Open Race Round-Up: Do the Locomotion!

General / Editor / 26 March 2009 / Leave a Comment

Open-race expert The Lord with his thoughts - and future winners - following Tuesday's high-profile Oxford meeting.

He just wouldn't be denied, would he? What a great front-running effort from Drink Up Zorro to win the Pall Mall at Oxford on Tuesday. The dog's a real star, a real gunslinger and his will-to-win got him home.

It was a great way to end an informative meeting. Oxford can be a tricky place to run, it favours fast-starting middle runners, locally-trained runners, or those dogs who regularly race there. All have a distinct advantage. Look at Freedom Emma and Drink Up Zorro. Both Trafalgar Cup winners, with proven Oxford form, and the stars on the night. It is no coincidence.

So to the card in detail, and the first name on our teamsheet heading into April must be Ceroc Locomotion.

He summed up all that is tough about Oxford in one race. Desperately slow away, he was up against it from the off behind the ultra-professional Jacs Top Lass, but please don't tell me the fastest dog won. No, the fastest dog finished third. But that missed break and a complete Horlicks of running the second bend (he was basically going too fast by this point) proved costly. But this dog is a real tool.

Admittedly he might not be easy to place for trainer Chris Allsopp, because two bends could see him clash with Miss Lee et all, but a short four bends is still within his compass.
The aforementioned Miss Lee was fast-startingly awesome in the sprint, but as for a 'dogs to follow' list inclusion, forget it! Any odds against should be taken, mind!

No, the dogs to take out of the sprint, indeed following on from their good recent form at Hove, is recent Irish arrival Praematurus and improving Moatview Storm.

Praematurus might just be better off with a wide tag, but for a big near 37-kilo dog he's got some trapping ability and early zip. And while his wide-running antics off the second bend saw Moatview Storm take a whack, the latter recovered well and over a relatively short two bends, possibly short of his best, he ran well and can go in next time.

Freedom Emma served it up to her rivals in the puppy race and her trainer Richard Yeates deserves a real pat on the back for turning out his star bitch so soon after her brilliant Midland Puppy Derby third. But her cracking effort underlined the promise shown by Milton Bradley. Luciano Magnasco's dog has only had a handful of races here, and came in at Oxford as a reserve, but he's got talent and an open-race victory is more certain than not after that.

Milton Bradley's Swift Stirling did it well over 645m, especially racing on what could just have been the worst of the going. But, again, local knowledge might just have been key, and perhaps Best Bargain ran a good race in second, albeit a shade disappointingly at first glance for his backers. He was well supported on the night.

Plan showed what might have been in winning the 450m race. She had been entered in the Pall Mall, but lack of recent form for the ex-Irish bitch counted against her. But her back-straight demolition of a good field, especially an in-full-flow Fire For Effect, really did catch the eye.

Vito Rocket was a worthy winner of a muddling 595m race where her market rivals got caught up, while Danbury Dodger pulled out extra when required and was a game as a pebble to deny a non-staying Wise Maldini in the marathon. But, in behind, Mica Lady took off and is worth watching.

The Pall Mall final was, as mentioned, a cracker. Brickfield Class deserves all the plaudits for a game-as-a-pebble second, while where Lenson Express found himself at the turn suggests possible disappointment for connections that he failed to win. But perhaps that is not accounting for Zorro's prowess up front!

* * *

Monmore's four events which make up their Spring Festival has proved a real bonanza for betting shop and open-race fans alike.

Looking at the heats, with a possible eye on Friday's finals also, Lavally Sprint caught the eye in the 416m heats; Corrig Vieri proved he has the stamina to go with his four-bend talent; Goldcrest Lord is developing into a cracking sprinter; Dessies Blueboy is worth keeping tabs with judged on his early races and a big Irish reputation; General Cargo will come on a bundle for his four-bend return and Kellsboro Reject is one fast greyhound!

Dogs to follow:

CEROC LOCOMOTION
LAVALLY SPIRIT
KELLSBORO REJECT
MICA LADY
MILTON BRADLEY
MOATVIEW STORM
PLAN
PRAEMATURUS