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Birmingham Cup Betting: Can Ballymac defy tricky draw tonight?

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Darrell Williams marks your card for tonight's Sky-televised action from Perry Barr...

Sky Sports cameras visit Perry Barr in Birmingham tonight and without doubt the dog everyone will be tuned in to watch is Ballymac Under, who puts his unbeaten record on the line in the Birmingham Cup final, the feature race due off at 9.45.

Having confidently put Matt Dartnall's pup up ante-post, not to mention as a Derby dog last month, it would be folly to desert him now. However, for those who did play at the start of the competition the wise move now would be to at least save your stake. Ordinarily I would suggest letting the bet run the full course, but Ballymac Under's draw - in between fast starters Wright Signal and Lively Arthur - is fraught with potential danger. The latter will be cutting across to the rails and while, if he's as good as we believe he is, Ballymac Under might avoid any potential pitfalls, the logical call has to be to be a safety first approach.

In all honesty, it would probably pay for the favourite if anything to slightly miss his break. If there is to be an upset, it wouldn't surprise me if the prize still went Matt Dartnall's way via Select Stakes winner Cleenas Lady. A bitch of the highest order, she has only just returned from season, this will be just her third race since September, but she's already hinted that she has lost none of her old sparkle and might just be worth a small saver.

Perry Barr have put on a good card, if a mite tricky, with the race preceding the final at 9.25 a real corker, containing as it does four dogs who ran in the early rounds of the Birmingham Cup. However, despite an absence stretching back to November, it's Boherna On Air, nominated in the 'newcomer' category at the BGRB awards, who gets my vote. Barrie Draper's dog enjoyed a tremendous 2007, claiming the Gymcrack, Monmore Gold Cup and Steel City Cup, and looks ready to return with a big run given two excellent trials.

While I'm a big fan of Glittering Aries, last week's Prestige third, I've got to take him on with old rival Swift Ninja in the 'Super Stayers' at 9.10. Michael Harris' runner was never a factor behind his old rival at Monmore last month after an uncustomary slow start, but his record over the 710m trip at Perry Barr is red hot, and if showing his usual early speed - helped by his status as the sole wide runner - should prove good enough.

Shelbourne Holly, an easy winner in the marathon in front of Sky cameras at Hall Green last week, can claim a repeat in the 8.50. Nick Colton's bitch had earlier won in similarly straightforward fashion at Reading and should complete the hat-trick.

I'm also with Greylag Craig in the puppy race at 8.15, whose trial last week confirmed his current well being after a brace of good runs behind a pair of useful youngsters at Nottingham. The drop back to 480m will suit, and provided he can avoid Barnfield Mike early on, he should take the beating, as should Droopys Nelson, just touched off in the rain at Hall Green last week, but given the vote to account for Swift Pawnee in the six bend race at 8.35.