridiculously long look at the track, not a lot of them know it all too well (although that will certainly change this evening!). It is hard to envisage how Risky Emerald will not lead as the two that head the market, Fatice Cream and Buglys Billie, normally drop out the back and time their challenge when most of us dogs have gone back to our kennels. I don’t think Emerald will quite get the trip and I cannot have the grinding nature of Fatice Cream round here and Buglys Billie is not the force of old for me. So, for me, the value in the race comes in the form of Kilbreeze who was crucially given a trial here over 6 bends last week to prepare her for this evening. Her wins-to-runs ratio is nothing special in graded marathon fare, but she was staying on really well against the useful Pony Bride at Crayford over 874m and this extra 51m tonight could see her outrun her price considerably. This is the type of challenge that should be perfect for Kilbreeze and I think there are enough question marks about the two at the fore of the market to take them on.

20:04 – Hurdles

Whilst it is on the short side for him these days, they bark that orange is the colour to be in Essex and that is what Mash Mad Snowy will be adorning tonight. He ran with credit in the Essex Vase to show his liking for the Romford circuit and whilst his back straight pace cannot be utilised fully here, he has just enough early to turn prominently and be too pacey over the obstacles here. Rummy Lord is a course, distance and discipline specialist round here but he has the the one dog to contend with here who seems to want to assasinate his opponents, rather than the hare.

20:19 – Stayers

The antepost favourite for the Essex Vase, Blonde Razor, was very disappointing in the competition and his subsequent run after that, but he has to be taken on trust that he can put those races behind him and win this. He was the subject of an antepost gamble for tonight’s headline race due to his pawchant for the track and distance and he can show his impressive middle pace this evening. Bridge Jane led and beat him in the aforementioned race last week, but she is a bitch who has to lead and Razor is quite capable of pinging out in front of her, or following her round and making amends for his recent defeats. Ding Hero is starting to look like he wants to join me on the sofa but he has been a grand servant.

20:34 – Standard

A race here that looks like it should be in the last few rounds of the Derby with some scintillating performers. Bubbly Rocket lives up to his name up to the bend but is poorly drawn next to the rail-loving ping machine that is Garryglass Rodge. That accompanied with the rails admirer that is Dower Matt means there could be chaos on the inside here. Southern Mesut produced a brilliant 4.57 sectional in winning last week and if he goes close to that again, he could sneak in front but Lough Messi can live with anything to the bend here and he has the draw to make him value. He can turn inside Southern Mesut and dominate the proceedings as the railers vie for positions. He has been known to miss the break but has yet to do so at Romford and his early pace to catch up with Farloe Warhawk recently on Sky at Wimbledon was stunning due to his poor start: he should ping here. Droopys Quincy is hard to catch right but has huge early on his day and although poorly drawn, is a danger in any race. A proper 7/2 the field contest here that we can take advantage of.

20:49 – Stayers

Aghaburren Paddy is a nice sort once he’s on the bunny and whilst he has to lead, he can do so here and account for the nice bitch that is Bridge Ruth. Ruth was another one of those fancied runners in the Essex Vase that didn’t quite live up to expectations, whereas Paddy showed his pace on the bunny to superb effect in the heats when he stormed round Essex like Mark Wright on a night out. Moody Paul has hit a real low in terms of form as he was a really useful puppy who initially transferred that to some eyecatching runs over this course and distance, he is best watched for now though (as long as he’s not in the front today of course!). Bubbly Charlie is beginning to become a dog without a distance but he plugs on gamely whatever task he is given.

21:04 – Marathon

A bitch that likes being in the media spotlight more than Katie Price can lead a procession to her crown of Winning-Most Greyhound on Sky this year. Bubbly Swallow seems to grow an extra leg after she has nosed the camera to delight her fans and she has an easier-than-normal assignment to dazzle the millions of greyhounds watching the action this evening from their sofas. She can lead here and there is nothing in the race that I can see that has the potential to back run her.

21:19 – Essex Vase Final

A very intriguing contest to conclude this Category One tournament can go to the brilliantly consistent Hather George. The Derby and St. Leger Semi-Finalist can add to his 3 Steps to Victory win by landing this competition over his pawfect distance. He has now had the crucial two looks at the track when struggling in the heats (which was no surprise) before asserting and winning his Semi-Final. He is such a game colleague of mine that he can ping and lead, turn handy and assert or come from a long way off to win if the opportunity arrives to run his race. A case can be made for all of the others though, but their prices are about right whereas George should be clear favourite on all-given form and his draw. Hipower Rhino will have to ping like he did in his Semi-Final and may struggle to do so from the red box; Regal Bailio has finally shown his Derby form over this suitable distance for him but he could not live with George in the Semi; Reel Trickyone is a dog that has to lead and does not really possess sufficient early to guarantee that this evening; Adageo Bob is a gutsy character who could win if the gaps appear for him at the right times; Killieford Khali has nice early and then stays well although he finds it difficult to get his head in front against really class dogs. A fascinating race in prospect here but the value is definitely with the ever-dependable Hather George.

Here are the recommendations:

Hather George – 1 dog bone @ 11/4

So there we are, it really does look like an enthralling night’s viewing and I for one am really looking forward to it. As ever, if you have any comments please tweet me and I promise to get back to you provided I am not staring at my food bowl in desperate anticipation for my meal. The Essex Vase final is well open, but George is a well reem dog who can deliver the doggie treats for us this evening.

Well, isn’t a year a long time in greyhound racing! This time last year I recommended Sawpit Sensation to win the Eclipse at 8/1 and he duly obliged for the Lolly Faithful in a stunning all-the-way track record success: I sense a case of dógjà vu tonight. Before we get to that though, there is a brilliant supporting card at Nottingham this evening with Trainer of the Year points being at a premium for the human race that is going to be the closest for many a dog year. As ever, it is always imperative to keep Charlie Lister runners onside as his dogs know this track so well. Here are my thoughts on the card and as ever, some value for the Lolly Faithful:

19:34 – Puppy

Some pretty useful youngsters line-up here and I think it is worth opposing the up-in-class Take The Crown. His style suggests he will need luck in-running as he adjusts to his working life and Droopys Dave can utilise his experience here. Dave has been the perennial houndsmaid in the big Puppy tournaments this year but he has a touch of class about him; also this galloping track should play right to his strengths. He came 2nd in the Puppy Classic here and can account for his loss to Redbrick Stuart in the Northern Puppy Derby by beating his poorly drawn and out-of-form colleague.

