General / Editor / 09 July 2009 / Leave a comment

The Hawk's been spotting the greyhound talent at Sunderland and Hove and has a pair of recommendations for you.

Nearest the Jack is not one of the biggest stars on Hove's graded card at present as he races in A10 and A11s - but he showed his time is soon when putting in an eye-catching performance at the Sussex track this week.

Going off an unfancied 6/1 shot at the track, the son of Ballymac Maeve was crowded at the first bend from the striped jacket before eventually finishing second to a young dog named Finlay's Girl.

Nearest the Jack had previously finished second again having led off the final bend in a similar contest just three days previously, and he certainly looks primed to score again soon. Before that he had won an A11 contest by 4 lengths at [1.8] from the orange jacket.

He has now won 12 times and is a dog you can trust at this level - something you can't say about all greyhounds that run at the grade. He may not be fast - but he's consistent and honest. His sectionals aren't great and as we saw this week, he needs to have a clear in the early stages up to the line first time around to be in a handy position. He can also be slow away but at a price that is worth risking, and again his career sectional readings are fairly consistent around 4.32.

He should be backed next time from either the orange or the striped jacket at this level.
Nearest the Jack, Hove, A11


Zigzag Sapphire is one of the youngest bitches on the strength at Sunderland having been whelped in January 2008 - but that hasn't stopped her winning two of her eight career starts so far. Those wins have come in an A5 and a handicap - and both times she has finished strongly.

Last time Zigzag Sapphire finished third in an A5. Having been crowded at least twice the Droopys Wood bitch ran on well from the red jacket. A strong running railer is not a bad thing at Sunderland as invariably dogs swing off wide at the first bend and with so many middle seeds and so few wide seeds running in graded races there at present, this can play into the hands of a dog like Zigzag Sapphire. As was indeed the case when she won her first race from trap two.

Given more experience she can only go one way at Sunderland in my opinion and it wouldn't surprise me if she eventually made into an A3 dog or better before tackling longer distances. Back her next time. She has yet to run a graded race in which she hasn't been crowded - when she does go a circuit and quarter unscathed she will post a decent time - and that time could be soon.
Zigzag Sapphire, Sunderland, A5