Sky Greyhounds Betting Preview: Racing Post Juvenile night at Wimbledon

Sky Previews / Darrell Williams / 02 March 2009 / Leave a Comment

Ante-post king Darrell Williams looks ahead to Tuesday night's action at the west London track.

The decision to move the Racing Post Juvenile to a new March date may turn out to be one of the most inspired for some time if Tuesday's line up at Wimbledon - the highlight of another first class card live on Sky Sports - is anything to go by.

And with greyhounds of the calibre of Fear Zafonic and Boherna Best, to name just two, in the field, there's every chance the race may finally produce a Derby winner.

Fear Zafonic, the Birmingham Cup winner in late January, and the only member of the field to have run competitively this year, could hardly have wished for a better draw. Not only has he gained his coveted trap one jacket, but up against two other railers with a tendency to edge middle.

Charlie Lister's charge who clocked the fastest time ever seen at the track for the 460m trip when recording a phenomenal 27.17 just before Christmas, hugged the rails when clocking 27.40 on his return last week. If he gets out, in theory he should take some beating at [1.84], but my eye is taken by the [3.8] about Boherna Best.

A late call up for the event, Barrie Draper's triple Category One winner last year, has not run since his victory in the last of those major prizes, the All England Cup in November, but has been well prepared with a stack of sprint trials, before unleashing a rapid 27.31 at the track on Friday night - remarkably his first look at the Plough Lane circuit.

Deanridge Fury could pose an early paced threat on his immediate inside, although trainer Dean Childs, whose Lorry's Options landed this column yet another ante-post success in the Golden Jacket final last weekend, believes the event may have come too soon for his runner. Arguably the price that might be most out of line is that of Irish Puppy Derby winner Droopys Noel, currently trading at [12.0], and likely to improve again for another look at the track.

The supporting Invitation race over the 480m Derby trip at 9.10 is just as eagerly awaited and features a line-up that would be hard to better.

Ninja Jamie, whose 28.31 in the Derby Plate heats last summer was one of the fastest times ever for the trip, has returned in top class form after a layoff and looks the most likely winner, especially if as expected gaining the early lead and at [2.8] he rates a fair price.

However, I'd also recommend saving on Bubbly Totti ([4.6]), who could hardly have been more impressive when landing the selection on Springbok night and looks well drawn outside current Derby favourite College Causeway, who has taken well to the track, and is a threat, although he's unraced competitively since November.

Ballymac Ruso, who usually goes well after a break, can claim the 8.50 on the back of an excellent trial, while Puppy Derby winner Jesters Nap, another to have flown round in his latest trial, is also given the vote to bounce straight back (8.0) despite an absence stretching back to September.

The hurdles race (8.15) features a re-match between Winkys Don and Eye Onthe Flame after their fascinating duel on Sky three weeks ago, with the latter this time given the edge, as Winkys Don could be held up by Hotdog Jack.