19:49 – Bitches

The two Lister runners are at the fore of the market and deservedly so, but Silverview Pinky has been with her trainer since puppy status and will know this track far better than the classy Airforce Diva. Diva has been a revelation since stepping up to six bends for the St. Leger but she crucially missed the break in the final of that competition (although her efforts would have been in vain anyway to the awesome Farloe Tango); this is an all-too-familiar situation with Diva as she struggles to ping the lids consistently and any faults at trap-rise can prove costly against the consistent and likeable Pinky. Pinky has never hit the heights of her litter-sister superbitch Silverview Perky but like her sister, she has excellent early and will take some catching on the bunny. Five Alley Queen is well-drawn but is not in the same class as the aforementioned two.

20:04 – Stayers

A difficult conundrum to paw over here and it is possible to make a case for many of these as they are all pretty equally matched and drawn well. Bubbly Swallow just gets the vote as she is a prolific bitch on Sky and loves nosing the camera to show off to her fans before the race. She has been relinquishing her lead a bit too frequently for my liking of late though, as she is a proven stayer and should be setting a stiffer mark on the bunny than she has been doing. Afewdollarsmore has pace but struggles in this sort of company to win his races. Aayamzalad provided a shock in the Kent St. Leger and has good middle pace but has question marks over this extended 6 bends for me. Tough race to call this.

20:19 – Sprint

The best race on the card sees my favourite sprinting colleague with a great draw and it is worth backing him to account for useful rivals: Jumeirah Dubai. He is 4 from 7 this year and is warming up for a defence of his National Sprint title (around here) with 2 wins at Nottingham preceding tonight. If he pings like me as he normally does, he will take the world of beating especially considering his main rival, Droopys Quincy, has a poor record out of trap 1 with his only win in 4 starts from the red box coming on his debut; Quincy can actually miss the break from any box and whilst his pace is unquestionable, his timing leaves a lot to be desired. Helenas Sailor and Billymatt are prolific winners at their favourite tracks of Hove and Romford respectively, but always seem to fail in top company away from their beloved home venues and that looks set to continue here. Dubai to continue to oil his creaking bones and lay down a marker for the National Sprint.

20:34 – 480m

An interesting contest here sees the pacey Frisby Barney trying to outlast some of his stronger colleagues. He should lead but the presence of Daddyknowsbest on his outside should give him something to think about for the duration as Best has good all-round pace. Hadrians Wall is a likeable sort from the strongest graded track in the country, Newcastle, and he has proven he can mix it with the best in Category One tournaments. He always tries his hardest and can turn in a handy position here before outstaying a tired Barney.

20:49 – Marathon

Aayamzabella is having a season to remember and she will be gracing the Emerald Isle with her presence on the most famous talent show in the world, The Night of Stars, at the end of the year. She has explosive middle pace over a marathon distance and it is hard to see anything stopping her unleashing that here. She ran admirably in the Leger by winning her first round but just found the pace too hot in one of the best Legers of my lifetime, and there is nothing of the class in that tournament here. Barley Bussell could actually run to Ireland in one go if she so wished, but Aayamzabella will be too far ahead here.

21:04 – Standard

For me, it is always worth opposing Droopys Odell when he is not drawn in his beloved red box (or at least with slow starters inside) and whilst in houndsight, he has defeated his poor draws before, he faces a really classy colleague here in Bold Three. Three blasted onto the scene at the start of the year and made a bold attempt at the Irish derby; he needs an extended trip to see his galloping pace to the best of his ability and Nottingham fits the bill for him in that regard. Slippery Sooty actually progressed further in the Irish Derby than the selection, but he is taking his time in getting used to his new kennel in the UK and did not leave as big an impression as Bold Three in the premier Irish classic anyway.

21:19 – Eclipse Final

The Eclipse always produces a stellar final as Nottingham is such a good track for us dogs to run round and here we have no exception. If Exocet rockets out, it will all be over bar the barking but a trap 1 draw is surely a concern for this ex-mid runner. In saying he is an “ex” mid runner, probably implies the wrong thing as he definitely still runs middle, but his connections were tired of the dearth of wide runners in tournaments which led him to being put in trap 6 far too often. That barked, it has backfired here as he has only ran out of 1 once and his trapping ability cannot be guaranteed. That accompanied with the fact he has the brute pace of Calzaghe Davy (another mid runner) next to him means that those two could cause all sorts of bother to each other; if either get a clear they are going to take the world of beating but I cannot see it. Bridge Honcho is likely to get squeezed too and so it leaves the wide runner with the most pace to the bend, Sawpit Sensation, to steal a march on the outside and prove too strong for the whole field. His record is nothing short of sensational being in the first 2 over the Course and Distance in 20 of 21 starts (winning 10 of his last 13). Whilst some of these victories have been against poor fields, it would be foolish to forget he beat the Derby winner of his year, Taylors Sky, and the mighty incomparable speed of Farloe Tango round here in the final last year: it was not even a contest. He does not often ping but when he does, he is truly formidable and Sensation has no problem in coming out of trap 4 (some connections have quipped that it is his preferred trap). He should lead Aghaburren Paddy and whilst Airlie Impact is a Derby runner-up and serial finalist, his gruelling season is surely taking it’s toll on him to have an impact here. Last year, I barked in my dog blog (found here http://is.gd/h9DFtY) that “Sensation is set for a solo out-wide and you ignore this dog at your peril…He has finished outside the top 3 in one of his last twenty-seven starts (he sounds like me!) and he will run through a brick wall for you and will not give in”. How remarkable that a year on, he faces the same test: he can pass it.

Here are the recommendations:

21:19 – Sawpit Sensation – 1 breast of chicken @ 8/1

So there are my thoughts on a night that should make riveting viewing. As ever, if you have any comments please tweet me and I’ll bark back at you faster than Dubai comes out of the traps this evening. In another remarkably strong Eclipse Final, Sensation can once again show he is a truly top class colleague of mine.

