I get the feeling this may end up being a rather lengthy blog! Nevertheless, another page of ramblings from your's truly. First thing on the agenda is the new website, which has certainly divided opinion between people. The reason for the new website is that the old one, to be honest, was severely dated and (from an admin point of view) a nightmare to update. The new way in which to deliver racing information (the primary reason for the website) is now a lot more streamlined, and can be done from near enough anywhere (which helps greatly). I know a few people are having some trouble with the method in which the information is delivered. It's literally a case of clicking on the 'More Details' tab in the pop up bubble that comes up when you've clicked on an event. From there, there is a screen that has the attachments for the meeting, including the advance and results sheets. I'm hoping that full form could feature in time, however it's publication is out of my hands. It will take time to get used to, and it is a significant upgrade on the old one, but it will come!
Unfortunately this was the first weekend in rather a while that I was actually away from the track (holiday's are a novelty!), as I was attending the Irish Derby over at Shelbourne Park. I must say that the track itself is just superb, with a cracking running surface and facilities that are top notch. The prices and admission were very high. However, it shows that with the right promotion and advertising of a big race night at a nice venue, that people are willing to pay. The track itself must've made a fortune on the night, which is a credit to them as you can tell they worked their tailfeather's off to make the night a success. Things such as live music, tote promotions, and good grub all add up to an entertaining night out, and it does make you wonder why tracks don't invest in the whole entertainment package on offer to customers. A simple thing such as a disco after racing could do wonders for crowd numbers (and profit, obviously).
Talking to a few of the guys in the stands over there though, the picture looks just as bleak over that side of the sea. It's the same sort of situation there as it is here, in that the mid-week meetings just don't attract the general public (rather logical, really). Alas, promotion is saved for the big weekend meetings, with top grade racing taking centre stage. However, they are now finding that there are more 5 dog races and diminished crowds. The IGB's recent 5-year plan documentation, in my mind, only really scratched the surface of confronting the problems, without actually coming up with realistic, logical solutions. Anyone can say that prize money needs increasing, and another person can say that sponsorship needs to increase, however it's getting down to how we're going to achieve this that needs to be addressed.
Anyway, a look now at Friday's opens. The card itself is a really good card, with a decent little graded card under the opens. Hopefully the next competition can fill (over 509m) so we can be treated to another good night of open racing.
20:45 - The Lady Lane Sprint
My Pick: Lady Maud
This isn't exactly the hottest sprint race in the world, and I've basically broken all of my rules in following Lady Maud (Trap 1 in a sprint, aswell as no sprint race form) however it's hard to look beyond her in my eyes. She's been running out of her skin since coming back from lameness, putting in both cracking sectionals and good all-round performances. To me, she looks tailor made for sprinting, as she has some fab pace to the bend. Again, the issue is the lack of sprint open race form. However, with a tidy draw on the rails, on the inside of middle runners, she could be housed well here to win in style.
To me her main rival looks to be Vindepa in trap 5. Paul Foster's dog has been off the boil slightly in his last few races, including unfortunately taking a knock at the first last time out. However, when you look back through his form, he's more than capable of a big sprint run, and with the race being relatively weak, he could land a big blow here. He's certainly one to watch.
21:00 - The Lady Lane Standard
My Pick: Shelbourne Geoff
I'll be honest, I was getting a little bit worried when Geoff started trialling in, as he was doing more A4 times than the classy times he's known for putting in. Alas, it was good to see him winning the A1 well last Saturday (at a cracking price that I couldn't believe!). He's an older boy now, however class does last, and he's still running really well for Brian.
Chow for Now looks a big runner out wide for Kevin Hutton (good TV spot by the way). One big problem though is that awkward mark last time out at Romford. A mark in an open race I always take more seriously, as the Racing Manager will be looking at a dog that he probably doesn't know too well. In what is just my opinion, I think that a Racing Manager can gauge what a greyhound is like when they're running graded constantly at the track. Alas, this must've been a bit of an incident. I haven't actually seen the race in question, as such I don't have an opinion on the greyhound. Hopefully he's just a dog that will appreciate a switch in track to keep his mind on the game. Using this logic, he could be a big runner here.
Trap 2 here looks to be an interesting runner, Skywalker Kate. Paul Sallis' runner has some really good Irish form on her card, however things don't seem to have gone to plan on this side of the water. The thing with greyhounds such as this is that you're always expecting a big run from them at some point, as they're obviously capable. I envisage she'll go off near favourite here.
21:15 - The Lady Lane Stayers
My Pick: Gemstone Meg (NAP)
Nap time here, in the form of Gemstone Meg. In reading the race, I'm of the belief that the 3 will obviously lead round. With the 1 dog being so slow away, I'm thinking that Meg will go round in about 2nd/3rd. From here, she should be able to assert and win this race in my mind. Whenever I've seen her in stayers races, she's had a lot of traffic problems, and doesn't get the race to go her way. In this one, so long as all the stars align, she shouldn't have any excuses.
The 6 dog, Silverton Blaze, is always one to have in the back of your mind over this sort of trip. Maurice Walsh's greyhound is capable of awesome performances over this trip, so long as he traps and gets on the bunny early. His 13.66 split and 41.70 time on the card is proof that he's capable of wiping the floor with this field on his day.
Sharp Exit is also another lass to consider here, possibly for your trio's and forecast's. Paul Foster's girl has always put in good performances over the trip, and seems to be running really well at the moment, however the performances have never equated to good wins over the trip. Her form is top draw though, and will see all of this 685m trip out.
21:30 - The Lady Lane 509 Maiden
My Pick: Jet Stream Bolt
Jet Stream Bolt, the ex Institute, looks to make his mark on the UK scene with his debut here. His Irish form is just awesome, with a 28.55 (calc) time over the 480m at Tralee (before going, the 5th fastest time round there this year). He's put in some decent trials over here, including a pacey 28.62 here last week. This 509m trip also looks tailor made for him. The obvious target for this year I would guess is the Essex Vase at Romford.
The big stumbling block with backing him would be 1) He'll be a seriously short price, and 2) the draw is pretty bad. Trap 5, with 5 railers in the race, could make the first bend a potentially tricky area.
Due to this, trap 6, Fridays Turbo, could be a handy runner for Lynn Short. Turbo has only just graded in over here, posting what has to be said are a standard set of times. He does have 31.82 over at Lifford for there 526m trip, so he'll be seeing out all of this trip. If he's handy into the bend, so long as he doesn't find any trouble himself, he could be a big runner on the outside.
