Greyhounds Betting: Boherna Best "still improving" on way to All England Cup

Events / Darrell Williams / 05 November 2008 / Leave a Comment

Boheran Best has been a revelation of late, says Darrell Williams but, with Crown Rover drawn on his inside, the All England Cup semi-final at Newcastle will be no walk in the park.

After clocking the fastest time in the heats, ante post pick Boherna Best is now clear favourite for the All England Cup, which continues with the semi-finals at Newcastle on Thursday, all once again live in your local betting office.

Barrie Draper's greyhound has been one of the revelations of the past few months and as his trainer said the other day he handles all tracks alike and is still improving. His record now stands at nine wins from a dozen outings.

One of my favourite moans about big race competitions is the three semi-finals scenario, meaning only two can qualify from each. It comes about because when you start with 36 dogs (6 heats of six), and let three qualify, you end up with 18 left at the semi-final stage. There are a number of solutions, either stage four rounds, starting with 48, which allows three to qualify each time - but is disliked by tracks and connections as it involves more races, or start with just 24 for a similar pattern over three rounds, which then denies a dozen dogs the chance to compete. Or perhaps let just two qualify from the six heats giving 12 for the semi-finals. The latter would be my preferred method.

As it is, while Boherna Best should qualify he faces no walk in the park in the 8.43 heat with another improver Crown Rover, now the winner of seven races from twelve, drawn on his immediate inside.

However if the favourite starts anywhere near as well as he did last week he should soon have matters under control, and I've no plans to lay anything off at this stage. I also expect Crown Rover to gain the other qualifying spot as Roswell Startrek faces a tricky draw from trap four.

My bet of the night, however, is Eye On the Brave and I also plan to add him to the ante post portfolio at [13.0]. Mark Wallis' runner was only four spots slower than Boherna Best in winning his first round and, after just one success in his first twenty-one starts, he's suddenly hit form, and bids for a hat-trick in the 8.28 heat. He was strong on the bunny last time and I'd be hopeful of him leading up.

Dotland Hit Man was desperately unlucky when just denied by Lochbo Meg in the first round and the ex-Irish runner looks the obvious forecast link, while Affleck Elite, having his second run back since a layoff, appears the other player.

Our other surviving ante post pick Lochbo Meg has drawn by far the weakest heat (8.13) and it will be a major shock if she doesn't at least qualify. A winner of eight from her last eleven, she demonstrated good early speed last week, and while she was perhaps fortunate to hold Dotland Hit Man at the wire, there's nothing of that calibre in this line up and she should make for a good trading proposition come next Wednesday's live Sky Sports final.