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy

A truly magical night’s racing is in prospect for us tonight as the greatest St. Leger final of my lifetime is supported by a classy renewal of the Puppy Derby. The Lolly Faithful were dealt the devastating news that Sidarian Teejay was withdrawn lame yesterday having looked so promising after his gallant second in his Heat and then Semi-Final win, but we can be confident that Fear Emoski will give us plenty to bark about in the St. Leger final where she can run her usual honest race. The supporting card is perhaps not the class of some other Sky cards due to the abundance of Category One tournaments around this period, but nonetheless it is competitive and as ever, there is some value for the Lolly Faithful. Here are my thoughts on the proceedings:

19:34 – Sprint

What better way to start the night than with the most eagerly anticipated race and it looks a very useful battle of my sprinting colleagues. Droopys Quincy is without doubt the fastest in the line-up and on his day he can beat anything over the optimum trip, but at his odds he cannot be trusted as he has some pretty bad off-days. The draw is intriguing and has swayed me to side with Aero Twizzle who is not the best at pinging the lids, but has scintillating early that he has demonstrated at Romford and Peterborough. The presence of Cape Impact on his outside is a concern as he is running very well and rails pretty tightly, but Twizzle can power his way up the inside and assert at the first bend. Lode Henry has early over 4 bends but will possibly struggle stepping down in trip to be in contention and Kizi is useful but struggles in quality affairs: this is a quality affair.

19:49 – Maiden

A rare maiden in front of the Sky cameras can also provide us with the best value for this evening: Nomadic Loner. The formline that sticks out like a rabbit peaking out of a hedge is his beating of Chicago in a trial before the Puppy Derby (who goes off favourite in the Final tonight) and if he can reproduce anything like that effort, he will take a lot of beating. It could be argued that Chicago was lacking in race sharpness but he did not look like he lacked that in the first round when he pinged out nearly as well as me. Aayamzamodel has flattered to deceive of late and looks like she needs a stiffer four bend trip so Loner can lead her. Clonad Girl has shown good early in her races but has failed to stamp her authority on the proceedings and will not relish Loner turning anyway near her. Sundance Storm is a useful local but the 28:59 of Loner around Monmore is a better time than an A1 dog, which Storm appears to be at the moment.

20:04 – Hurdles

A match race here can go in favour of the track specialist Westmead Meteor who won the Springbok here (for Novice hurdlers) earlier in the year. Mash Mad Snowy has gone on to win the Grand National in pretty good style but he struggled in trials around here when tried over these ridiculous obstacles. Meteor can be more fluent and show he is a class act.

20:19 – Bitches

An interesting decision to name this race as “Ladies” has been met with mixed opinions in the kennels as us dogs definitely consider them to be bitches. Anyway, as the spokesdog for the greyhound community I have to bark our feelings at times and on to the race. Jaytee Jules ran a blinder behind Jaytee Lightening in the Olympic Final on her last run and the efforts of her litter-brother Jaytee Hellcat (track record at Limerick) show that they possess great pace and determination. She will have to be on her toes at the traps to beat the pinging Sidelight but if she does that, she should be too strong for her fellow bitches. Zoos Caprice is a useful local but does not quite have the class of Jules.

20:34 – Marathon

This is not the best marathon you are ever likely to see and it is hard to make a case for any of my colleagues with great confidence. A tentative selection goes to Barley Bussell after her track-record effort last time out at Sheffield but she wins few and far between and don’t expect anything from her for a considerable period of the race. Castlehill Aris comes with a decent reputation in Ireland but he has showed tendencies that he deserves a place on the naughty step. Incitatus will run his usual, grinding, one-paced race but will be staying on.

20:49 – Standard

Lough Messi can further enhance his growing reputation on these shores by making up for the news that the human that was named after him has been declared lame this week. His scintillating early at Romford seems to have been transferred to the Plough Lane circuit and if he pings, he can assert from the first bend (he missed the break a few times in Ireland). It might seem barking mad to oppose Farloe Warhawk (who is unbeaten out of trap 1 from 10 starts), but his last race barked volumes to me that he was not the dog of old as he succumbed at the first bend in a way that he simply would not have done a year ago; he seems to have lost a little of his determination. Jaytee Seville disappointed for the Lolly Faithful in the Puppy Derby and has been thrown in the deepest of deep ends in an oversized swimming pool here, but he is talented and Wimbledon should suit. Mountjoy Rebel is perhaps overpriced based on his early season form but it is hard to envisage him leading Messi in his current mood. Lough Messi can show his credentials for the Derby next year here.

21:04 – Puppy Derby Final

A good indicator to potential stars of next year’s Derby can be found in this tournament and one has risen to the fore that every man and his greyhound has taken note of: Chicago. It is desperately disappointing that Sidarian Teejay has been withdrawn for us as he would have given Chicago a race but with his vacancy, it has given Chicago the room to manoeuvre himself on the run-up and utilise his awesome early. The son of Milldean Panther (the legendary Irish dog of yesteryear who is arguably nearly as famous as me) has exploded from the traps in each round and it is hard to envisage him not repeating the feat now he is drawn even better as he does like to turn slightly left out of the boxes. Droopys London has been impressive but he has not met a dog of Chicago’s pace to chase yet and it will be a huge effort for him to overhaul him if he turns behind; he will also have to deal with an unfamiliar draw and the determined Droopys Dave on his inside. Bubbly Beauty and King Kane have shown early in the competition but nothing that comes close to the brute pace of Chicago.

