Derby Betting / Editor / 04 May 2009 / Leave a comment

Our newshound has gathered up all the top headlines from the sport.

Fear Zafonic has strengthened his position at the head of the betting for the Derby after a show of huge pace in the first round at Wimbledon on Friday and is now [8.6] to win the Classic.
Charlie Lister's dog typically headed for the rails from two and made all to clock 28.66sec, which proved to be the fastest of 24 first-round qualifiers.
Fear Zafonic has drawn trap three in Saturday's heat 15 where he faces a clash with Barnfield On Air, among others. Interestingly, Fear Zafonic had been as short as [7.0] for the Classic, until the second round draw came through.
Eight second round heats take place on Friday and eight on Saturday.

List of heat winners and times:-

Friday's heats:

Melodys Pat 28.91
Lazerus 29.05
Fear Zafonic 28.66
Ballymac Under 28.79
Southern Sunset 28.96
Ninja Jamie 28.95
Love Mac 28.88
Ballymac Ruso 28.68
Cabra Boss 28.79
Windy Millar 28.70
Glenard Sunrise 29.09
Centaur Allstar 29.21

Saturday's heats:

Cash Dream 28.81
Side Bet 29.03
Shelbourne Denny 28.96
Castlehill Pat 29.28
Shelbourne Aston 29.05
Lenson Express 29.07
Tyrur Kenny 28.92
Farloe Reason 28.84
Dotland Hit Man 29.04
London Walter28.92
Kinda Easy 28.87
Deanridge Fury 29.03

Following the first round, there were two seeding changes. Boherna Best has been made a middle seed from wide, while Fatzboy Nodrog is now wide from middle.

* * *

Westmead Lord, the 2007 Derby champion, continued his comeback from retirement with a third place over 515m at Hove on Monday.
Nick Savva's dog made a surprise return to the track after a persistent toe injury caused his career to be ended prematurely last July or so it was thought.
However, so well was the now-at-stud Classic champion that Savva trialled him and he returned to the track to finished second to leading sprinter Moatview Storm at the Sussex track last week.
It is hoped to run him back at Wimbledon, scene of his greatest triumph and that there-in-a-row for Savva and owner Bob Morton after Westmead Hawk's back-to-back triumphs, on Derby final night on May 30.

* * *

Peterborough stages the richest race of the week, the £5,000 Peterborough Puppy Derby on Tuesday.
Forming the centrepiece of a gala card live on Sky, the race was won last year by Matt Dartnall's Me Buddy.

* * *

Crayford reports the decision to switch its Monday night meetings to Fridays a success.
"Crowds have been good, it's been a party night down there Friday and Saturday," said an industry insider.
"All tracks will follow suit, if they're not already doing it. People don't have the resources to go out each night, they are picking and choosing - and greyhound meetings towards the end of the week are proving popular."

* * *

Lorrys Options, who followed up his Regency win with victory back at Hove on Monday, is to seek another major six-bend victory in Sunderland's Grand Prix in July.
Victory for the Dean Childs-trained stayer would be almost following the route of Lenson Joker and Flying Winner, who battled it out for Greyhound of the Year last year.
Long-term, the St Leger is the target for Lorrys Options.

* * *

Lenson Joker, the Greyhound of the Year, suffered slight tendon injury in his first round heat of the Derby at Wimbledon and will be sidelined for a few weeks.

* * *

College Causeway kicked off his defence of the Ladbrokes 600 at Shelbourne Park on Saturday, his 32.51sec the fastest of six heat winners.
The semi-finals take place this Saturday.