The
BAGS Track Championship Home Leg
Well,
we’re finally here. To be honest, for Team Swindon this is a year that we
really want to forget. It’s fair to say we haven’t had the best of years,
putting in very poor performances at both Poole and Hove. You can look at
numerous factors into why we haven’t done so well, however mainly it has to be
said that the squad of greyhounds we took to both tracks just weren’t good
enough to compete with the other tracks more quality fields. It’s very
unfortunate, as we did so well last year. It’s also unfortunate for the owners
and trainers who have really put in the effort to trial at tracks, driving a
lot of miles to get to these places, so thank you to all of them. Hopefully we
can put in a better innings next year!
Looking
at this home leg, however, we can be really optimistic about having some
winners. There are some races here where we look like really good things, with
a couple of surprise one’s along the way now. Although getting to the finals at
Sheffield are completely out of our sights, we can still go out with a good performance
on home soil!
15:28 – The BAGS Track
Championship Puppy
My Pick: Jet Stream Olly (NAP)
Going
straight in with a NAP here, in the form of Jet Stream Olly. Kevin Hutton’s dog
won a recent A1 in a decent enough time, and looks to have a plot on the
outside. Barring the two Hove dogs here, the away contingent aren’t exactly the
strongest bunch, so we should really be looking for a 1-2 here. To Tone Charlie
has also been running really well recently. And will be challenging coming
home.
Of
the away dogs, the best chance looks to come in the form of Droopys Acapulco.
Seamus Cahill’s youngster looks to be one to watch, and ran a decent enough
trial here last Saturday. He’s an early pace merchant, who needs to stay out of
trouble to really land any form of a blow.
15:48 – The BAGS Track
Championship Sprint
My Pick: Dustin Eagle (NB)
Realistically,
and it’s pretty obvious, this is our weak link, and has been in the entire
competition. A lack of decent sprinting types, combined with a possibly need
for sprint racing when this next comes round, means that we aren’t exactly
great in the sprint department. Conahy and Wagama are very decent early pace
sorts, don’t get me wrong, but there’s quite a margin between an early pace dog
and a genuine sprinter.
Dustin
Eagle, to me, should stick to these sprints because he’s proved here that he
can run them in style. One of the consistent performers of the competition,
Eagle has won both IT races, and posted a really good trial time round Swindon.
He looks like he’ll come on for the run too, getting slightly lost going into
the first bend in his trial (in my opinion)
16:08 – The BAGS Track
Championship Stayers
My Pick: Coologue Smokey
Although
this is a very hot race, with 3 and 4 looking to be vying for favouritism, I’m
always one to have an experiment pick in these sort of races. Coologue Smokey,
trained by Ben McBride, has been running well in A1’s, however always looked to
be a good staying sort. He’s had a switch-a-roo trial to Monmore, hopefully
keeping him fresh for Swindon. Although he’s on debut over the trip here, he
looks to be a cracking stayer in the making, so it’s interesting to see how he’ll
go here. As for our other runner, Portavoe Girl, I do query whether she
actually stays this trip, as I’ve always thought it was a bit too much for her.
Tennessee
Morning and Droopys Halo both look like good things here, with me siding just
with Droopys Halo out of the two, due to her staying so well at Poole. A lively
outsider could be Mingers Port in trap 1. Paul Woodhouse’s girl has a nice draw
on the rail, and if showing some early toe, could run a big race here.
16:27 – The BAGS Track
Championship Dogs
My Pick: Droopys Franklin
A
winner here, potentially, for Hove in Droopys Franklin. Franklin ran an awesome
trial here last Saturday, pinging and making all in a cracking 28.63, and any
sort of repeat performance will see him land this in style. Ken Tester’s dog
may have to contend with Zara Two on the run up, however.
Punchestown
Boy, for Kevin Hutton, looks a decent sort out in trap 5. Boy put in a good run
last time, and is arguably very well housed here, with slow starters all around
him. He wants to be out and gone, competing with the 1 and 2 off the 2nd.
Bezzas
Boy, for Matt Dartnall, isn’t perhaps the class of these, although he did run a
big race last time out at Hove.
16:47 – The BAGS Track
Championship Dogs
My Pick: Primo Brett
To
be honest, anyone who has been watching the A2’s and A1’s recently will know
that Primo Brett is something pretty special, and I was waiting for a big run
from the boy. That run came last Monday, with a superb 28.54 run on the wide
outside. Although it wasn’t the strongest race in the world, he annihilated a
pretty decent field, and to post that sort of time shows he’s got the ability.