21:19 – St. Leger Final

So here we are. The epic final of a tournament that has been brilliant and demonstrated that there is one superstar of the greyhound world at the moment: Farloe Tango. His style of jogging nonchalantly either at the back or in midfield before deciding to unleash his incomparable explosive speed is a joy to watch and provides huge entertainment; as I barked in my antepost blog he “simply has a different gear to any other hound in training” (the whole blog can be found here http://is.gd/v0si20) and I would not begrudge him the win here and that is the dog’s honest truth. He will have to come and beat Fear Emoski on merit for me though. Humans are pointing out her times have not been impressive but she is still winning her races (unbeaten in the competition and 10 from 12 over a stayer’s trip) and the Regency and Yorkshire St. Leger winner can add to her illustrious collection. Her draw in trap 3 is pretty much perfect for her as she does not like to rail and she can find herself room with Tango likely to start slowly and Droopys Posh looking for the rail. The latter has been a revelation in the tournament but has been caught by Tango in the heats and lost to Emoski in the Semis (although notably making late headway) so it is difficult to argue that she has the ability to win this, however progressive she is. Musical Gaga has shown that she is more suited to 8-bends these days and the fact that Tango overtook her in the Semis shows that he is phenomenal, and she needs a longer trip. Airforce Diva is another revelation but is still unproven as a true stayer for me and will have an early battle with her kennelmate, the gallant Killieford Khali. Fear Emoski as I barked in my blog can show that simply: “she is a winner”

So here are the recommendations:

Fear Emoski – 1 doggie treat to win the St. Leger @ 5/1

So there we are! A fascinating night ahead of us which will culminate in a race that will be barked about for many years to come. As ever, please tweet me if you have comments and I promise to bark back less nonchalantly than Tango will run the first lap this evening. As the Lolly Faithful are well aware, you should Fear the Emoski.

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy

It must be barked that in all of my many dog years, this has to be the classiest and most intriguing St. Leger that I can remember! The field of my colleagues is truly breathtaking and I cannot remember a better one over the past 5 years! The competition winners in this tournament could create a trophy cabinet nearly as big as mine; the Derby Runner-Up is accompanied by the winners of the Regency, the Yorkshire St. Leger, Sunderland Grand Prix, Great North Run, TV Trophy, Kent St. Leger and the Golden Jacket (apologies to my colleagues if I have missed one). This mouthwatering competition is set to be a classic and before I look at the individual heats, I will give my thoughts on the value in the Antepost market for the Lolly Faithful.

The top of the market is very, very strong. My favourite colleague in training, Farloe Tango, just about holds market favouritism and that is fully justified as the famous human chant of “He Wins When He Wants” is in reference to this phenonemal dog. He simply has a different gear to any other hound in training (which he showed in his Great North Run win) and we know that he runs Wimbledon exceptionally well as he was an unlucky loser in the Derby Quarter-Final. He is reluctantly passed over as he normally does it the hard way (unless he fancies leading) and so will inevitably need luck in this 4 round tournament: ignore him at any stage of a race at your peril, even if he stops for a doggie treat in the restaurant. It is the far more logical conclusion to side with Fear Emoski who has left all in her wake since stepping up to six bends. The Regency and Yorkshire St. Leger winner has won 11 of her last 12 races and will take some beating as she has proven she can lead most fields with her decent 4 bend pace, and she can come behind if needs be: she is a winner. At 5/1, it proves the quality of this field and for such a consistent and admirable bitch, it is a price that cannot be ignored.

Musical Gaga is too short in the betting for me as whilst she is the undoubted queen of the marathon scene, she will probably be denied her normal early lead over this shorter trip and will need to find luck in running. She certainly did not get that luck in the Great North Run semi-final as she ran into all sorts of bother; there are so many contenders in this competition that she cannot afford to give them a start and a beating. Airlie Impact and Hather George both have stamina issues to answer over this trip, but their undoubted class and ability have them placed correctly in the market. Droopys Posh, Blonde Razor and Moody Paul are the newcomers to the staying scene and all of them are hugely respected due to their progressive profiles, but it is hard to envisage that they could get to the level of Fear Emoski this year.

One colleague of mine that has slipped under the radar and has definitely shown the form of Emoski is White Soks Roks. Many of the Lolly Faithful will be well aware of the fact that I mentor young Soks and he duly obliged for us in the Golden Jacket by winning for us at 20/1. His running action and superb early is a joy to watch and his power is capable of landing this competition. He has learnt to type with his paws like myself, and so he barks to me that he is fully fit and raring to go after some lukewarm performances in Ireland recently. It is always a tough task to compete in top quality races every time you run and put in your best performance (although it never bothered me) and losses for him to the likes of wonder-bitch Razldazl Marilyn in Ireland are excusable. Soks has been preparing for this tournament since his Golden Jacket success earlier in the year and. He can utilise his potentially useful draws as one of the few classy wide seeds in the competition to reach the final at least. His huge following from the Emerald Isle will no doubt be over to cheer him on from track-side and he likes to entertain the crowds with trap-to-line successes: he will not disappoint them or the Lolly Faithful, I am sure of that!

Heat 1 – 19:25

The Sunderland Grand Prix heroine Calzaghe Lilly is a warm-order but she can get boxed in all too often and so she will need to be on her toes here. My colleague Midway Nick is unexposed at the highest level but he does have a lovely draw to work from to steal a cheap lead and then show the pace that saw him finish just the 11 lengths behind Farloe Tango last time out: that is still quick believe me!

Heat 2 – 19:39

A fascinating contest here can show why Fear Emoski is going to be the bitch to beat in this tournament. Charlie Lister has three really classy competitors here in Emoski, Airforce Diva and Hather George and whoever wins this will deserve it! Airforce Diva managed the unique feat of hurdling a fellow competitor in her last race on Sky and she is a very talented Irish bitch, but it must be remembered that she has ran awfully around Wimbledon whenever she has been here before; 6 bends or no 6 bends, she does not like this circuit. Hather George is an admirable sort who always gives his all. Whilst he has proven at Sheffield that he stays 6 bends, this extra distance may perhaps find him out; if he does get the trip then he will give Emoski a real race.

Heat 3 – 19:54

So here he is. Farloe Tango. Will he drop to the back? Will he ping out and make-all? Will he stop half way around? Dog knows. One thing that I do know is that he has electric pace and he can win this if he wants to. Droopys Posh was a lovely puppy with a real gutsy attitude, but I think her size has meant she has struggled against her adult competitors and she will have to have her wits about her to move through a field; she is undoubtedly quick and gets the trip. Ballymac Cryan could run well at a huge price as the old boy is a credit to his connections.

Heat 4 – 20:10

Here we see the weakest of the heats but also the best value for a heat winner: Mollys Hope. She is often pitched in at the deep end and consistently produces solid enough efforts that when she is dropped back in class, she normally prevails. It really is a race there to be won and we fully Hope that she obliges.