21:45 - The Swindon Friday Night Standard Final
My Pick: Longwood Bound (NB)
This is a cracking little final we have on offer, and some good winning prize money too. The very best of luck to all 6 runners.
Watching the two heats back, you can't help but be impressed by Longwood Bound. He put in an awesome 2.32 split to lead all the way in a decent time. As I've said before in the blog, class does carry through, and he's certainly a classy dog when it all goes his way. He's a finalist of the Arc and the Sussex Cup this year, and Colin Callow has a plot pitch as the sole wide runner in this final, with Kaipo most probably turning left on the run up.
Not knowing the dog completely, however if he has to lead all the way he could have a bit of a problem with Witcombe 'The Swindon Bullet' Dilemma in trap 4. Dilemma posted one of the fastest splits ever on Monday with a 2.23 (the record is 2.20) to be a few lengths clear off the 2nd. What's always going to curtail him winning is his lack of staying power, which Longwood Fantasy took full advantage of on Monday. However, it's always better to be out in front in a big race, so you have to respect Dilemma's chances.
Best of luck everyone!
Happy Punting!
Wattsy,
Thursday, 19 September 2013
Thursday, 12 September 2013
New Trainer, A Look At The OR's Friday
I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome Neil Jones to the graded strength at Swindon! Neil currently trains the 'Cimla' prefix dogs. Looking at the grading for Saturday, it looks as though they are bolstering the top grades here at Swindon, which is a big help in getting quality racing on. Neil's a great bloke, who has long supported the track in open racing. All the best!
Anyway, a look at the competition heats on Friday. Unfortunately, there were only 14 entries in the book (half of which were a certain Mr Hutton's!), alas this is only now a 2 heat affair. It's a touch disappointing really, however what we do have is two top quality heats. Best of luck to everyone in the competition. On the final's night, there are supporting opens over different distances, so hopefully next Friday night will be an OR extravaganza!
One thing to note before looking into these opens, and this is more a general note about the open race trap draw procedure in general, is quite frankly how backward it is. Any outsider looking at the races will wonder why the middle seeds were not more spread out. I understand the thinking that a random draw (which it is, as entries were faxed to the GBGB, where they were drawn for) is the only fair way of doing it, however surely it's a common sense and welfare issue that greyhounds are split in accordance to safe racing. Having 5 railers in a race is never good (however, it does happen alot), and if anything can be done to avoid this (things like finals etc, it's unavoidable) then it should be done.
Anyway, rant over, let's look at the opens;
21:00 - The Swindon Friday Night Standard - Heat 1
My Pick: Witcombe Dilemma
By how much I'm tipping the dog, you'd half think I owned a leg in him! In all seriousness, this is a seriously tough heat to fathom. The 5 railer conundrum is hard enough, let alone the sheet amount of early pace that's in the race. I've sided with Dilemma solely on the draw. On the outside of the 5 railers, you have to fancy Dilemma to slip round the outside. If he's out on the bunny, I can't see much picking him up in a race which is full of 'ping gone' sorts.
Arguably the one to look at would be Ballymac Cryan. Matt Dartnall's Arc winner from 2012 will be running on like a steam train against this field. The stumbling block in fancying him is that his recent form isn't the best (compared to what he used to be). However, he has to be looked at as a forecast link.
To me, trap 1 Youtalktoomuch looks a touch outclassed here, though he does have a good draw on the fence inside a sleeper at the traps. I see him going off at double digits here.
Trap 3 Jolly Bullseye is an interesting runner here. A finalist in the Arc this year, aswell as a big OR runner at Romford, Bullseye has had a bit of a stop-start campaign recently. His latest two trials aren't up to his standards really, and it'll be interesting to see how he takes this race. You write him off at your peril, yet on his recent form you wouldn't be a player at any price.
Trap 4 Alarming Jacks, to me, looks to be one of the best bitches in training this year, and you have to think that Kev has her lined up for the Oaks at Belle Vue later in the year. She's recently come back from a spell off the track with a good 29.42 run at Coventry, and she can only come on from that run. The problem here is the horrendous trap draw. Jack's is one of the tightest railers around, so trap 4 is a bit of a nightmare here. Fingers crossed she can show a good kick of early and get a handy position early. If scooting clear, she'll certainly be in the frame.
Longwood Fantasy for Colin Callow runs in trap 5 here. He's one of my favourites, as the old boy has put in some cracking races in his career. He's certainly past his absolute best, however he proved in the Arc this year that he can put in a big run when needed. I think the 5 box here is ideal for him, however it's whether he lives with the early pace around him.
My Qualifiers: Witcombe Dilemma, Ballymac Cryan, Alarming Jacks
The Swindon Friday Night Standard - Heat 2
My Pick: Klockwork Kaipo
Again, another cracking heat that's also rather difficult to fathom. 5 middle runners make this one a battle to the bend again, with Klockwork Kaipo my pick to lead and win all the way. Paul Sallis' Produce finalist ran the track really well during the competition back in July, and can make all so long as he's reproducing the sort of split times he was during the competition. He's a cracking dog, with a big future ahead of him still. He should win this one comfortably enough, but I can't envisage him being much of a price.
Trap 1 Rewind Express, on paper, looks to have a lovely draw here for Matt Dartnall, however I was really disappointed with her run on Tuesday night. She looked a bit flat coming off the 2nd to me, and when early pace and hanging on is your game, then you really need to be running better into the 3rd bend. She has the draw, but to me she's a slight drop in class to the others in here.
Jacobs Courage, for Ken Humphreys, in an interesting runner in trap 2 here. He's a dog that can trap and can stay on well enough too. His races at Belle Vue are pretty decent, however he'll have to be with them early to hang with the leaders in this race. I'd personally rather see him out of 4 or 5 (obviously, we can't pick traps in OR's!), so he may possibly veer towards the middle of the track early.
Stanton John is my forecast linker here for Kevin Hutton. He's made a cracking start to his racing career, winning two maiden races over the 4 bends, winning in style the last time he was here. This is a step up for him, and it'll be interesting to see what he makes of the early pace battle with Kaipo. He's another pinger who can stay well enough, and I certainly think he has the class to get to the final. He also has the ideal trap for him in my mind.
