All-England Cup Betting: Boherna primed for more excellence

Sky Previews / Jonathan Hobbs / 09 November 2008 / Leave a Comment

Jonathan Hobbs previews the Sky-televised Newcastle event.

Wednesday's final of the All England Cup at Newcastle, Sky's next port of call, looks a match between Boherna Best and Dotland Hit Man. But there's more at stake than just the £10,000 first prize - especially where Boherna Best is concerned!

He now looks a real spoiler to the Greyhound of the Year claims of those six-bend superstars Bubbly Totti and Lenson Joker. Victory for Barrie Draper's could just put pressure on those two after wins already in Monmore's Gold Cup and the Laurels at Belle Vue. He also boasts a minor competition victory at Hove.

However, in Dotland Hit Man, he faces a faces a real obstacle and Andrew Bell's dog is showing the sort of form which had Seamus Graham entering him in both the Irish Derby and Cork Laurels, although setbacks ultimately curtailed his Irish campaign.

Both market leaders are showing good pace up and Boherna Best can trap better than he did in the semis. He just mistimed the start. But watch for a good run from Droopys Carvalho. He struggled to get round Pearly Queen in his semi, but stayed on with purpose. However, he will need to get the jump on Eye Onthe Pulse, who could prove a similar problem in the dash to the first bend.

This year's competition will be remembered, not just for top-class performances, but the third place run-off between Affleck Elite and Eye Onthe Brave, who dead-heated behind Dotland Hit Man in the semis. The former would be fancied, surely, in a clean-run race, which a two-dog affair should be!

As for the also-rans in the All England semis, it will be interesting to see how Crown Rover and Lochbo Meg are campaigned. Both endured troubled runs in the sloppy conditions at Newcastle, and both are far better than the bare formlines suggest.

Meanwhile, recent formlines at Nottingham suggest that the layers have got it right in the Eclipse, which kicks off on Monday. Both Ninja Jamie and Wise Thought are top-class animals who run Nottingham very well, but the feeling remains here that Ninja Jamie might just have to much speed for Wise Thought if it came to a straight head-to-head. However, two rounds might need to be negotiated before that mouthwatering possibility raises its head.

For the record, and the front two aside, Farloe Merlin and Shaneboy Luke would be two dogs to keep on the right side of in the event, the final of which features on Sky on Thursday. November 20.