Heat 5 – 20:26

This is an intriguing encounter because whilst Sidaz Dippy is perhaps the quickest in the field, she does struggle to win her races and cannot be considered at the price. The Kent St. Leger winner Aayamzalad is performing at the top of his game and whilst his lack of early will eventually be exposed against classier opponents, he can continue his good form and is a good price to demonstrate his decent middle pace.

Heat 6 – 20:42

It is perhaps to oft barked by me that Aayamzabella would prefer trap 0 but is is definitely a proven strategy to back her when she has her beloved rails, which she does here. The red box (or slow trappers inside when drawn middle) is imperative for her and this is what she has. She has set two track records in her last two runs (admittedly over marathon trips) and if she is given any sort of room, she will be very tough to peg back after she delivers her devastating early up the rails. The Derby Runner-Up Airlie Impact is an interesting entrant to the competition, but he has too many question marks over him for me. How much that Derby campaign actually took out of him is a huge negative and the fact that his connections have rightly or wrongly not stepped him up in trip before, must show that they have concerns that he will get the 6 bends: especially this long one! Bubbly Swallow always enjoys being in front of the cameras but has relinquished her lead to readily in recent times. Boherna Bridge will need to lead but his presence means that “I Am Beautiful” can follow him round and beat him.

Heat 7 – 20:58

Musical Gaga has made a mockery of the already ridiculous distance that is a marathon trip, and her stepping down to 6 bends is not really a massive concern here; it will be later in the tournament I feel. Blonde Razor is sharp over this trip and whilst he is hugely progressive, Gaga can pounce on any falterings in his stamina. Killieford Khali is one that always comes high, wide and not-so-handsome-as-me and can get into it if the two railers get involved in a duel.

Heat 8 – 21:15

White Soks Roks has told me from his kennel that he may need the run to bring on his fitness here, but it is still hard to get away from our hero. His sprint trial was hugely likeable and he can power into the first bend to give these a real test: a test I don’t think they can pass. Moody Paul is respected as he blasted clear of his rivals over a similar trip at Hove recently, but he was noticeably tiring in the dying strides and I think Soks can tire less than him and win this. It should be a great race!

So, here are the recommendations:

White Soks Roks – 1 dog bone broken in half @ 25/1

There we are then! Those are my thoughts on this epic renewal of the 6-bend pinnacle of the year! As ever, please tweet me if you have any comments and myself or our hero @WhiteSoksRoks can bark back at you with a response! It should be a fascinating competition, but as the Lolly Faithful know all too well, you should Fear the Soks.

A competitive and intriguing card awaits tonight from Sittingbourne with many of the races having a feel of throwing a dart at the card in the hope of finding the elusive answer to the conundrum. Yet, despite the exciting nature of the racing, the biggest scandal in racing since someone declared that I could not win at Wimbledon is upon us tonight, as the traps have been changed for the standard distance since the Semi-Finals of the Kent Derby. It is all a bit of a nonsense really as I could ping from any trap (including the aforementioned London track, once…) but there is definitely an easy excuse for connections to use if there beloved hound misses the break tonight. This is the type of card that I thrive on as although I barked it is like throwing a dart, I have the accuracy of that human Phil Taylor (and I am using my two front paws!). Here are my thoughts on the proceedings:

19:34 – Puppies

The youngsters kick us off and this looks a massive drop in class for Benkaat Boomer. He has a speedy newcomer inside of him but Boomer’s experience should mean he outclasses that rival and this field. Rumours that he is named after Brian Blessed are unfounded, but he certainly has the pace to flash out and then the only real danger looks in the form of Newinn Rock. Rosney’s “Newinn” runners are always to be respected but he will have to progress significantly to challenge Boomer who has the pace to make-all.

19:49 – Sprint

The clear highlight of the card sees a very competitive affair with the protagonists all matched on their formlines. A case could be made for Call Me Millie as she has the most solid form and will certainly take the beating if she pings out of her favoured trap 6, but she has a woeful draw to overcome. Kizi in trap 3 has genuine sprinting speed but moves off at the bend, and Precious Script is likely to follow him there as he is another looking to course the hare on the wide. If any of those gets a clear run they will take some beating but it is hard to envisage that and thus steps in one of the underrated performances from last week in front of the Sky cameras: Cape Impact. He nosed the camera last week to show his adoring fans that he was up for it and he ran a blinder behind the impressive local Farkland Impact. Farkland Impact had the noteworthy formline of beating my arch nemesis Lil Risky the week before which in houndsight, was a formline that should have been respected more. We can use that in our favour to show how well Cape Impact ran at Newcastle last week in finishing second; he can go one better today in a race that if he clears the enigmatic Comeragh King, is there for the taking.

20:04 – Stayers

Whilst these dogs run over an obscene distance, it is always an exciting time of the year on the eve of the St. Leger and we have 2 serious players in that tournament lining up here tonight. The step up in trip of Blonde Razor has worked the oracle for this recent expensive purchase (unbeaten over a short 6 bends) and he has shown he can go from the front or behind. He will definitely have his supporters but it is hard to ignore the likeability of the young Droopys Posh who caught Swift Keith as a puppy over a short 4 bend trip (an incredibly useful piece of form) and if she can transfer that pace over 6 bends against classier types than she faced on her staying bow, she will take the world of beating over this trip; odds of 10/1 will certainly disappear for the Leger if she does so. In an all-railer affair it is likely to be messy as the dog in 6, Westmead Bertie, is an extremely likeable canine friend of mine but he will be looking for the rail at the bend. Navarone was bought for similar money to Blonde Razor (reportedly 10,000 doggie treats for each), and whilst he has shown sporadic form in minor contests over a stayer’s trip, he lacks the scope these days of either Posh or Razor. Posh could turn into something special over 6 bends and has the opportunity here to demonstrate that.

20:19 – Standard

This is a tough race to call as Aero Tobias and Lode Esteem have similar profiles for me. On his day, Tobias has a different level of pace to Esteem though, and he is fancied here to at least follow that rival round and beat him for overall speed. The interesting runner of the race, Right Touch, has been declared a N/R with the reserve (Born to Survive) being a mid-to-wide sort, further enhancing the chances of Tobias and Esteem. Each of them are normally thrown in the deep-end and whilst us greyhounds can swim, they struggle in quality company; they do not face that here and Tobias can win the match-race.

