Sussex Cup Betting: Couple of Droopys and a Bubbly for Hove joy

Events / Darrell Williams / 28 July 2008 / Leave a Comment

Darrell Williams runs through the Sky-televised action at Hove on Tuesday night

Hove's Sussex Cup meeting, live on Sky Sports on Tuesday evening, looks an absolute cracker, with the big race supported by three other finals, plus four one-off Opens - most of which have a 'must punt' feel to them.

Despite the elimination of defending champion and ante-post pick Barnfield On Air, the Sussex Cup itself looks a belter, and while it's hard to see beyond the two market leaders, splitting them is an altogether more difficult pursuit. Ballymac Under suggested he is right back to his very best when winning his semi-final to make it eleven wins from 14 career starts, but faces a rapidly progressive rival in Droopys Carvalho - the pair both unbeaten in the competition. It's a difficult call and either would be a worthy winner, but I just favour the latter to continue an incredible season for John Mullins. While his trapping had been something of an Achilles heel previously, it's impossible to fault the way he has come out in the two qualifying rounds, and with Ballymac Under likely to favour a middle path, the selection should have acres of room with which to develop his challenge, and he is taken to go trap to wire.

The Ladies Trophy final at 9.10 is a belter, but I'm nailing my colours to Droopys Judith for trainer Dean Childs. Off the track from February until just over a week ago, she bounced back with an impressive heat win, which came off a stunning 410 sectional, to make it four wins in six lifetime starts. She'll need to trap again with plenty of pace on her immediate outside, but with natural improvement I'm confident she can gain first run on classy Droopys Mate, who has now been beaten in her last two efforts over CD.

Gymcrack beaten favourite Boherna Best looks the obvious call in the Puppy final (8.35), with that Hall Green blemish his only defeat in four runs to date. He should win, but if the price is favourable I'd probably risk a little on Brimardon Star, who has taken well to this track, and only has a length or so to find on heat form.

It's a similar scenario in the Sprint final (8.0) where defending champion and 41-time winner (!) Blonde Jet will be expected to justify the skinny odds, but at the prices Chubbys Port makes more appeal. Liz McNair's charge looks ideally drawn outside two middle seeds, and with just 1/100th of a second to find with the favourite on heat form, simply has to be the bet!

In the supporting races, Champion Hurdle third Bubbly Magic is a value alternative to Analyse in the 7.40, as the pair are more evenly matched then the betting is likely to suggest, while Shelbourne Tiger, who looks well drawn outside Acceleration, should also go off at fair odds against Ballymac Ruso in the 8.15. Barnfield On Air is drawn to gain what is likely to be a winning first run in the 8.50, while it's impossible to take on TV Trophy winner Flying Winner, who bids for a nine timer - the sequence started with her win in the Regency here in April - in the 9.25 race.