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Monmore Puppy Derby Betting: Any value in Ballymac?

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Darrell Williams previews Thursday and Friday's Monmore betting

Monmore stages not one but two top quality Open race meetings in the space of less than 24 hours, with the heats of the eagerly awaited Ladbrokes Puppy Derby tonight followed by the climax of the Spring Festival tomorrow afternoon, which features no fewer than four finals.

The Monmore Puppy Derby is undoubtedly the most significant of all the puppy competitions, probably aided by its early season timing, not to mention the fact that the Wolverhampton track is amongst the fairest in the country. A scour through the record books will testify the quality of dog required not only to win the race, but even to reach the latter stages. It's always an event to keep in mind when considering the most important fixtures throughout the coming campaign.

This year is slightly different to usual in that, with Ballymac Under in the field, there are a huge number of greyhounds invitingly priced, ideal for a spot of trading during the three round competition. The question of course is whether Matt Dartnall's dog represents any value at this stage of the competition at [2.74.

While I put up a big case for him before the Birmingham Cup when he was tackling all aged dogs for the first time, the potential banana skin here in taking a shortish price is that there could be any number of very classy puppies waiting in the wings to topple the favourite. Mind you, they would have to be very good to beat him as the Juvenile winner is still undefeated in nine starts and showed another edge to his ability when having to work from some way back to win that Wimbledon race. I would certainly not put you off backing him outright again as his price just about represents his chance in my opinion.

Finding alternatives conjures up all sorts of possibilities with a string of well bred lightly-raced sorts open to ample improvement. I was however taken by Droopys Enzo when picking up Swift James (lost a big lead) in a trial stakes the other weekend and Ted Soppitt's dog makes plenty of appeal at least with a view to a trade back later. If he does have a fault, it's a lack of early pace, but he stays the trip strongly and looks suited to this galloping track.

As regards the first round I'm backing Rockburst Mason in the 8.58 race, who ran much better here in his latest outing when claiming a trial stakes and should represent a fair price against likely favourite Ardmayle Champ. While I've already highlighted his potential stamina limitations, I do also like Swift James in the 9.30 race, who proved his 20/1 stunner was no fluke when just failing to hold 'Enzo' last time.

In the Festival races on Friday, Glittering Aries is worth an interest in the 630 final at 5.17. A runaway winner in his heat he is ideally suited by an inside draw and can record his sixth win in nine starts at Monmore at the expense of fastest heat winner Two Nicks, who ran a stormer on his first start since Christmas when recording a slightly quicker time in the heats.

Rev Counter, by virtue of a more favourable draw, can turn around form with Clydeview to claim the 480m final at 4.57, while Theatreofdreams remains open to more improvement and should oblige in the 416m final at 3.58.