20:34 – Marathon

This is one of those races where I nearly fell off my sofa when I saw the price of one of the runners. Aayamzabella from her favoured red box, with no early pace in trap 2, after demolishing her rivals when getting the rails last week at Newcastle, is a simple must-bet for those that like to eat doggie treats. Balance Sheet is bred for this absurd distance but Aayamzabella is one of the best marathon runners in the country when she is given an inside draw and whilst she would arguably prefer trap 0, she will have to make do with 1 today and she can fully utilise that. Freedom Cache has pace but is a dog without a distance and this will be stretching his capabilities, particularly against the gallant pace of the self-proclaimed “I Am Beautiful”.

20:49 – Super Standard

Whilst this race has an air of arrogance about it due to it’s title, the standard of it is not that spectacular and it will not take much winning. Hollyoak Oliver has been a precocious boy over the past few weeks but with the slow, middle-moving Glanmire Jet next to him, he can dominate the inside and win this. Frettenham Flyer always churns out a good effort but often milks it when running against classy opposition and Oliver has a tinge of class, albeit often too fleetingly. My colleagues do not want to see Glanmire Jet turn at the first bend anywhere near them.

21:09 – Grand National Final

A stellar cast of hurdlers lines up for the less-gruelling version of a Horse’s toughest test, and the ever-enigmatic Droopys Lorenzo will as ever, be hard to beat if he doesn’t fall. His jumping style leaves a lot to be desired but the hurdles at Sittingbourne are not that hard to negotiate and he can show his brute pace to claim this. Westmead Meteor, the Springbox winner, will need no invitation as he is probably the classiest jumper in the country and can pounce on any mistakes from Lorenzo. It would be wrong to read too much into Lorenzo’s missed break last week as the hare was nearly around the first bend by the time the traps opened (hence the changing of the traps for tonight, it all makes sense now…), and he is normally a pretty reliable trapper. Ricky Holloway is bidding for a unique treble if Meteor can oblige for him but he trains his hurdlers to jump over proper sticks, which these are not quite. Mo Realta Frank is seriously well-drawn with the ever-likeable but sofa-yearning Melanie drawn next to him and he will be a threat if the market leaders make a hash of their jumping.

21:19 – Kent Derby Final

If there is one dog that could be hindered by the change of traps, we will see it in this race as Exocet bids to ping for the third time in succession and make-all. The miraculous healer that is Exocet, who infamously withdrew from the Sussex Cup lame (when favourite after the first round) to appear three days later across the water for the Irish Derby, is undoubtedly as talented on the track as his powers of recovery are off it. The Irish Derby Semi-Finalist will surely not be picked up if he leads: that “if” should probably be a “when”. All things considered however, Droopys Odell could give any dog a run when he secures his rails berth and he has a potentially good draw to claim his beloved rails. I bark potentially because Bridge Bandit on his immediate inner is a course-and-distance specialist and can ping out, but if Odell can lead him, he can give Exocet a race and is more than worth taking a chance on at 4/1. Odell won from a horror draw in 4 in the Semi-Final (some would argue he was lucky in-running but connections must have been happy that he qualified from that draw, let alone win) and he is a serious powerhouse on the rails. Droopys Danneel has a good draw out wide but Odell has more pace for me and Islas Scolari will do his normal race of running on when it is unfortunately, all too late in this class.

Here are the recommendations then:

Droopys Odell – 1 breast of chicken @ 4/1

So there are my thoughts on the card, as ever please tweet or comment and I promise to respond faster than it takes Exocet to recover from lameness! There is no doubting that if he leads he will be seriously tough to beat, but I would not want Odell turning behind me and he can be another love for the Lolly Faithful tonight.

What a night we have in store for us as the most competitive racing since Derby Final night sees some of my finest colleagues running around Newcastle. Whilst my excitement is building, it is impossible to forget last year’s meeting that will be forever known in the Lolly Household as Tumbleweed Tuesday as local runners at big prices dominated the card: my local Geordie colleagues should be respected tonight, I’m shore of that. Due to the competitive nature of the racing and the quality racing surface, there is definitely value to be had and that is what I have found for the Lolly Faithful. Here are my thoughts on the proceedings:

19:34 – Sprint

Everyone’s favourite distance kicks off the night and a sprinter that definitely would have at least been able to see me at some point in a race should be backed here: Jumeirah Dubai. He exploded onto the scene last year on supporting cards to the Scottish Derby and built up an impressive reputation. Whilst he has been changed to a Wide seed which is of some concern, it has given him a great draw to work from out wide as there is a great possibility for inside scrimmaging here. Farkland Tyson is one of those pesky local runners that could sprint a surprise but the main impact of him on this race is probably to hold the quirky, but always dangerous, Mill Bullseye. Bullseye arguably prefers it round his Mackem homeland than at other tracks but he undoubtedly has pace. He is outclassed by Dubai, however.

19:49 – Standard

Droopys Pride took a nasty fall in the All England cup when fancied and is not ideally placed in trap 3 for this rails-loving colleague of mine. He has pace but does not have the profile of Hather George or Bubbly Phoenix who are expected to have a fierce battle down the far side for supremacy. Preference is for the former who has been ultra-consistent for Charlie Lister OBE and ran a superb race last week in the semi-finals of the All England after making a horror start that I used to have nightmares about before I found the sofa. Bubbly Phoenix is a desperately unfortunate colleague of mine to pick up the injuries he has done, as he demonstrated on Derby Final Night 2012 that he was more than capable of winning that illustrious race had he not made a horror start himself in the Semis that year. Therefore, the potential for both George and Phoenix to come out last should not be discounted, but if they both turn in front I think the added power of George these days will overhaul his talented adversary. Bridge Honcho is a top-class dog on his day but needs to show signs of a revival.

