Open Races for Saturday 30th June

G'day again all, welcome to another edition of my ramblings. 

The open race book is a little full now, considering we've got opens near on every week, and what with the Produce Stakes coming up, its pretty hectic at the moment. The draw for the Produce Stakes should be out in the middle of next week. On last count there was around 68 entries, so there is no need for the elimination trials on Tuesday. This number is obviously down a bit from last year, however, as you will see when the draw is out, I think the overall quality is actually very good this year. 

Anyway, I'll natter more about the produce when it comes to it. Saturday sees 4 opens grace the sand, and here's my preview of the races: 

19:57 - The Blunsdon 480 Puppy 

My Pick: Peacemaker - NB

This is a pretty hot puppy race, with Ballymac Wander jumping off the page at you to start with, after winning the Puppy Oaks at Nottingham. However, I do have to query the seeding here. She has comments of Middle and MidW, yet is seeded rails? Seem's very perculiar to me, which leads me to my pick, Peacemaker. He's coming on very nicely for John Millard, having run round gallops such as Coventry and Sittingbourne. He also comes here with a trial (is a Produce pup). The line at Coventry is very telling, I was there that day, and he was seriously unlucky to get crowded out on the third bend. Since then, he's picked up a win at Sittingbourne, and did a very good 29.13 getting beat last time. Being the sole railer, he should get a clear to the bend, and with his early pace he should win this. 

Forest Ronaldo is a big player in this race aswell. Paul Foster's pup has run really well in the last two A1 wins against some very good dogs. He's not quite reached that OR winner status yet, however he's a baby and will surely be a frequent OR winner in no time. Depending on what sort of run he gets on the run up with Wander in 2, he could prove a lively contender vs. Peacemaker. 

As for the others in the race, to me Gorm Cailin and Hey Diego are outclassed in this field, and as such will be double digit prices. Gemstone Jack is on a bit of a down-spell at the moment, I'd like to see him get a good run in this, but something's telling me this is a step too far. 

My Trio: 1-3-2 

20:29 - The Blunsdon Standard 

My Pick: Westmead Adonis - NAP

This is the easiest race on the card really. Adonis, a derby finalist and trained by Nick Savva, trialled here last week and was a length off the clock for his first look. In my book, he's the market leader to win the Produce Stakes, and could go close to breaking the clock in this race. With Matties Mate in 2, as a middle runner, Adonis should pretty much get a clean passage to the bend. 

With such a short price jolly bound to oblige, you'd be better off looking for a forecast link in this race, and I'd be siding with Yeatsie Boy. Kevin Hutton's charge won very comfortably in the A1 last week, and has the pace to even lead this field. My only concern is that he is relatively inexperienced. 

My Trio: 1-6-5 

21:17 - The Blunsdon 509er 

My Pick: Westmead Aouita 

Again, not really original but the short price jolly should win this with relative ease. Nick Savva's charge won nicely last week over the same trip, in a time that I thought looked alot quicker when watching live. For the look round, I'm sure he'll go even better, and I should think he'll break the 30.00 barrier. 

 One big runner for me in this race will be Farloe Skywalker. Matt Dartnall's dog is a veteran now, however he has a stellar CV to his name, and is still a class act even at 4 years of age. One thing I've noticed about this race is that, even with the 4 wide seeds in, both 3 and 4 can stay fairly middle on this long run to the bend, meaning there shouldn't be that much trouble. Skywalker will need to break well and try and get round in front. 

 Kelseys Prince is also a potential party spoiler. Kevin Hutton's runner has a very good 29.85 for the 515 at Hove, a distance that translates very well to this 509m distance. He trailled well enough on Tuesday over 480, recording 28.85 calc. Expect him to be rattling home towards the end. 

My Trio - 2-5-6 

21:49 - The Blunsdon Stayers 

My Pick: Wise Totty 

Toughie of a race this one. I've sided with Totty mainly because I thought she ran really well in the marathon at Oxford the other week, and I think she's got that kick more early pace than her rivals in this race that could see her in front early and stay there. 

Blue Bee seems an obviousl contender to win this race, however she hasn't got a win to her name in quite some time. The Ladbrokes Golden Jacket winner has been running down at Hove for the past few runs, and although there are some good times there (41.51 etc), there isn't a winning line of form. However, if she does run at anything like her best, she will be tough to catch. 