Trap 5 Cremartin Lark is a new one for me. Looking at his form, he looks a seriously handy dog. He has winning form over 480m and 630m at Monmore, however I can't help but think that this Swindon 480, with the early pace sorts in the race, might be a bit too short for him. I can't help but think though that he could be an awesome 509m dog (a competition for this will start in two weeks time). Definitely could be in the picture.
Trap 6 Longwood Bound is my third qualifier from this race. Colin Callow's dog doesn't have the best immediate recent form, however he was a finalist of the Sussex Cup a couple of months back at Hove. On his way to that big final, he recorded a 29.72, a good run for their 515m trip. He's a finalist of this year's Arc, and looks a big runner out wide. He will be tracking in on the 5 dog, however with the 5 being a bit sluggish at the traps, I can see him going up with a clear run. I reckon he could be a big runner at a good price.
My Qualifiers: Klockwork Kaipo, Stanton John, Longwood Bound
All the best to everyone in the competition!
Happy Punting!
Wattsy,
Anyway, a look at the competition heats on Friday. Unfortunately, there were only 14 entries in the book (half of which were a certain Mr Hutton's!), alas this is only now a 2 heat affair. It's a touch disappointing really, however what we do have is two top quality heats. Best of luck to everyone in the competition. On the final's night, there are supporting opens over different distances, so hopefully next Friday night will be an OR extravaganza!
One thing to note before looking into these opens, and this is more a general note about the open race trap draw procedure in general, is quite frankly how backward it is. Any outsider looking at the races will wonder why the middle seeds were not more spread out. I understand the thinking that a random draw (which it is, as entries were faxed to the GBGB, where they were drawn for) is the only fair way of doing it, however surely it's a common sense and welfare issue that greyhounds are split in accordance to safe racing. Having 5 railers in a race is never good (however, it does happen alot), and if anything can be done to avoid this (things like finals etc, it's unavoidable) then it should be done.
Anyway, rant over, let's look at the opens;
21:00 - The Swindon Friday Night Standard - Heat 1
My Pick: Witcombe Dilemma
By how much I'm tipping the dog, you'd half think I owned a leg in him! In all seriousness, this is a seriously tough heat to fathom. The 5 railer conundrum is hard enough, let alone the sheet amount of early pace that's in the race. I've sided with Dilemma solely on the draw. On the outside of the 5 railers, you have to fancy Dilemma to slip round the outside. If he's out on the bunny, I can't see much picking him up in a race which is full of 'ping gone' sorts.
Arguably the one to look at would be Ballymac Cryan. Matt Dartnall's Arc winner from 2012 will be running on like a steam train against this field. The stumbling block in fancying him is that his recent form isn't the best (compared to what he used to be). However, he has to be looked at as a forecast link.
To me, trap 1 Youtalktoomuch looks a touch outclassed here, though he does have a good draw on the fence inside a sleeper at the traps. I see him going off at double digits here.
Trap 3 Jolly Bullseye is an interesting runner here. A finalist in the Arc this year, aswell as a big OR runner at Romford, Bullseye has had a bit of a stop-start campaign recently. His latest two trials aren't up to his standards really, and it'll be interesting to see how he takes this race. You write him off at your peril, yet on his recent form you wouldn't be a player at any price.
Trap 4 Alarming Jacks, to me, looks to be one of the best bitches in training this year, and you have to think that Kev has her lined up for the Oaks at Belle Vue later in the year. She's recently come back from a spell off the track with a good 29.42 run at Coventry, and she can only come on from that run. The problem here is the horrendous trap draw. Jack's is one of the tightest railers around, so trap 4 is a bit of a nightmare here. Fingers crossed she can show a good kick of early and get a handy position early. If scooting clear, she'll certainly be in the frame.
Longwood Fantasy for Colin Callow runs in trap 5 here. He's one of my favourites, as the old boy has put in some cracking races in his career. He's certainly past his absolute best, however he proved in the Arc this year that he can put in a big run when needed. I think the 5 box here is ideal for him, however it's whether he lives with the early pace around him.
My Qualifiers: Witcombe Dilemma, Ballymac Cryan, Alarming Jacks
The Swindon Friday Night Standard - Heat 2
My Pick: Klockwork Kaipo
Again, another cracking heat that's also rather difficult to fathom. 5 middle runners make this one a battle to the bend again, with Klockwork Kaipo my pick to lead and win all the way. Paul Sallis' Produce finalist ran the track really well during the competition back in July, and can make all so long as he's reproducing the sort of split times he was during the competition. He's a cracking dog, with a big future ahead of him still. He should win this one comfortably enough, but I can't envisage him being much of a price.
Trap 1 Rewind Express, on paper, looks to have a lovely draw here for Matt Dartnall, however I was really disappointed with her run on Tuesday night. She looked a bit flat coming off the 2nd to me, and when early pace and hanging on is your game, then you really need to be running better into the 3rd bend. She has the draw, but to me she's a slight drop in class to the others in here.
Jacobs Courage, for Ken Humphreys, in an interesting runner in trap 2 here. He's a dog that can trap and can stay on well enough too. His races at Belle Vue are pretty decent, however he'll have to be with them early to hang with the leaders in this race. I'd personally rather see him out of 4 or 5 (obviously, we can't pick traps in OR's!), so he may possibly veer towards the middle of the track early.
Stanton John is my forecast linker here for Kevin Hutton. He's made a cracking start to his racing career, winning two maiden races over the 4 bends, winning in style the last time he was here. This is a step up for him, and it'll be interesting to see what he makes of the early pace battle with Kaipo. He's another pinger who can stay well enough, and I certainly think he has the class to get to the final. He also has the ideal trap for him in my mind.
Trap 5 Cremartin Lark is a new one for me. Looking at his form, he looks a seriously handy dog. He has winning form over 480m and 630m at Monmore, however I can't help but think that this Swindon 480, with the early pace sorts in the race, might be a bit too short for him. I can't help but think though that he could be an awesome 509m dog (a competition for this will start in two weeks time). Definitely could be in the picture.
Trap 6 Longwood Bound is my third qualifier from this race. Colin Callow's dog doesn't have the best immediate recent form, however he was a finalist of the Sussex Cup a couple of months back at Hove. On his way to that big final, he recorded a 29.72, a good run for their 515m trip. He's a finalist of this year's Arc, and looks a big runner out wide. He will be tracking in on the 5 dog, however with the 5 being a bit sluggish at the traps, I can see him going up with a clear run. I reckon he could be a big runner at a good price.
