Greyhounds Betting: Blonde Dino eyes Sheffield win

Sky Previews / Editor / 08 September 2008 / Leave a Comment

The black three-year-old can end his career with trainer John Mullins with a bang by landing the William Hill Steel City Cup over 500 metres at on Tuesday live on SKY Sports, says Mark Sullivan.

Blonde Dino has been sold by Mark Currell who last week announced he was reducing the number of runners he has in training.

The news of Blonde Dino's sale - for a reputed substantial five-figure sum - and impending transfer to a yet unidentified new handler comes as a particular blow to Mullins. The Suffolk trainer has enjoyed a rich seam of success with Blonde Dino that includes victories in the Dundalk International and Midland Puppy Derby, as well as finishing third in the English Derby and second in the recent Gold Cup at Monmore.

Blonde Dino, who also earned the title of "fastest dog in the world" when clocking 27.81sec over 480 metres at Monmore last year, will start a warm favourite to secure the Steel City Cup first prize of £5,000 after an impressive run through the competition involving two defeats over Charlie Lister's Affleck Elite.

His semi-final performance when posting an electric 28.94sec (going 0.10sec fast) and winning by more than five lengths was particularly eye catching and having drawn trap four in the final it is difficult to recommend anything other than a play about Blonde Dino, albeit at prohibitive odds.

That is not saying that Blonde Dino will have it all his own way. There is serious pace on either side of him and he is not favourite to lead on the run to the bend. It is most likely that Frisby Foxwatch (trap one) will play the pacesetting role before succumbing to Blonde Dino along the far side. Affleck Elite (trap two) boasts a fair turn of pace in the latter stages and he may well again run into a place.

Trainer Barrie Draper is represented in the final by Farloe Niall, whose ability to see out the 500 metres trip at top pace could see him make a podium place. But the Rotherham-based handler can be excused for expecting his Boherna On Air to have been attempting his second straight win in the Steel Cup.

First and second bend trouble in the semi-final last week, won by Frisby Foxwatch, put-paid to Boherna On Air's chances but the talented son of Kiowa Street Trey can gain some compensation in supporting William Hill Standard at 9.25pm.

Boherna On Air (trap two) should have enough early foot to clear Julie Bateson's Drive On Captain (trap one) on the dash to the turn and once in a dominating position there ought to be little doubt that the Draper runner will go onto to score.

The William Hill Poker Stakes over 720 metres at 8.00pm is an extremely competitive contest. The field includes Bubbly Sally (trap four), third in the Champion Stakes final on Tuesday at Romford over 575 metres. However, there are one or two in the field that make more appeal that Paul Young's bitch, including Ginger Times (trap five), who is trained by Norman Melbourne.

Picture Play (trap two) was a surprise 12-1 winner over Ginger Times over track and trip on August 23 but the latter, who was 1-3 to take that contest, has since moved well when posting 29.67sec in a trial over 500 metres at Sheffield, which suggests she is well enough to make amends. Dysert Tazmin, on the back of an impressive victory over 670 metres at Belle Vue, is another who is likely to make a big impact.

Commander Chief, the beaten favourite in the final of the Gold Collar over 590 metres at Belle Vue on August 28, successfully made the transition to 670 metres when winning at the Manchester track on Thursday. The time of 41.41sec wasn't earth-shattering but it leaves Laurence Tuffin, his trainer, with something to work on and the two-year-old son of Tyrur Ted will be one of the main players in the William Hill Casino Stakes over 660 metres at 8.35pm.

The draw, however, in trap five for Commander Chief is far from ideal and he will have to be extremely careful to avoid serious trouble rounding the first and second bends if he is to win this, Charlies Dream (trap three) - fifth in the final of the Gold Collar - goes from trap three, whilst Ballyea Honcho (trap two) and Bubbly Rambo (trap four) are others to consider.