Events / Darrell Williams / 04 August 2009 / Leave a comment

Our man previews the Sky-televised action at Sheffield tonight.

"Having put Magna Flintoff (4.6) forward at the start of the competition I see no reason to desert him now. Like his rival, Barrie Draper’s charge is also unbeaten through the qualifying rounds, but his record at Sheffield is even stronger having won three races over the 500m trip prior to the event starting, giving him a 5/5 record over course and distance since the last day of June."

Sky cameras visit Sheffield on Tuesday night for an intriguing Steel City Cup final.

Unsurprisingly Charlie Lister's Bandicoot Tipoki is favourite ([2.26])for a race the trainer last won an amazing 21 years ago, but whether he quite warrants being so short is an altogether different question.

His trap one draw inside Farloe Titan certainly gives him every chance of controlling the inside, and whatever you do, don't lay him in the place market. Apart from his last place finish in that memorable Derby quarter-final, he has not been out of the first two in all 16 of his other starts, winning on 11 occasions. Unbeaten in the competition so far, he comfortably accounted for a below par Ardkill Tunoco in the semi-finals, and the Midland Puppy Derby winner will have no shortage of supporters.

But having put Magna Flintoff ([4.6]) forward at the start of the competition I see no reason to desert him now. Like his rival, Barrie Draper's charge is also unbeaten through the qualifying rounds, but his record at Sheffield is even stronger having won three races over the 500m trip prior to the event starting, giving him a 5/5 record over course and distance since the last day of June.

Certainly on semi-final evidence there's precious little between the pair, with the selection arguably still improving.

Encouraging also is his ability to win from off the pace as he demonstrated last month and at three times the odds of 'Tipoki' I know where my money will be going!

Ardkill Tunoco should not be written off, having won five of his last seven outings, although he does appear best when dominating, a luxury that may prove against him in this line up.

I'm hoping for an outside trap bias as I fancy quite a few striped jacketed runners on the back up card, a few of whom look potentially over-priced.

While Frisby Foxwatch will be popular in the Sky opener (7.40) dropping in class after chasing home Magna Flintoff in the Steel City Cup heats before taking a tumble in the semi-final - she was fifth in the race last year - her recent stats at the track do concern me. She has failed to win in any of her last ten CD starts, making her a likely lay in my book. Although lightly race of late, Stuart Mason's trap six runner Wok About Molly had some solid form here earlier in the season, and looks a worthy alternative at decent odds.

I'm hoping the same handler might also be on the mark in the Stayers race at 8.00, where Hillcross Legend, again in the stripes, also appears too big in the market. Five times a winner over this 660m trip, he ran well in the heats of the Grand Prix at Sunderland, and is open to improvement having had little racing in the past three months.

Corrig Count justified some strong support on Sky's Hove card when getting up to deny Shadayid (again in the line up) a week ago and can go in again in the 9.25. Seamus Cahill's runner was not disgraced behind Ninja Jamie here on Trainers' Championship night in March and has since reached the Olympic final, before narrowly missing out on a place in the Sussex Cup final, both back at Hove. Useful ex-Irish based Target Kewell could also warrant a small saver in the same race.

Tags: Ardkill Tunoco, Bandicoot Tipoki, Corrig Count, Frisby Foxwatch, Hillcross Legend, Magna Flintoff, Owlerton, Steel City Cup, Wok About Molly