My Qualifiers: Klockwork Kaipo, Stanton John, Longwood Bound
All the best to everyone in the competition!
Happy Punting!
Wattsy,
Monday, 9 September 2013
New Website, OR Preview for Tuesday 10th September
You may have noticed (rather obviously) that the website has been redesigned over the weekend. I got to thinking Thursday that the old look was a bit dated and tired, alas I've redesigned the website top to bottom. I hope you like it. Some of the new features include the renewal of the Hall of Fame. With the Hall of Fame, I hope to add a new greyhound every 2-3 weeks or so, and do an indepth profile on each member of it. Any assistance with names that should appear in the Hall of Fame is greatly appreciated!
You'll also noticed the new way to deal with Advance Cards and Results Sheets, via Google Calendar. It's a more complex way in actually getting the cards, however the actual hosting looks alot more professional, with the monthly calendar view. I'm hoping to build up the archive over time (there's alot of advance cards and results sheets to go on!), alas do give me time and it'll be done.
A mobile version of the site will also be coming soon, giving all the main features of the site, specifically for Android and Apple devices.
Here's a look then at the OR's coming up on Tuesday evening:
19:11 - The Swindon Sprint
My Pick: Witcombe Dilemma (NAP)
It's hardly an original pick this, however Witcombe Dilemma is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with round Swindon. He's picked up some really convincing wins recently, with last week's run in winning by over 5 lengths taking some beating. He's arguably got an easier task this week, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I wouldn't be expecting much of a price this time around, however!
In terms of a likely challenger, I would look at the trap 1 dog 'Youtalktoomuch'. Nathan McDonald's greyhound has a decent win at Romford on his card, however the step back to sprinting company might show a dip in sheer trapping and early speed. However, he has a decent draw and looks the likely forecast link.
19:43 - The Swindon Maiden 509er
My Pick: Pookies Zoe
Slightly methodical pick here, with Pookies Zoe looking to go off at a big price here. The way that I've read the race is that trap 2 Ballymac Jordan is going to be off and away, allowing Zoe to tuck in inside. She'll be coming late, so expect only a short margin victory (if one at all!).
Forest White Boy, trained by Kevin Hutton, looks to be a decent prospect out of six, however this is a big step up in class from an A3 (albeit, it's not the hottest maiden).
On his Irish form, Ballymac Jordan looks to be the dog to beat here. His sprint times are excellent over 285. He won't have a problem seeing out the 509 trip, as he has form over 575 at Shelbourne. However, I do really fancy Zoe to pick him up (over 6 bends, Zoe could potentially be dynamite)
20:14 - The Swindon Standard
My Pick: Swords Brett (NB)
A pretty good 480m open graces the middle of the card here, with Kevin Hutton's Swords Brett looking the likely winner (and favourite) for this contest. As you may (or may not know), Kevin is dual attached to both Swindon and Coventry, with Brett one of his runners who is graded on at Brandon. Their A1 grade is top notch, and the times on Brett's card prove that. His recent run of 29.10 is blistering round there, and would easily win most opens. He ideally needed to be closer to the rails, however he should go out of 3 ok, with Hernandez in 2 not exactly being the fastest trapper.
A big challenger to him will be Rewind Express in trap 1. Matt Dartnall's bitch recently returned to winning ways after a long spell off lame. Before that, she was running round Hove really well, clocking a 29.87 run in the process. She looked a good thing on her run back at Swindon, showing some trademark early pace to see off Mullingar Mer (who's no slouch herself). This is a nice step up for her, and with a rails pitch, she could be a contender here.
20:47 - The Swindon Maiden Stayers
My Pick: Lady Jayne
Lady Jayne, trained by Matt Dartnall, looks a good thing in this maiden stayers race. She's got an ideal trap draw, on the outside of four railers. She's also got a handy piece of stayers form on her card, winning a trial sround the 695m at Hove in a time of 41.69, which is a really decent time for a debut over the trip. I must admit I never really had her down at a 6 bend greyhound, however she should beat this field quite comfortably, so long as she reproduces that sort of Hove run. I do feel she'll have to be out and gone on the bunny to reproduce that sort of form, though.
Swift Kennedy looks an interesting runner here. He always puts in a good performance over these trips, without actually winning an open yet! To me he looks like more of a marathon dog.
Happy Punting!
Wattsy
You'll also noticed the new way to deal with Advance Cards and Results Sheets, via Google Calendar. It's a more complex way in actually getting the cards, however the actual hosting looks alot more professional, with the monthly calendar view. I'm hoping to build up the archive over time (there's alot of advance cards and results sheets to go on!), alas do give me time and it'll be done.
A mobile version of the site will also be coming soon, giving all the main features of the site, specifically for Android and Apple devices.
Here's a look then at the OR's coming up on Tuesday evening:
19:11 - The Swindon Sprint
My Pick: Witcombe Dilemma (NAP)
It's hardly an original pick this, however Witcombe Dilemma is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with round Swindon. He's picked up some really convincing wins recently, with last week's run in winning by over 5 lengths taking some beating. He's arguably got an easier task this week, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I wouldn't be expecting much of a price this time around, however!
In terms of a likely challenger, I would look at the trap 1 dog 'Youtalktoomuch'. Nathan McDonald's greyhound has a decent win at Romford on his card, however the step back to sprinting company might show a dip in sheer trapping and early speed. However, he has a decent draw and looks the likely forecast link.
19:43 - The Swindon Maiden 509er
My Pick: Pookies Zoe
Slightly methodical pick here, with Pookies Zoe looking to go off at a big price here. The way that I've read the race is that trap 2 Ballymac Jordan is going to be off and away, allowing Zoe to tuck in inside. She'll be coming late, so expect only a short margin victory (if one at all!).
Forest White Boy, trained by Kevin Hutton, looks to be a decent prospect out of six, however this is a big step up in class from an A3 (albeit, it's not the hottest maiden).