Forest Bonjo is a very interesting runner for Paul Foster in trap 6. Just out of puppy status, I've never really had him down in the formbook as a 6 bend runner. However, he has shown alot more late pace recently than he used to, so he may well be maturing that way. He posted a remarkable 28.60 run over 480 in trials on Tuesday, which tells me he may have enough middle pace in this race to shoot clear. It's whether he stays that will be the issue. 

Droopys Neale comes to us from Mildenhall after winning a 700m open there. The time was, however, rather mediocre, and to be honest he looks a double digit price. Primo Star also is in the same breathe, and looks a shade outclassed. Penskey Rain, the St.Leger Finalist, is always going to be within a shout in these races, and should be paid close attention to. 

My Trio: 2-3-5

Open Race Preview + OBS Predictions - 20th June 2012

As you lovely people may (or may not) have noticed, but we have a shed load of opens advertised for throughout the summer period. The opens in the calendar go up until the 20th July, however I can assure you that the open's span right through August as well!

The OR's on Wednesday night are the last of the £150 jobs, as they were advertised before the change, and were due to support the Monkey 509er (which seems to go through a very weird state of sometimes filling, sometimes not). 

2 Opens are gracing the Blunsdon sand tomorrow, with a couple of hounds in there obviously vying a look round in time for the Produce Stakes. It seems a bit mad really that it's come around again so soon, it was the Arc not too long ago, now the Produce!

20:04: The Swindon Standard

My Pick: Champagne Perry

Good little race this one, and to be honest rather difficult to fathom out, as you have all sorts of track form to juggle about. However, I've stuck with Nick Ralph's Champagne Perry. This son of Perrys Tango has adjusted to the track really well after a short stint with Matt Dartnall, and has an impressive CV, with 5 recent wins under Ralph's lead. His early pace is phenomenal, as he seems to kick into the bend better than I've seen most dogs, and can attack the bend at the same pace he goes into it. Being drawn red in a 5 railer race as well is always a bonus. I feel if he can re-create the same sort of run he did in the heat of the Diamond Jubilee Sweepstake, he wins this. The track, which with a bit of sun on its back suits front runners (in my opinion), should be perfect for him aswell.

He will be tracked down in this race though, and he'll have to hold off a late charge from Nick Savva's Westmead Atlas. Savva's charge, who is heading into the Produce Stakes, has some good form around galloping tracks such as Sittingbourne, and seems to leave his running very late. In the future, 6 bends seems to be at his game, however for now he can compete at this level. His best time on the card is the 27.96 at Henlow, which in all honesty would be enough, if replicated to Swindon, to win this. However, the early pace on his inside might catch him out.

Other contenders that are in the race include Hopefully Gold, who is going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment. The Gold that was running around 2 months ago would've trounced this field, but she seems to be a tad off the ball. Dippy Doo, for trainer Terry Kibble, has some credentials, as he won round here in the Easter Bunny Final back in April. Coolruss Tom, I will be honest, I don't know enough about, however he's a progressive Henlow grader, who again is coming for the Produce Stakes. The tri-cast link in my book is Airforce Angel. Angel has some very nifty Irish form, however hasn't really produced anything of note under old trainer Ricky Holloway. New trainer on the block Lynn Short may be able to find a tune with the bitch.

My Pick: 1-2-6

20:36: The Swindon 509'er

My Pick: Fatboyz Pacquiao

I feel that the 509er is alot easier to fathom out than the 480, and certainly I think Pacquiao can step up and win this with relative ease. Lynn Short's new charge (moved from Ricky Holloway) has experience at galloping tracks, and reached this year's Coronation Cup final at Romford. He doesn't have many wins on the card, but he is a class above in this race, and should bag an easy win. I'm expecting him to go into the bend 2nd and take it up from the half way point.

For the forecast linker, it's very difficult to be honest. Forest Bonjo is a standout dog for Paul Foster, however isn't really cutting it too much in his races recently. He has only just turned two, but I always want to see a bit more from him. I remember very well his 2.33 split and romp up's in the A1, however these days he seems more suited to a stayers trip. He may run on to snatch the placing here.