I’m sure after this he’ll go on to bigger and better things. He’s well housed
here as the sole wide runner.
Obviously,
he’s going to have to contend with Millwards Joker in trap 2, who’s equally
well housed. Joker, trained by Seamus Cahill, has been the star of the entire competition
this year, putting in two hugely impressive performances. He ran a very good
trial, taking his time to get by Droopys Acapulco. Again it’s a case of
possible improvement off of the trial, which could give Primo Brett something
to worry about.
17:07 - The BAGS Track
Championship Bitches
My Pick: Hoof It Katie
A
tough race this one, with argument being made for about half the field here. I’ve
sided with Hoof It Katie. She ran an OK trial last Saturday, where she looked
to get a little bit lost around the third bend (a usual thing for a first
look). She should come on leaps and bounds for the look, and has the class to
beat the field. She’s got a 29.70 on her card at Hove, which is a cracking run
round there (I would say equating to about 28.60 Swindon).
She’ll
have to contend with a lot of early pace in this one, with most of it coming
from our two in 5 and 6. Nickys Love, in trap 5, has been having a cracking run
recently, winning her last 3 starts, including a good 29.05 run last time. She’s
winning her races due to her early pace, and she’ll need all of it here to lead
the field.
Al
Dente is another who’s on the improvement list. Matt Dartnall’s lass ran an
impressive race last time, beating Apple Stan, in 29.01, trapping well and
mowing them down the back straight. She’s a girl on the up, and has a lovely
draw on the outside here.
17:22 – The BAGS Track
Championship Standard
My Pick: Farran North
A
bit of an odd race this one, and one that I found quite hard to pick a winner
from. In the end, I’ve just sided Farran North. I’ve gone for him solely on the
fact that there is a lot of early pace in this one, with a lot of the
greyhounds just struggling to get home. North, although he put in a very good
split last time, usually likes to come off the back and challenge them coming
home.
Our
two runners are very much early pace sorts, and are greyhounds on the up.
Mercurial Jet is a May’12 pup who looks like something special. He showed some
great pace to win his last A2 in a good time, however this is a step up into
what is essentially minor open class, and more importantly all aged open class company.
Mr October is currently one of my favourites. Trained by Ben McBride, he’s got some terrific early pace, and recently saw off a good field in A2 with a 29.04 run. He’ll need to lead round the bend to land this one.
17.38 – The BAGS Track
Championship Standard
My Pick: Ericks Gav
Here
we go, now’s your time to get your money back that you may have lost at Hove on
him! Ericks Gav looks superbly drawn, and all round the winner of this one. Ben
McBride’s dog has a cracking record here, winning his last A1 in 28.63. He
heads off to Monmore after this, and should be competitive in that competition.
Bigger things await Gav, hopefully after landing this race in style!
17:56 – The BAGS Track
Championship Bitches
My Pick: Awbeg Lady
I’ve
been a long-time fan of Awbeg Lady. She’s a good early pace sort who likes to
hit the front, and then really guide her way round. She runs very much like
Lady Jayne in that respect. She’s certainly very fast, as proved in a good
28.93 first look round on Tuesday. She’s capable of a much better start than
she did on Tuesday, and could lead this field.
The
best of our chances, I feel, comes with Ring The Alarm. Kevin Hutton’s daughter
of Swift Jade put in a good A2 run last time, and is hopefully coming into her
own following a small rest. She’s another who’s capable of a big run off the
front.
18:11 – The BAGS Track
Championship Stayers
My Pick: Bua Paprika
It’s
very hard to ignore this dog’s potential over the stayer’s trip. Jason Heath’s
lad put in a trap to line masterpiece in the Hove leg last month, posting an
awesome 41.22 run over their 695m trip. In fairness, you don’t really have to
read too much into his 480m trial round Swindon, that would’ve been more for
the look. If he’s out on the bunny, which in this race I think he will, he’ll
take the world of catching.
One
big performer could be Brookend Six. Bob Smith’s lass put in a good S2
performance back in October, flying home like a steam train to post 42.02.
After that run, I believe she could possibly go a step further into marathon
territory. She’ll certainly be running on here, so she’s a possible point’s
scorer.
Once
again, good luck to everyone participating in the final leg of the
championship, and the very best of luck to whichever team makes the grand final
at Sheffield on the 23rd December
Happy
Punting!
Wattsy,
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