On his Irish form, Ballymac Jordan looks to be the dog to beat here. His sprint times are excellent over 285. He won't have a problem seeing out the 509 trip, as he has form over 575 at Shelbourne. However, I do really fancy Zoe to pick him up (over 6 bends, Zoe could potentially be dynamite)
20:14 - The Swindon Standard
My Pick: Swords Brett (NB)
A pretty good 480m open graces the middle of the card here, with Kevin Hutton's Swords Brett looking the likely winner (and favourite) for this contest. As you may (or may not know), Kevin is dual attached to both Swindon and Coventry, with Brett one of his runners who is graded on at Brandon. Their A1 grade is top notch, and the times on Brett's card prove that. His recent run of 29.10 is blistering round there, and would easily win most opens. He ideally needed to be closer to the rails, however he should go out of 3 ok, with Hernandez in 2 not exactly being the fastest trapper.
A big challenger to him will be Rewind Express in trap 1. Matt Dartnall's bitch recently returned to winning ways after a long spell off lame. Before that, she was running round Hove really well, clocking a 29.87 run in the process. She looked a good thing on her run back at Swindon, showing some trademark early pace to see off Mullingar Mer (who's no slouch herself). This is a nice step up for her, and with a rails pitch, she could be a contender here.
20:47 - The Swindon Maiden Stayers
My Pick: Lady Jayne
Lady Jayne, trained by Matt Dartnall, looks a good thing in this maiden stayers race. She's got an ideal trap draw, on the outside of four railers. She's also got a handy piece of stayers form on her card, winning a trial sround the 695m at Hove in a time of 41.69, which is a really decent time for a debut over the trip. I must admit I never really had her down at a 6 bend greyhound, however she should beat this field quite comfortably, so long as she reproduces that sort of Hove run. I do feel she'll have to be out and gone on the bunny to reproduce that sort of form, though.
Swift Kennedy looks an interesting runner here. He always puts in a good performance over these trips, without actually winning an open yet! To me he looks like more of a marathon dog.
Happy Punting!
Wattsy
Thursday, 5 September 2013
OR Competitions, Looking at the Owner's Bonus Series etc.
This is quite a different blog really. It's more scraps of bits and pieces of just general chat and discussion. There will be no tipping or anything, just literally the brainstorming of ideas. Some of the comments I've been getting back on here are great, and it's good that people have strong, good opinions on the sport (some of the comments, it has to be said, are rather bad). One thing that is the absolute key when we're discussing greyhound racing is that everyone involved has the same end goal. We want the sport to thrive and succeed. On that front (and possibly that being the only front), everyone involved in the game can agree on!
One thing that seems to have got people talking is the Group 3 competition's that we're holding over the next couple of weeks. We've already got some entries in the book for the first one, due to start next Friday night (13th), with the final the following Friday. I don't have the details in front of me, however I believe its £150, £25 others for the heats, with £750 to the winner, £100 second and £50 others for the final. The trophies also came in the other day, and they're fab! I do hope these kick off, and allow us to have a good month's open racing. This time of year is when the old Pride Of The West used to be run, which was always an exciting little competition. Hopefully these two competitions inspire some of the old atmosphere.
Recently, we've also seen a bit of a resurgence in the Owners Bonus Series events taking place. Basically, we get a quota of competitions to run in each half of the year, hence the reason they're back on. I can't help but feel that the format, and prize money structure, could possibly be altered during these hard pressed times. The prize money for the final is fantastic, and for the greyhounds involved it's a real bonus. However (and I'll hold up my flame shield for giving this opinion), I think it would make more sense to half the prize money for the final, and run double the number of competitions. This way, more people have the opportunity of winning £250 (a months kennel bill paid for I would suspect). It's merely an idea to spread the wealth round so more people can have this opportunity.
One big thing on people's minds at the moment is the obvious dog shortage at the track at present. As you would've noticed, a new trainer hasn't come to fruition, with open racing being the planned assistance to the problem. The greyhound shortage issue isn't just a Swindon problem, but more an industry wide problem. Unfortunately, I don't think anyone can wave a magic wand to solve the issue. One must wonder if there are any short-term measures to help alleviate the financial aspects (perhaps the scrapping of registration fees?). However, feelings are that this isn't just a short term problem .........
My view on it is to get the owners of the track alot more involved. I know that a couple of comments have come through from owner's. Greyhound owner's are obviously the key to the game, and need to be looked after. As I've blogged about before, I think things such as trophy nights, and celebrating landmark achievements (ala Crayford, who celebrate winning streaks, 100 races milestones etc) are some minor things that could be done to put the owner's of said greyhound in the limelight a bit.
I've also blogged about this before too, and that's that track and trainers have to work together to generate interest in the sport. The old fashioned mode of thinking that owner's will flock to a trainer have long gone. This day in age, there are so many mediums that trainers (and tracks) can advertise their business. Facebook, Twitter, Websites, loads of different cheap/free mediums that a trainer can advertise their kennel. The Swindon Greyhounds website has a section dedicated to the advertising of kennels. This service is entirely free. The uptake of said service can be judged for yourself.
One thing that seems to have got people talking is the Group 3 competition's that we're holding over the next couple of weeks. We've already got some entries in the book for the first one, due to start next Friday night (13th), with the final the following Friday. I don't have the details in front of me, however I believe its £150, £25 others for the heats, with £750 to the winner, £100 second and £50 others for the final. The trophies also came in the other day, and they're fab! I do hope these kick off, and allow us to have a good month's open racing. This time of year is when the old Pride Of The West used to be run, which was always an exciting little competition. Hopefully these two competitions inspire some of the old atmosphere.
Recently, we've also seen a bit of a resurgence in the Owners Bonus Series events taking place. Basically, we get a quota of competitions to run in each half of the year, hence the reason they're back on. I can't help but feel that the format, and prize money structure, could possibly be altered during these hard pressed times. The prize money for the final is fantastic, and for the greyhounds involved it's a real bonus. However (and I'll hold up my flame shield for giving this opinion), I think it would make more sense to half the prize money for the final, and run double the number of competitions. This way, more people have the opportunity of winning £250 (a months kennel bill paid for I would suspect). It's merely an idea to spread the wealth round so more people can have this opportunity.
One big thing on people's minds at the moment is the obvious dog shortage at the track at present. As you would've noticed, a new trainer hasn't come to fruition, with open racing being the planned assistance to the problem. The greyhound shortage issue isn't just a Swindon problem, but more an industry wide problem. Unfortunately, I don't think anyone can wave a magic wand to solve the issue. One must wonder if there are any short-term measures to help alleviate the financial aspects (perhaps the scrapping of registration fees?). However, feelings are that this isn't just a short term problem .........
