Derby Betting: Don't forget Ready in the hunt for Derby hero 2010

Derby Betting / Darrell Williams / 20 November 2009 / Leave a Comment

Having been put away for the season early on, defending champion Kinda Ready is someway down the ante post list, but why? Just over three years old come next May the Derby will be his major target, and he’s surely worth an interest

The search for the next Derby winner begins almost as soon as the previous final has finished. In the first of a new monthly series, Darrell Williams, hunts down the best ante post candidates at this stage.

Six months to the 2010 Greyhound Derby and the ante post market is already jam packed with potential winners, but how do you go about trying to find the next Kinda Ready at this early stage?
My personal search begins with trainers who have won the race in recent years, greyhounds who ran well last year - either reaching the final or just missing out, followed by a study of this year's big race form, and lastly by looking at the young potential stars of next year.
In theory that could throw up an extremely big list, but at this stage you need to be pretty ruthless, prepared to throw out high class dogs who perhaps don't run Wimbledon as well as they do elsewhere, or lack the consistency to go the full six rounds. There's also the problem of age - any dog who will be four or older come next May is also likely to be left out. And then there's the Irish. Twice winners in the last decade, including in 2009 with Loyal Honcho, but trying to work out which dogs may travel is never easy, especially at this stage; if in doubt, leave them out has to be the best motto.
So who does that leave on our long range shortlist?
Having been put away for the season early on, defending champion Kinda Ready [80.0] is someway down the ante post list, but why? Just over three years old come next May the Derby will be his major target, and he's surely worth an interest. Narrowly beaten runner-up Fear Zafonic [36.0], a proven big race winner, and trained by the still Derby king Charlie Lister will also still be young enough (Oct 06 whelp) come next summer.
Lister also has any number of relative youngsters to consider, 2009 Quarter-finalist Bandicoot Tipoki [34.0], Yarmouth Derby runner-up Jordansoilutions [55.0], and recently returned Farloe Razl [60.0] perhaps the most interesting.
Champion trainer and current Derby winning trainer Mark Wallis has one of the most exciting prospects in training in Eye Onthe Storm, the Puppy Classic winner who recently completed a nine-timer and is currently engaged in the Eclipse. Shortening up all the time, he can still be backed at [24.0]. His brother, Eye Onthe Flash [65.0], is also worth keeping an eye on.
The other big noise amongst the youngsters is Tony Collett's Lenson Bolt, winner of both the Kent Derby and Romford Puppy Cup, and now holder of the Wimbledon 460m track record after a stunning 2730 on Leger final night. A must for the portfolio, but currently only [16.5].
Further down the list, dual big race puppy competition winner Ten Large Down [42.0] has bundles of potential for Diane Henry as does Laurels runner-up Target Brett.
Summing up the Irish, as outlined above, is not easy, but given Seamus Graham's excellent record, Mesedo Blue [40.0] perhaps make more appeal than most.

Main Selections:
Eye Onthe Storm
Lenson Bolt
Fear Zafonic
Kinda Ready