Springbok Betting: Has Maxine got a Locke on the 'Bok?

Events / Darrell Williams / 29 January 2009 / Leave a Comment

Darrell Williams likes trainer's Little Boy as the premier greyhound hurdling competition gets underway at Wimbledon.

Maxine Locke, successful with Farloe Chinook five years ago, must surely fancy her chances of landing another Springbok - the novice hurdle competition that begins with six first round heats at Wimbledon on Saturday and culminates with a live Sky Sports covered final a week on Tuesday.

Not only does Locke have ante-post favourite Little Boy, who clocked a highly impressive 27.97 in his last trial to sit at the top of the qualifying table - the Springbok field is compiled from the 36 fastest qualifiers over the 460m trip - but also fields three other candidates including well-fancied Love Mac and Freedom Man.

However, it's undoubtedly Little Boy that makes most appeal from the kennel, although he could have done without such a hard opening round heat (8.45), with Rockburst Mason, one of two live candidates in the contest for Champion trainer Mark Wallis, drawn on his inside and useful local Platinumlancelot out in trap four.

Of course, if Little Boy reproduces his debut hurdles victory from last week when always holding last hurdle faller Nebuchadnezzar, he should win, but I'd be reluctant to play too short in the heat. I believe the Wallis dog, who won one of the final trial stakes staged on Tuesday, can break better from trap one, and could even be a bet if the price is big enough. Platinumlancelot looks awkwardly drawn, but broke well from trap four the other Saturday, even though he was ultimately disappointing, but a win over Nebuchadnezzar last weekend is more encouraging, and with four runs under his belt he is one of the more experienced hurdlers.

I mentioned Wallis has two runners, and it's his other, Bomber Bailey, is one I especially like. He overcame early trouble to eventually win a trial stakes in good fashion on Tuesday night, and looks well drawn inside a middle and four wide runners in the 8.15 heat. Given he clocked 28.29 in a trial back in December, he's certainly fast enough, and his excellent stamina is also a positive. Perhaps even more importantly, he makes few jumping errors and given his over generous price in the market, I make him my main ante-post selection.

Springbok runners can often start schooling as early as August of the previous year, but Kilgraney Agassi has trial lines going back to November 2007! Seamus Cahill's charge was in fact ante-post favourite for last year's race, and ran in three prep races, before eventually missing the competition. Seen subsequently only in three further unsuccessful starts in August, he recorded 28.48(calc) at the final trial session on Wednesday. Given that he hadn't won a hurdle race prior to January 1 this year, his eligibility is not at all at question, and he certainly appeals as one of the more interesting runners in the line up, and worthy of a wager in both heat (9.15) and outright.

It was good to see Nebuchadnezzar run so well in his trial stakes last week, all of which suggests his recent tumble hasn't affected him too much, and realistically he should win the 8.30 heat, although I'd be reluctant to back him outright given that the fact he has previously fallen.

Lorraine Sams should also be on the mark with Mall Byte (9.30), another that has perhaps been under-estimated ante-post. He is far better berthed out in trap five than in his two races to date and can take advantage, while Emporio Caesar, although a shade in and out with his jumping, will have had his confidence boosted by an all the way win the other night, and can claim the last heat at 9.45.