My view on it is to get the owners of the track alot more involved. I know that a couple of comments have come through from owner's. Greyhound owner's are obviously the key to the game, and need to be looked after. As I've blogged about before, I think things such as trophy nights, and celebrating landmark achievements (ala Crayford, who celebrate winning streaks, 100 races milestones etc) are some minor things that could be done to put the owner's of said greyhound in the limelight a bit.
I've also blogged about this before too, and that's that track and trainers have to work together to generate interest in the sport. The old fashioned mode of thinking that owner's will flock to a trainer have long gone. This day in age, there are so many mediums that trainers (and tracks) can advertise their business. Facebook, Twitter, Websites, loads of different cheap/free mediums that a trainer can advertise their kennel. The Swindon Greyhounds website has a section dedicated to the advertising of kennels. This service is entirely free. The uptake of said service can be judged for yourself.
Wednesday, 28 August 2013
OR Preview: 28/8 ; Open Racing to take centre stage over September
Apologies that this one is rather late in the day. However, with the Bank Holiday etc, it's been a bit difficult to find time to sit down and write this!
Only the three opens this week, with the other's not filling to any form of worthy race. The lack of entries is a touch disappointing. However, as I have said in recent blogs, the open race scene is very hard to break into at the moment.
You have the weekly structure of races that are done and dusted, with track's having their 'nights' (I.E, Nottingham on Monday, Hove on Thursday, Romford Friday). Breaking down this routine is very hard, and as such finding the ideal night to put our opens on is difficult. In my opinion, I do think that Wednesday's is a good day to do them on, and I'm all for putting on a massive batch of opens (for a long-term period), so that trainers can get into the habit of entering, and seeing that they're actually on.
In September, the track will be running a couple of Cat. 3 competitions over 480m and 509m. They will be for 18 dogs, in a 2 heat format. The winner of the competition will receive £750 (and a pretty awesome trophy). The competitions are to run on Friday nights, with the final being supported by numerous other opens. Again, it's a case of the competitions filling, and it'll be interesting to see if we can get over the 'Romford Effect' of a Friday night.
Anyway, here's my take on tonight's 3 opens:
19:06 - The Blunsdon Sprint
My Pick: Witcombe Dilemma
I'm not really a fan of sprints (though they do their job of splitting up a card), especially when you have a lot of four bend greyhounds who are going over the shorter trip. It's seldom that the four bend dogs then reproduce the pace over the shorter trip. Very consistent in his split times, Witcombe Dilemma has been running really well round Swindon recently, and looks a likely favourite (and winner here). Kevin Hutton's dog has really good early speed, it's just a case of leading round the bend in my mind.
Trap six Bealady Rover has also seen a resurgence of form recently, showing the former trademark early pace that won him a couple of sprint opens last year. Quentin Bevan's dog will be a match for Witcombe up to the bend in my mind.
For a slight value bet, trap one Alanas Surprise is worth a look as well. Andy Ross's lass has been campaigned over sprints recently, winning in a decent time at Henlow. Although I don't like trap one in sprints, she could have a plot draw if she takes to the track.
19:52 - The Blunsdon Maiden Standard
My Pick: Stanton John (NAP)
I know that the pick here isn't exactly original, but after John's run at Coventry on Sunday, he looks to be about a 1/3 chance in this one. Due to the rulings on Maiden entries, John is eligible for this race after Kevin entered him before he ran at Coventry.
29.12 at Coventry is a flying time (though I do suspect, looking at the meeting, the track was actually about 10-20 fast) and will see him win this. I can't even envisage any traffic problems to the bend.
So, if you're looking to have a play on this race you're probably looking for a forecast link. I would side with the five dog here, Jet Vision. Steve Howard's dog ran well enough for a first look a couple of weeks back, and should be running on over this trip, which looks to be a touch shorter than what he needs.
20:37 - The Blunsdon 509er
My Pick: Francos Causeway
I'm thinking that my pick in this one will be a pretty decent price with the bookies. Francos Causeway, trained by Andy Ross, looks to have an ideal draw here on the rails. I think this 509m trip is right up his street, and if he can show the sort of early pace that he can round Poole, he could go round with a pitch off the second bend.
The obvious, and worthy, favourite in this one looks to be Crusty Crab. Ray Jones' dog ran a stormer last week, in what was a needed return to form. However, he does seem to be up and down like the stock exchange with his form book, and it's easy to follow him over a cliff! For sentimental purposes though, I do hope he puts in a race like last week!
Happy Punting!
Wattsy,
Only the three opens this week, with the other's not filling to any form of worthy race. The lack of entries is a touch disappointing. However, as I have said in recent blogs, the open race scene is very hard to break into at the moment.
You have the weekly structure of races that are done and dusted, with track's having their 'nights' (I.E, Nottingham on Monday, Hove on Thursday, Romford Friday). Breaking down this routine is very hard, and as such finding the ideal night to put our opens on is difficult. In my opinion, I do think that Wednesday's is a good day to do them on, and I'm all for putting on a massive batch of opens (for a long-term period), so that trainers can get into the habit of entering, and seeing that they're actually on.
In September, the track will be running a couple of Cat. 3 competitions over 480m and 509m. They will be for 18 dogs, in a 2 heat format. The winner of the competition will receive £750 (and a pretty awesome trophy). The competitions are to run on Friday nights, with the final being supported by numerous other opens. Again, it's a case of the competitions filling, and it'll be interesting to see if we can get over the 'Romford Effect' of a Friday night.
Anyway, here's my take on tonight's 3 opens:
19:06 - The Blunsdon Sprint
My Pick: Witcombe Dilemma
I'm not really a fan of sprints (though they do their job of splitting up a card), especially when you have a lot of four bend greyhounds who are going over the shorter trip. It's seldom that the four bend dogs then reproduce the pace over the shorter trip. Very consistent in his split times, Witcombe Dilemma has been running really well round Swindon recently, and looks a likely favourite (and winner here). Kevin Hutton's dog has really good early speed, it's just a case of leading round the bend in my mind.
Trap six Bealady Rover has also seen a resurgence of form recently, showing the former trademark early pace that won him a couple of sprint opens last year. Quentin Bevan's dog will be a match for Witcombe up to the bend in my mind.
For a slight value bet, trap one Alanas Surprise is worth a look as well. Andy Ross's lass has been campaigned over sprints recently, winning in a decent time at Henlow. Although I don't like trap one in sprints, she could have a plot draw if she takes to the track.