20:04 – Marathon

A strong looking line-up has created value in this race for one of the most powerful bitches around: Aayamzabella. She was bought to replace the roguish, ever-lovable Ayamzagirl for the connections and she is proving a top-class bitch to follow when drawn right. She needs the rails (so maybe to follow when she is drawn left, anyways…) so here she looks like she can assert on the inside and account for Incitatus (who could stay further than that human Haile Gebrselaisse) and the returning Storming Coco. Coco has built a reputation over her career around Sheffield but her lack of conviction at other tracks is a concern whereas Aaayamzabella should relish this galloping circuit where she can find room. Peggys Gift is a lively outsider having won on Sky before at a nice price, and she definitely seems to revel with the cameras on her as she cheekily puts her tongue out.

20:19 – Stayers

I know regular readers of the dog blog expect and anticipate in-depth, intuitive and insightful previews of each race and in keeping with that theme, I have two barks for this race: Fear Emoski.

20:34 – Angel of the North Final

Arguably the best bitches in the country line-up here and I for one will be on the edge of my sofa howling like a lunatic. Besides from my inevitable momentary lapse in being chilled out on the sofa, I expect this to be a fantastic race. Bridge Ruth deserves favouritism with her all-conquering displays but the same can be said for Butts Mott who bids for an incredible 10-timer this evening. With Akerview Gem being a local bitch in form this looks like a race with crowding at the first bend written all over it in paw prints. Butts Mott likes the rails and is drawn 4, Gem is fast-away and Ruth likes to come middle on the run-up so it is hard to envisage a clear run for the favourite. If she gets one she will be hard to beat or if Mott gets loose the same can be barked, but the value in this race is surely the ex-Irish raider Airforce Diva on the outside. Last year, Ruth and Diva came over from Ireland with very similar reputations although the latter was often stroppy about the state of her kennel pre-race. Diva has since been back to Ireland and regained her form that she lost on these shores before and in the process, she has the surely unique formline on her card of finishing 2nd with the comment: Never Showed. Whilst that was probably harsh by the human marking her movements, it does beg the question whether the other 4 runners behind her were all having a sniff on the grass around the hare rail. Anyways, Diva looks more settled in the UK this time with Lister and has the ability to sweep round the outside after following the dangerously fast-away Forest Trick, who is probably the overpriced runner on the card. Diva can beat her down the back straight, though.

20:49 – Great North Run Final

As many of the Lolly Faithful will know, I make no bones about my favourite colleague in training being Farloe Tango and I dearly hope he doesn’t show his brutal pace today. He is reluctantly overlooked with a superbly game bitch in Calzaghe Lilly who is one of the best staying marathon performers around. She pinged the traps in her Semi final and a repeat would be greeted with me barking at my Surhound Sound TV in excitement, but even if she does not come away as well, she can overhaul the gallant local Derrane Jake. Jake has been a great servant and is one of the locals that could cause a slight shock this evening but age is creeping up on him (I know the feeling) and he will have to be back to his scintillating best to hold Lilly this evening. Please don’t turn second Tango.

21:04 – Northern Puppy Derby Final

Here is the race that the Lolly Faithful could be dining style after as we go in with the superbly well-drawn Bubbly Charlie, who was our antepost selection for the tournament at 10/1. He will go off at slightly less than that tonight but us dogs don’t know what price we are and he can capitalise on any inside trouble: a hugely likely scenario. Swift Keith is a very fast young pup but has proven he is beatable, even when he leads, and whilst he will like trap 1 he will not want to see the powerhouse Redbrick Stuart come out with him. Droopys London, litter-brother to our selection, is undoubtedly pacey but has a poor draw to work from with Droopys Dave likely to be moving inwards from his berth in 4. Charlie is a game wide-runner who can loom large round the penultimate turn and prove too strong. That’s the plan, anyway!

21:19 – All England Cup Final

A fascinating conclusion to the “Northern Derby” here as the superb Pay Freeze lines up to make it double Category One successes in a row. The way he ran during the Steel City cup was breathtaking and his ability has further been proven with his sensational sectional in the first round of this tournament, and then his gusty win in the Semi-Final. He is worth taking on though. Whilst you may think I am barking mad, the price on Glenpadden Bolt makes him the value if you want to have an interest in the race. He took a nasty fall in the Steel City Cup final when 2/1 against the re-opposing Pay Freeze and the nature of his Semi-Final win last week means he can take this race and gain revenge. Freeze comes out of 1 well but he is not as scintillating out of the red box as the middle ones as a rule and if Bolt reproduces his Semi run, he will not be overtaken. Calzaghe Davy has a huge reputation but has yet to convince me that he is top class, however fast he may be, and he has burnt our paws on a couple of occassions when the Faithful have been on him. Airlie Impact is the gallant competition dog that is delighting connections but his win-ratio is starting to get concerning and therefore is one for forecasts and tricasts, rather than to win. It takes a brave dog or human to go against Pay Freeze, but that’s the type of hound I am.

So here are the recommendations:

Calzaghe Lilly (2 breasts of chicken @ 2/1)

There we go then, as ever if you have any comments please tweet me and I’ll get back to you as fast as Jumeirah Dubai is going to run the 2 bends tonight! The Lolly Faithful will be howling on with the countless Champagne Club members tonight and let’s hope Bubbly Charlie can have us popping the corks off some milk bottles tonight!

Well, this could turn into a very enjoyable evening for the Lolly Faithful as our two antepost selections will be going off as favourite and third-favourite respectively. Whilst we can’t count our chickens yet (presumably because I would eat them), only a disastrous 5th and 6th for Pay Freeze and Kowloon Conner would lead us not profiting on the tournament that is the highlight of the year for Owlerton Stadium; that scenario is nearly as unthinkable as the sofa being taken up by humans. The rest of the card is competitive and as in the Steel City analysis, local runners are strong around their Sheffield track due to it’s peculiar shape. As ever, I have found some value for the Lolly Faithful, even though it looks a night for favourite backers to prosper, let’s take advantage!

19:34 – 480m

The night begins with an intriguing contest with the inclusion of back-to-form Droopys Reason posing a real teaser to form students: can he repeat his run from last week? If he does, he is a different class to these but he has shown throughout his career that he is a temperamental sort so it is worth siding with Whiterock pinging the lids in his typical fashion and holding on desperately. Indeed, desperately is the correct word here as he does not want any further than 3 bends (let alone 4!) but he should have built up a healthy enough lead to cling on. Other likeable sorts, Lionhearted Andy and Russanda Rodge, could also do with a three bend race but the wide Andy drawn inside Rodge should hinder both of their chances sufficiently. Craster Kipper hails from the strong Harry Williams kennel and any A1 form around Newcastle should be treated as Open race class these days. Whiterock should just have enough though.

