Greyhounds Betting: Six of the best

Greyhounds News / Editor / 03 March 2010 / Leave a Comment

"Last year’s Trainers’ Championship winner Charlie Lister has been trialling his big guns around the track, and the likes of Fear Zafonic, Jordansoilutions and Ninja Jamie will represent him at Doncaster on March 23."

All the latest news from down the dogs as star trainers gather in London ahead of Donnie showdown, Derby fav shrugs off Juvenile defeat and Irish delight at the Golden Jacket.

The countdown to the 2010 Betfair Trainers' Championship steps up a notch this week with the traditional luncheon in London.

All six trainers for the shootout at Doncaster on March 23 will arrive at the Langham Hilton in the capital for a lunch and media interviews ahead of the head-to-heads at the Yorkshire venue, live on Sky Sports, later this month.

Last year's Trainers' Championship meeting was won in handsome style by Charlie Lister, who has already been trialling his big guns around the track, and the likes of Fear Zafonic, Jordansoilutions and Ninja Jamie will represent him.

Lister will be chatting to the likes of champion trainer Mark Wallis, the current Trainer of the Year standings leader Seamus Cahill, Barrie Draper, Dean Childs and Chris Allsopp, the last two appearing in their first trainers meeting.

Childs said: "It's just a great honour to be be involved. You look at those fantastic trainers who missed out, and who would love to be travelling to London for the lunch. And we're there because we had such a good 2009.

"And while for a small trainer like me it's going to be tight to get a team together to compete against the likes of Mark, Charlie, Seamus and Barry, myself and Chris [Allsopp] will give it a go. We won't be disgraced I'm sure!"

The top six trainers in the overall Trainer of the Year standings qualify for the meeting.
Latest betting here:

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The mantle of Derby favourite heading into March is likely to head the way of Eye Onthe Storm, despite his defeat in the Juvenile Championship at Wimbledon on Tuesday.

Mark Wallis's dog was bumped out of the taps by eventual winner Ten Large Down, who won an incident-packed race. Newlawn Class came to challenge for the lead at the third bend only to stumble. But the jury is out whether he would have caught Ten Large Down.

For young trainer Diane Henry, it was another great triumph in a short space of time, the Juvenile winner helping himself to a third major win after successes in the Westmead Puppy Cup and Northern Puppy Derby.

One punter said: "Eye Onthe Storm ran a cracker in defeat, as did Shaws Dilemma, who came from a mile off to grab second. But the winner showed he is a good dog, although he definitely took a middle course, a tag he might well take into the Derby."

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Irish interest in the Golden Jacket proved ultimately successful as Paul Hennessy's Group Skater ran away with the famous Crayford event on Saturday. And Hennessy's success could see more Irish interest in the major competitions this side of the water.

A Monmore source revealed there had been an interest expressed by an Irish handler for the upcoming Midland Puppy Derby at the track, which starts on Thursday.

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The new man running the good ship greyhound racing is Barry Faulkner, who takes over as chief executive of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain in June.

Faulkner, who currently works for BAGS overseeing the greyhound product into the country's betting shops, will bring vital 'poacher turned gamekeeper' experience into the sport.

One insider said: "Barry is from a company which by and large has controlled much of greyhound racing in recent years - ie BAGS. Every track now seemingly wants BAGS fixtures, and the source of income has been vital to some tracks' survival.

"But there is also a general feeling that the power has shifted too much away from greyhound racing to bookmaker interests. Barry could not use his knowledge to strengthen greyhound racing's position."

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Ex-Uk racer Thurlesbeg Joker was the star of the show in Saturday's Tote Gold Cup heats at Shelbourne.

The former Barrie Draper-trained star, now with Owen McKenna, showed great back-straight pace and is now among the leading contenders for the event, which continues at the weekend.