19:52 - The Blunsdon Maiden Standard
My Pick: Stanton John (NAP)
I know that the pick here isn't exactly original, but after John's run at Coventry on Sunday, he looks to be about a 1/3 chance in this one. Due to the rulings on Maiden entries, John is eligible for this race after Kevin entered him before he ran at Coventry.
29.12 at Coventry is a flying time (though I do suspect, looking at the meeting, the track was actually about 10-20 fast) and will see him win this. I can't even envisage any traffic problems to the bend.
So, if you're looking to have a play on this race you're probably looking for a forecast link. I would side with the five dog here, Jet Vision. Steve Howard's dog ran well enough for a first look a couple of weeks back, and should be running on over this trip, which looks to be a touch shorter than what he needs.
20:37 - The Blunsdon 509er
My Pick: Francos Causeway
I'm thinking that my pick in this one will be a pretty decent price with the bookies. Francos Causeway, trained by Andy Ross, looks to have an ideal draw here on the rails. I think this 509m trip is right up his street, and if he can show the sort of early pace that he can round Poole, he could go round with a pitch off the second bend.
The obvious, and worthy, favourite in this one looks to be Crusty Crab. Ray Jones' dog ran a stormer last week, in what was a needed return to form. However, he does seem to be up and down like the stock exchange with his form book, and it's easy to follow him over a cliff! For sentimental purposes though, I do hope he puts in a race like last week!
Happy Punting!
Wattsy,
Saturday, 17 August 2013
Handicap Traps - The Future?
The problem of greyhound and trainer numbers in this sport are rather obvious. However, the solutions are not so. The argument for better prize money (though completely valid), lacks foundation in it's funding method (although the argument about BAGS profit's will always remain). The need for new owner's is also a given, but again it's coming up with a proper plan of action to be able to make this possible (target market, marketing campaigns, finances etc). It was giving thought to these ideas that made me think; Why not implement Handicap Racing?
Handicap racing, for those that don't know, is when you have 6 seperate starting traps for the 6 greyhounds. Each particular box is given a certain amount of head start over the 'scratch' runner (Trap 6). For example, an A1 dog may be given the scratch box, and an A3 runner may be given trap 5 with a 3m head start.
The joy with handicap boxes is that you can have a greyhound in any grade, run against any other grenound. Seedings dont particularly matter (as, with the initial gap, they have room to sort themselves out), and the actual racing can be very competitive. In a time of inbalance within grades, and dogs in certain grades needing runs, this seems to be a good solution to the problem, that helps all parties (owners, trainers and the racing manager). Obviously the initial cost of said traps is the main consideration.
I'm personally a big fan of HCP racing (moreso over 6 bends than 4), however they do seem to be an acquired taste. However, as a solution to the grade inbalance, and a long term solution for maintaining a good 6 bend grade, I think this really would work. They're already in place at Perry Barr, Sheffield, Hall Green and Newcastle.
Handicap racing, for those that don't know, is when you have 6 seperate starting traps for the 6 greyhounds. Each particular box is given a certain amount of head start over the 'scratch' runner (Trap 6). For example, an A1 dog may be given the scratch box, and an A3 runner may be given trap 5 with a 3m head start.
The joy with handicap boxes is that you can have a greyhound in any grade, run against any other grenound. Seedings dont particularly matter (as, with the initial gap, they have room to sort themselves out), and the actual racing can be very competitive. In a time of inbalance within grades, and dogs in certain grades needing runs, this seems to be a good solution to the problem, that helps all parties (owners, trainers and the racing manager). Obviously the initial cost of said traps is the main consideration.
I'm personally a big fan of HCP racing (moreso over 6 bends than 4), however they do seem to be an acquired taste. However, as a solution to the grade inbalance, and a long term solution for maintaining a good 6 bend grade, I think this really would work. They're already in place at Perry Barr, Sheffield, Hall Green and Newcastle.
Wednesday, 14 August 2013
Category One Success, New Trainer Search, Dog Numbers, OR Picks
Apologise for the lack of a blog in a little while. It rather dawned on me that this blog was being rather over-clogged with just OR previews, rather than actual discussion. Hence why, in this blog, I shall keep the tipping for open races a bit shorter than usual.
First and foremost I must congratulate Team Hutton on their win at Romford last night with Airport Captain in the £10,000 Champion Stakes. The run itself was one of the best I've ever seen from a greyhound. Breaking with a 13.37 sectional (a length off the sprint clock), he blitzed home by nearly 7 lengths in a new track record of 34.67. We can talk all day about track records, however I do think that this record is significant. No offence, but it isn't like out 509m record, which is only run when OR's come along. That Romford clock is one that is run on near enough every card, so it's certainly a sought-after clock, especially with the calibre of greyhound that goes round Romford. The joy with Airport Captain is that you know exactly what you're getting with him. If he pings, he wins, and if he gets on the bunny, he's a different class. Well done to all at the Hutton kennel. This is their first big win, with many more to come no doubt.
One person to also mention about is owner Mick Freshwater. Some of you may know Mick, some maybe not. Mick's a big part of the Hutton kennel, owning several good greyhounds with them. His backing, and the money he puts into the sport makes him very worthy of a big race win. Well done!
Obviously the big news coming out of Swindon is the new trainer search. With the loss of John Peterson, even with the distribution of alot of his greyhounds, we are very much down on numbers at the track. When you consider that we have 384 greyhounds a week run in all of our race meetings, and we're down to around the 360 figure, the need for another trainer is a must. Now, I understand that some owners do have grievance with their greyhounds getting runs, however there are several variables to consider in grading a race. There are some dogs on 7-10 days (meaning they can only run a maximum of once a week), some on early races (as theyre a bad kennelers), and some trainers who can't make the double meeting on a Friday. Throwing all this into the mix of unbalance within grades (for example, more railers than wides), this leaves the grader with a bit of a headache.
In an ideal world, I'd hope that a young trainer would join the ranks to basically take off where JP left off. However, these are few and far betweem. Unfortunately, compared to 6 or so years ago, trainers are no longer 'flocking' to the tracks to join, as there just aren't the trainers about. Maybe it's time to look at the trainers and owner's we've got, and maybe give them a better deal?