19:49 – 500m

A nice young bitch is something I like to watch on my Surhound Sound TV and that is what we will be watching tonight in the form of Droopys Posh. She elegantly moved her way through the field last week at Yarmouth to overhaul the highly-revered Swift Keith and there is nothing of Keith’s pace in this race for me. Droopys Dave should definitely be respected as his formlines are strong but Posh looks destined for great things on and then off the track and the extra 38m she has to play with today can show her as a potential staying star. Yorkshire Mafia knows this track inside out yet even that advantage should not hinder the classy Posh and she can spice up the night here.

20:04 – 280m

The sprinting scene is really starting to pick up after a subdued period following my retirment: probably due to the confidence-denting beatings I used to dish out! It is rare that you will see a Track-Record holder as young as Droopys Quincy be third-favourite for a race but that is an indictment of his inconsistency and his poor strike-rate for a dog of his speed. Wajas Trump is on an eight-timer for his connections but is crucially drawn outside course and distance stalwart Bowtime Fella who can utilise his favourable draw. Fella sprints round here as well as anything and has had some great battles recently with top draw sprinters Farloe Barracuda and Jumeirah Dubai, albeit with mixed success, yet it still shows his consistency and his draw can sway this one. A race to savour here.

20:19 – Marathon

Now and again you get a type of colleague that looks like they could run 5000m and challenge that human Mo Farah and here is a prime example: Incitatus. While the Latin pronunciation may be hindering the commentators, I can bark that they seemed to have nailed it now even if their interpretation is a bit ad hoc. This extraordinarily long distance of 915m is exactly 3 times further than any self-respecting colleague of mine should consider running but as it is, Incitatus will get this trip and further if needed; the same can’t be confirmed for some of the other runners in the field. The way he ran on valiantly (although one-paced) in the TV Trophy Final suggests he is ready to take this even if he will have a battle with Storm Pockets for the majority of the race. Pockets is running below her best for me and seems to have lost the sparkle that sent her off favourite for last year’s TV Trophy. Peggys Gift is a bitch who gets the trip and hails from Newcastle but has many facets to make-up on Incitatus, like genuine open-racing pace et cetera.

20:34 – Hurdles

I must admit I have limited interest in hurdles as regular readers will vouch that I once banged my head on one because I was so quickly away. In an uninspiring contest even for the most hardened of jumping fans, Green Amigo is in a different league pace and class wise.

20:49 – Stayers

Just when I was beginning to think my opinions were faultless and all-knowing, a bitch called Bubbly Swallow comes along and thwarts my ill-conceived opinion of her. If she is reading this from her kennel, I have to apologise for barking that she is a bitch without a distance and is worth taking on, as she is now top Sky dog for this year which definitely puts egg on my nose, that I will lick off. Indeed she loves being in front of the cameras more than Katie Price and actually has a talent that is worth watching. She meets top locals here in the form of Stepaside Glenis and Hather Sherlock with the former having found a new lease of life in recent weeks! Whilst she is clearly not ready for the sofa yet, I think the main danger is Hather Sherlock getting a run as he is a powerful sort who can swoop round the outside. But who am I to oppose Swallow? I won’t make that mistake again, possibly!

21:04 – Standard

This penultimate affair is a good race on paper with Derby Semi-Finalist Hather George being challenged by some progressive types around arguably his favourite track. The 3 Steps to Victory winner at this circuit, George, will need to draw upon all of his experience from a slightly poor draw to maintain his healthy strike-rate at the Owlerton circuit. Express Giant has yet to really find his form here at Sheffield but is a well-bred type who could progress at any moment; he is also well-drawn on the rails this evening. Bubbly Lucky is a danger if he turns handy as he is a classy, powerful colleague yet he will rail and so his draw in 4 is not ideal. The most barked about dog in the race from around the kennels and human opinions is Toystory King who is well-drawn, progressing and is taking a liking to the track. He will have to go some to beat Lister’s admirable, faithful servant though.

21:19 – Steel City Cup Final

So here we are! The moment of truth as we take 12/1 Pay Freeze and 16/1 Kowloon Conner into the final. Indeed, the dog blog at the start of the tournament highlighted the importance of local runners in this tournament when I barked: “This Category One tournament is often dominated by the strong Northern kennels and in particular local trainers” (the full antepost thoughts can be viewed here: http://is.gd/2OmI1m). This has proved particularly significant as 5 of the 6 runners in the final this evening are local and the other is from a “Northern Kennel” in Harry William’s Hadrians Wall.

Looking at the race, the draw has not worked out kindly for Freeze drawn out as far as 5 and indeed his only defeat to date is from this box, but his record of 8 wins from 9 starts is simply impossible to ignore and he can lead Jolly Angelo and Hadrians Wall to give himself room on the inside. Glenpadden Bolt is the main danger for the Lolly Faithful but he will need one of his electric breaks (which are not that often) to counter any early moves from the mid-moving and pacey local Corkish Mick. Bolt with a clear run is going to be a real threat but it is hard to envisage Freeze not extending his record here. I barked in the dog blog before the tournament, I “was too dismissive of such a course specialist” in last year’s winner (Skywalker Louie who won @ 10/1) and Freeze definitely fits into that mould. Conner always runs his heart out and will need to rediscover his trapping boots to win, but he has a great draw to work from with Freeze moving in at the bend and so he could have the race run to suit. Freeze looks like he has too much sheer pace and power for these, however.

So here are the recommendations for this evening:

Droopys Posh – 1 doggie treat @ 6/4

Incitatus – 1 chewstick @ 10/11

As always, please comment or tweet if you have anything to say about my opinions and I promise to bark back at you with as much excitement as if I see Pay Freeze make the bend this evening. Of course, we would be delighted to see Conner win, but a Freeze photo between the two would pay us huge numbers of doggie treats. I’m salivating at the thought!

Enjoy the racing,

Jimmy