Westmead Aouita will be there or there abouts in this race also. The Nick Savva daughter of Droopys Vieri has been winning for fun over the 550 trip at Henlow, aswell as some great performances at Sittingbourne, most recently a 6 length + 29.04 romp up in an open. She, like her brother Atlas, seems to have a good late charge, but to me Aouita has a kick more early than her bro, so expect her to be there or there abouts in this. 

The other contenders include Farloe Orion, who needs to get back to winning ways to contend with these. Bright Ells is new to the OR league, the issue for me is that it is a massive step up for her, and one that I wouldn't take lightly. Saying that, she is more than capable as she's a progressive bitch, and more experience in OR company and she'll pick up opens for fun. Bodell Evan is another grader from Henlow with strong-ish 550 form. However, he'll have to step it up a gear in this race.

My Pick: 6-3-5

19:16, 19:32. 19:48: The BGRF Owner's Bonus Series

My Pick: Fermoy Lets Go

The Owner's Bonus Series (OBS) starts of Wednesday, with 3 heats taking place leading up to the final (I can't think for the life of me what the date of the final is!). My pick for the competition is Fermoy Lets Go. Grant Gillett's bitch has bags of early pace, and is relatively young against the field in its entirety. She can kick to the front against most of the railers in the competition, and is my pick to come up trumps.

I must say that it is good to see the OBS catered for some of the veteran campaigners. The likes of Woodman Hawk and Knockard Hondo are the sorts of dogs, amongst the others, who in their racing every week, and have racked up several wins etc. It's good to see these dogs getting rewarded (and their owners + trainers!), with a chance of earning some really good money in the final (£500 to the winner).

Happy Punting!!

Chris Watts

Second in the Derby Final, Opens at Swindon

This blog was sure due an update, so here we go!


Derby Final night, and what a night it was! For those that missed it, it was a really good spectacle of top greyhound racing, with the classiest dogs in the country taking to the Wimbledon stage. I'm not the biggest fan of Wimbledon, however I cannot deny that they put in a really good show, and by all accounts the night ran much better than it has in previous years. Of course, Wimbledon has an unfortunately large grey cloud hanging over it at the moment. I just hope that, one way or another, it's future is set in stone, rather than being up in the air.


As for the final itself, our representative, Farloe Ironman, ran a stormer to finish second to Blonde Snapper. Matt Dartnall's charge got clobbered out of the boxes, tangling with Coolavanny Bert, however this seemed to help into the bend, as alot of trouble meant that Ironman nipped round the inside and missed it all. Snapper had the lead down the back, but Ironman was closing. Alas, he couldn't come close enough, and Snapper went on to record a 2 length or so victory. Ironman was subject to a massive gamble before the race, with him being backed from 9/2 to 6/4 favourite (apparently subject to a seperate 'bet on who will return favourite' gamble), and the gamble nearly paid off. I do think that the initial bump out of the traps took alot more out of the dog than initially thought (not an excuse, just a suggestion!).


In any event, well done Matt and the team for having the runner up in the Derby!


As for the future, and for Swindon at the moment, it has to be said that it's a bit of a funny patch. Nick Colton has decided to quit training over here and has tendered his resignation to both Swindon and Oxford. Nick has a lovely place over in Ireland, and obviously the call for retirement beckoned! I wish Nick and Barbara all the best in their future endeavours.


Of course, losing a trainer of this calibre means that we are short of greyhounds on the graded strength at present. It's a problem that always comes about this time of year, for every track. The weather has got better, meaning the track can sometimes be a bit hard, and the sun on the dogs' back's seems to bring on seasons and problems galore. It's a headache for everyone, however it's something that we have to wade through. Unfortunately, I can't help but think that the inevitable downward spiral in greyhound racing is starting to get a bit mad.


To alleviate the issue, several opens have been advertised. These opens will feature in the upcoming GBGB calendar. We're doing all sorts of distances and races for pups/maidens etc. The prize money for these opens are £200 win, £50 2nd and £30 others. Obviously, with the opening of Coventry and the increased prize money on offer at Sittingbourne etc, competition for OR entries is fierce, so we hope that the increased prize money will help.