Now, to take a quick look at the opens this evening:
19:22 - Maiden 509'er
My Pick: Rodger
No offence, but I do think this is quite a poor quality maiden race, with not a lot really leaping off the page. Going on the way he run in his last 509er, Rodger ran an awesome race, just getting picked up by Bodell George. Don't be expecting 8/1 though!
19:52 - 480m Standard
My Pick: Panthers Legend
The obvious pick in this one may be Witcombe Dilemma. However, I have a theory about Panthers Legend. Every time she's pinged the lids, it's been day;light outside. She only seems to ping when the sun's out! I reckon (hoping the weather holds up) that she could get off to a flyer here and out-early Dilemma.
20:07 - 685m Maiden Stayers
My Pick: Bright Ells
Again, this is a case where nothing truly stands out on paper. I'll hedge my bets on the unknown quantity in Bright Ells. She's a good bitch on her day, and always looked like she'd stay further than the 480m. You're always going into the unknown when you back these greyhounds on debut over the trip, so perhaps this is a race best left alone.
20:52 - 509m Maiden
My Pick: Stanton John
Arguable for raw pace, and the actual time's clocked, Stanton John is the better dog in the race. However, Thandis Thai Ni's recent runs away (especially Henlow) aren't to be sniffed at. Both greyhounds have their quirks (all my opinion, remember!), alas a tussle between the two could be interesting. I envisage whoever leads off the 2nd wins.
21:07 - 509er
My Pick: Pookies Jess
One minor gripe before I start this, and this is the quite frankly ridiculous seeding of some of these dogs. Jacobs Courage runs from trap 1 here, when really he needs the middle ground of 4 or 5. You've then got the predicament of Gemstone Annie (who needs the rails) in trap 4?! To me, this is just ridiculous, and needs to be looked at. Whether new seeds or a central seeding distributor will do the job, I don't know. However, this does need to be looked at.
Anyway, after that rant, I really like the look of Pookies Jess here. Jim Rowe's bitch is a classy sort on the bunny, and can get a ping break from the 3. Forest Bound looks the likely challenger here, however he's a bit hit and miss trips. In my mind, he runs the 480m really strong, however he doesn't really look to stay 509m. As always, keep and eye on the Crab!
Happy Punting,
Wattsy;
First and foremost I must congratulate Team Hutton on their win at Romford last night with Airport Captain in the £10,000 Champion Stakes. The run itself was one of the best I've ever seen from a greyhound. Breaking with a 13.37 sectional (a length off the sprint clock), he blitzed home by nearly 7 lengths in a new track record of 34.67. We can talk all day about track records, however I do think that this record is significant. No offence, but it isn't like out 509m record, which is only run when OR's come along. That Romford clock is one that is run on near enough every card, so it's certainly a sought-after clock, especially with the calibre of greyhound that goes round Romford. The joy with Airport Captain is that you know exactly what you're getting with him. If he pings, he wins, and if he gets on the bunny, he's a different class. Well done to all at the Hutton kennel. This is their first big win, with many more to come no doubt.
One person to also mention about is owner Mick Freshwater. Some of you may know Mick, some maybe not. Mick's a big part of the Hutton kennel, owning several good greyhounds with them. His backing, and the money he puts into the sport makes him very worthy of a big race win. Well done!
Obviously the big news coming out of Swindon is the new trainer search. With the loss of John Peterson, even with the distribution of alot of his greyhounds, we are very much down on numbers at the track. When you consider that we have 384 greyhounds a week run in all of our race meetings, and we're down to around the 360 figure, the need for another trainer is a must. Now, I understand that some owners do have grievance with their greyhounds getting runs, however there are several variables to consider in grading a race. There are some dogs on 7-10 days (meaning they can only run a maximum of once a week), some on early races (as theyre a bad kennelers), and some trainers who can't make the double meeting on a Friday. Throwing all this into the mix of unbalance within grades (for example, more railers than wides), this leaves the grader with a bit of a headache.
In an ideal world, I'd hope that a young trainer would join the ranks to basically take off where JP left off. However, these are few and far betweem. Unfortunately, compared to 6 or so years ago, trainers are no longer 'flocking' to the tracks to join, as there just aren't the trainers about. Maybe it's time to look at the trainers and owner's we've got, and maybe give them a better deal?
Now, to take a quick look at the opens this evening:
19:22 - Maiden 509'er
My Pick: Rodger
No offence, but I do think this is quite a poor quality maiden race, with not a lot really leaping off the page. Going on the way he run in his last 509er, Rodger ran an awesome race, just getting picked up by Bodell George. Don't be expecting 8/1 though!
19:52 - 480m Standard
My Pick: Panthers Legend
The obvious pick in this one may be Witcombe Dilemma. However, I have a theory about Panthers Legend. Every time she's pinged the lids, it's been day;light outside. She only seems to ping when the sun's out! I reckon (hoping the weather holds up) that she could get off to a flyer here and out-early Dilemma.
20:07 - 685m Maiden Stayers
My Pick: Bright Ells
Again, this is a case where nothing truly stands out on paper. I'll hedge my bets on the unknown quantity in Bright Ells. She's a good bitch on her day, and always looked like she'd stay further than the 480m. You're always going into the unknown when you back these greyhounds on debut over the trip, so perhaps this is a race best left alone.
20:52 - 509m Maiden
My Pick: Stanton John
Arguable for raw pace, and the actual time's clocked, Stanton John is the better dog in the race. However, Thandis Thai Ni's recent runs away (especially Henlow) aren't to be sniffed at. Both greyhounds have their quirks (all my opinion, remember!), alas a tussle between the two could be interesting. I envisage whoever leads off the 2nd wins.
21:07 - 509er
My Pick: Pookies Jess
One minor gripe before I start this, and this is the quite frankly ridiculous seeding of some of these dogs. Jacobs Courage runs from trap 1 here, when really he needs the middle ground of 4 or 5. You've then got the predicament of Gemstone Annie (who needs the rails) in trap 4?! To me, this is just ridiculous, and needs to be looked at. Whether new seeds or a central seeding distributor will do the job, I don't know. However, this does need to be looked at.
Anyway, after that rant, I really like the look of Pookies Jess here. Jim Rowe's bitch is a classy sort on the bunny, and can get a ping break from the 3. Forest Bound looks the likely challenger here, however he's a bit hit and miss trips. In my mind, he runs the 480m really strong, however he doesn't really look to stay 509m. As always, keep and eye on the Crab!
Happy Punting,
Wattsy;
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