How do the traders view the Star Sports/TRC Greyhound Derby action on Saturday?
We speak to the greyhound experts at four of the big bookmaking firms to see how they view the Start Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby this weekend.
The bookies opinion - Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby semis
Ahead of the semi-finals of the Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby this weekend, we spoke to some of the best known bookmaker representatives to get their views on a few key questions ahead of this Saturday’s action.
Tickets are available for both the semis this Saturday and the final on June 14 so make sure that you have your Towcester tickets booked and ready. If you can't make it then tune into Gone To The Dogs - Live! for all of the remaining action.
SF 1 - De Lahdedah - Play or lay?
Kaan Hughes (Star Sports) - De Lahdedah, neither. Enjoy a wonderful dog going about his business. Won’t be going silly prices to lay him, but would happily play at some of the prices I see above what he should be. One obviously doesn’t want trap one, but the first five strides De Lahdedah has been breaking the bars down, Sole Mio has not been doing that. It’s from the winning line to the bend he gets going and on that evidence I think De Lahdedah will be gone.
Pat Cooney (bet365) - A lay at 6/4 or current price, not sure to clear Sole Mio, and may be shuffled back at the first bend.
Alan Bridle (BetGoodwin) - De Lahdedah ....play. Many considered he would not be able to reproduce last year's campaign.
James Pryce (AK Bets) - At current prices he has to be a lay with Sole Mio almost certainly going to be taking his ground early. Although Churchfield Syd seemed to benefit from the four box last weekend I’d love to see him ping in a similar manner from the stripes and make the final again. He seems to have been around forever and is just a fantastic dog!
SF 2 - Bockos Diamond - Play or lay?
KH - Bockos Diamond and Cheap Sandwiches - lay them both! Make it a cheaper lay and hope they come together and you’ve got the fastest quarter-final winner running for you in four. Let's not forget the other three are sub-29 second dogs. I’d be playing 1-2-3 at silly prices and hope for the best! (It’s more a chance at the prices than how I think it’ll actual play out.)
PC - A lay at 5/4 or current price, he's the best greyhound in the competition but he is neither starting well nor seeing out his races at present. Not ideal!
AB - Bockos Diamond ...... lay. An absolute machine but may need to be if he doesn't take a decent lead early. Could be vulnerable to something coming off the pace.
JP - As a layer of Bockos Diamond I was disappointed he’s drawn six this weekend. I can see him breaking better again from the stripes - he’ll need to though with the pace inside him. I’d have been keen to take him on in anything other than stripes but may have to wait until next week!
Name the six finalists of the Star Sports/TRC English Greyhounds Derby
KH
De Lahdedah
Droopys Bookem
Churchfield Syd
Prince Naseem
Dynamic Force
Bockos Diamond
PC
Sole Mio
De Lahdedah
Bombay Pat
Dynamic Force
Cheap Sandwiches
Bockos Diamond
AB
Sole Mio
Da Lahdedah
Bombay Pat
Dynamic Force
Cheap Sandwiches
Bockos Diamond
JP
Churchfield Syd
Sole Mio
Droopys Bookem
Bockos Diamond
Cheap Sandwiches
Prince Naseem
But if you asked me tomorrow I could easily have a couple different! The races really are fascinating and I wouldn’t be surprised if any of the 12 remaining dogs qualified for the final - it still feels very open given the makeup of the races
What’s your best bet on the undercard on Saturday night?
KH - Racenight Mikey. Some will say it contradicts the De Lahdedah thoughts, but trap draws win you races and six is the best drawn dog on the planet this Saturday. De Lahdedah oozes class and I just have a feeling he will clear, that’s the difference (we hope).
PC - Savanaregimental is just the right type that Diane Henry excels with. He impressed last week and has plenty of improvement to come.
AB - BetGoodwin 712 Challenge Trophy- Savanaregimental
JP - I’ll give Keefill Goose and Gary The Arb to win their races and i like Table Toppers for the Plate too. I’m hoping the draw in five might not be as bad as it first looked and hope he can qualify Saturday night.
