Essex Vase Betting: So much to look forward to at Romford

Sky Previews / Jonathan Hobbs / 27 November 2008 / Leave a Comment

Sky Sports' Jonathan Hobbs on the dogs to watch when the cameras roll next Tuesday.

Get set for a cracking Essex Vase final at Romford on Tuesday, Sky's next port of call.

The race will see Bubbly Totti try to enhance his Greyhound of the Year claims and today's news that Bubbly Rambo has been withdrawn from the final makes it slightly easier for him, but only just.

Droopys Carvalho is flying again and John Mullins' dog will no doubt put huge pressure on Totti if he grabs an early advantage. But Bubbly Totti, the season's leading open-race winner, will be bearing down on him late on.

Incidentally, Sherries Boy adds a nice twist to the Romford final. Back to form after injury, he is trained by Tony Collett for Tommy Mills, a part-owner of Lenson Joker. Joker is also a Greyhound of the Year contender and him denying Totti glory in the Essex Vase might just improve 'the Joker's' chances of the top honour.

But in terms of future winners, the aforementioned are all well exposed now, and while Westmead Tina is also, she's had a long spell off the card and must be open to improvement. She ran a cracker in her Essex Vase semi and was a touch unlucky not to make it through. She might well be seen next in the Oaks.

Talking of the Oaks, the bitches Classic kicks off on Tuesday and looks as eagerly contested as ever, judged on the entry for the 48-runner contest, won last year by Blonde Jeannie. And those who have monitored the recent trials at Wimbledon will have been impressed with the likes of Was Not Me and Elusive Jazz.

Judged on her recent effort in front of the Sky cameras, there will not be many who will lead Graham Hutt's bitch.

Elsewhere, Thurlesburg Joker went into the notebook after winning his heat of a puppy competition at Sheffield on Tuesday.

Bred to be a champion - he is related to the likes of Lenson Joker and Boherna On Air - Barrie Draper's dog may not have covered himself in glory at Newcastle's recent Sky meeting but is forgiven his inexperienced effort.

On Tuesday, he fairly bolted home as an odds-on shot should, but his winning time was more of a match for all-aged rivals when compared against the winning times of the Harry Holmes Memorial later that night. And the Draper camp continues to fire. One to watch.

Coventry's St Leger is always fair game went it comes to top-class performers, and Swift Ninja roared back to form in his heat after a rough ride at Nottingham recently. Given a wide draw and a chance to lead, there are few better six-bend dogs in the country.

Coventry's meeting on Sunday also saw the quick reappearance of Ballyea Honcho. He's the dog mooted to be taking part in a match on Oaks final night with Bubbly Totti, a match fixed after the Nottingham dog won on Sky.

He hardly set the track alight at Coventry, finishing third, and many are wondering whether the match could just be a mismatch. But I can't help thinking he's better than that, although he'll need to be if the Totti match is to come off.