Greyhounds Betting: Fight from the inside

Events / Darrell Williams / 17 December 2008 / Leave a Comment

After watching the heats of the Christmas Festival races at Monmore, it's almost more difficult to work out who is going to win Friday's finals than it was beforehand, says Darrell Williams.

All four finals look deadly competitive and with a distinct advantage towards the inside and middle traps in recent weeks - again highlighted at Monmore on Monday when nine of the twelve heats went to the three inside boxes - it adds an extra consideration before putting up anything in the outside boxes.

Droopys Curbs, for example, was undoubtedly the most eye-catching winner in the Stayers event, coming from an impossible position before readily catching Westmead Zest, but he again has trap six to overcome, having been the only striped jacketed winner on the card and one of only six in the last eighty-two races at the track!

He could be ideally placed to run the same race again, drawn outside a trio of early paced runners, but I still find myself leaning towards Buffalo Vieri, despite the fact he has little margin for error at the traps with Westmead Zest, whose card is littered with 'rails' comments on his immediate outside. The bare facts, however, confirm that for all the running Droopys Curbs did on the final circuit, and admittedly he did get held up, he was still no quicker than Michael Harris' runner on the final lap, and has five lengths to find on the clock.

Boherbee Run, the other heat winner, remains unbeaten in three starts at the circuit, but with a brace of slow starters in traps one and two, I'm taking Buffalo Vieri to confirm the promise of his heat and claim the prize.

In the 'Dogs' final, Droopys Billy looks handily drawn as the sole middle runner, even though he's in trap six and Barry Draper's recent Harry Holmes winner is certainly in good form. But with fellow heat winner Goldcrest King, quicker on the clock when winning his own heat, drawn on his inside, I'm more tempted by Directors Ruler in trap three. Mark Wallis' quick starter would have preferred the red jacket, but is a very fast trapper on his day, and as the heat form suggests he's probably the quickest in the race.

Likely to easily clear Conspiracy Kid, trap one Swift Rooster could prove more of an early paced threat, but ultimately was not good enough in his heat.

Droopys Ivanovic wasted no time in dominating her heat in the 'Bitches' competition and is taken to claim the spoils in Friday's final, in another wide open betting heat which certainly does not look out of place on a BAGS card.

Chris Allsopp's runner has won four out of her nine races at the track, and while she's unlikely to trap so well again, her stamina makes her pick here. High class Killough Belles showed plenty of guts when winning her own heat, but has been done few favours with a draw in trap five, and can be opposed.

The 'Sprint' final is just as competitive as the three other races, but I take Kellsboro Reject to overcome the trap six draw. Kim Billingham, who will no doubt still be on a high following Meenala Amy's Oaks success, has the strongest runner in the field, and after edging towards the right in his heat doesn't look unduly inconvenienced by the striped jacketed draw.