East Anglian Derby Betting: Mullins could surprise the Derby King

Events / Jonathan Hobbs / 20 September 2008 / Leave a Comment

The Racing Post's Jonathan Hobbs is looking forward to Tuesday's Betfair-sponsored Yarmouth card. Read his betting preview here.

Yarmouth on Tuesday sees another chance for the 'Derby King' to live up to his name.

Of course, Charlie Lister was given that tag for his numerous successes in the Scottish and English Derbys, but it arguably carries more weight when it comes to his record in the East Anglian version. He has won it several times and Ninja Jamie now goes to traps a warm order for the Betfair-backed prize.

It should be a fantastic night. Betfair have upped the first prize to £20,000 and pushed the event up the pecking order in the roll of most lucrative races in the NGRC Calendar. By my reckoning, it now sits joint fourth in the list of most valuable events and is no more than a go-ahead track like Yarmouth deserves. Top marks to the Franklin family.

John Mullins likes it there, also. He notched up a four-timer on Thursday, including the winner of the second East Anglian Derby semi-final in Droopys Carvalho. But it would be the success of Blonde Fern that will have warmed the cockles earlier when the bitch they adore at Dilymore Cottage did the business, and some.

In all the fuss made when Ricky Holloway bought Blonde Dino, it was his former owner Mark Currell's belief that he had a ready-made replacement in the young bitch that caught the attention.

She aims to vindicate that confidence once more in a supporting open to the Yarmouth Derby final on Tuesday, and Mullins, now a Yarmouth-attached trainer of course, will be hopeful a good run from her and his finalist Droopys Carvalho.

It's a big night for him, too. Brilliant during the Sussex Cup at Hove, his form dipped by his own brilliant standards around Select Stakes time but he has really bounced back and will be a huge danger to Ninja Jamie and the rest.

Two greyhounds who caught my eye in the early rounds at Yarmouth were Mottos Star and Judicial Ace. They came up against Ninja Jamie and Farloe Reason respectively in the event and neither were disgraced. Ironically, they now clash on Tuesday.

Before we leave Yarmouth, keep an eye out on Miss Lee, whatever happens in her sprint on Tuesday. She came over from Ireland with a big reputation and enhanced that with a fluent debut success at Nottingham. One to keep an eye on from the Dave Pruh's camp.

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Talking of Nottingham, the track's regular supply of Open races continues unabated, and there's some great fare just now with the National Oaks.

Pond Shakira ran a cracker in the heats, indeed so, too, did Love Forever and Droopys Judith. But Harry Williams' bitch has scope after a lay-off. It's not a great draw for her in the final, but watch her in the coming weeks.

Likewise, keep tabs with what Geraldine Kovac's Vigorous Pat is doing. He needs a lead admittedly, but his pace is always going to give him a chance in races.