Greyhound News: All the talk is of the future of Walthamstow

General / Jonathan Hobbs / 16 August 2008 / Leave a Comment

Jonathan Hobbs of the Racing Post tells us what stories have made the headlines in the world of greyhound racing over the last few days and what greyhound fans can look forward to next week

Understandably Walthamstow dominates the greyhound racing headlines. It's last meeting on Saturday promised to be an emotionally-charged affair and would be used, with the protest march planned, to galvanise support for a lifeline for the track ahead of Tuesday's crunch meeting with the developers.

The timing of the meeting is ironic. It comes three days after the last scheduled card at the famous Chingford Road circuit, which will worry those who consider the chance of racing returning to the venue a long-shot. But it also comes when Nottingham unveils it's new, modern refurbishment and kicks on with Select Stakes night.

It shows what can be done, and the likes of Barnfield On Air, Cleenas Lady and Flying Winner in the Select Stayers are sure to raise the roof of the new structure. All the action will be on Sky, so make sure you catch Darrell Williams's view here of the eight TV races and with it a chance to continue a cracking few weeks for punters.

The Irish Derby is on-going, and top quality, the Olympic is building to a huge charity night this
Thursday (August 21) for what is also the Emily Wood Memorial meeting, plus Nottingham's Puppy Classic, Sittingburne's Kent Derby and Monmore's Gold Cup competitions make it a great time to be a dog punter. With the Stow it could be even better.

BARNFIELD WOODY is the dog who has caught my eye at Monmore. He ran a cracker behind Boherna Best in the heats and whatever happens in the semi-finals on Monday he looks to be going the right away again after finishing distressed in his Derby quarter-final. He
has always had plenty of ability and is still lightly-raced.

MAGNA DAVE ran a cracking heat, too. He first came to notice at Doncaster, but has developed still further and was terrific and strong-running to come from off the pace, and will help to continue Barrie Draper's great run and domination of the Gold Cup at Monmore
with his Boherna Best and Boherna On Air.

It is almost an embarassment of riches for the Draper camp, but while the Boherna dogs are relatively exposed, albeit Boherna Best is just shortly out of puppy class, Magna Dave could be a slow burner and looks to have plenty of scope. He might be worth following win, lose or draw at the Wolverhampton venue.

At Hove the Olympic has dominated the open-race programme of late, but a regular supply of open races has kept the pot boiling nicely and a maiden event caught the eye at the Sussex track last Thursday when newcomer FATBOYZ KAKA led home BALLYMAC SOPHIE and
DETERMINED STAND.

The form of the race should stand up well. The winner is a 28.80sec Irish dog, the runner-up a well-bred bitch having just her second race and the third a progressive 'grader' who was a decent benchmark for the 515m contest. Of the three, I would just prefer
Ballymac Sophie, but the winner has pace to burn.