Walthamstow Greyhound Racing / Jonathan Hobbs / 26 October 2007 / Leave a comment

The Racing Post's jonathan Hobbs looks ahead to the paper's forthcoming Festival at Walthamstow

'Sorry Hobbsy, can't talk. Off to Walthamstow.'

That call to Ted Soppitt, short but sweet, for me kick-started the countdown to this year's Racing Post Festival. There was Soppitt, at 1pm, getting into the van and heading down south from his Durham base for Open races at the 'Stow that evening. He is once again aiming to send a team to the Festival and, like most trainers, is leaving no stone unturned as he gets his runners accustomed, or re-accustomed, to the Chingford Road venue. It could be at least a 10-hour round-trip for Ted, but that is what the event means to Soppitt and many others in the game.

Having said that, it is no surprise. In Ted's case, he has enjoy great success at the Stow with four major successes, including Calzaghe Frisby's victory in the Festival Stayers, very much the showpiece event, last year. But the general feedback from nine years of Racing Post Festivals has been fantastic, from the prize-money for two runs and the fact that as many people as possible after invited to come along - this year's Lucky Trapper competition in the paper will encourage even more this year. In the past betting shop managers have been encouraged to seek complimentary tickets for their customers, and that remains the case this year.

Thursday's Opens told us plenty, and Soppitt looks again set to play a major role, especiially in the puppy 475m with both Calzaghe Ted and Droopys Obefemi.

And as usual the veterans' event will be well contested and it will be great to see the once-great, and possibly still-great (!), Ronnies Champion back to winning form for his new trainer Kim Marlow. With Ronnies Hustle a terrific puppy, and surely a contender for the puppy crown if entered, owner Ronnie Davis could have a memorable Festival.

See below for the full race-up for the Racing Post Festival.

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First blood to Fear Haribo as the back-to-form Scottish Derby winner won his head-to-head with Barnfield On Air in the heats of the Blue Square Classic.

Charlie Lister will have been delighted to see his brilliant tracker get first run on his chief rival, and while absolutely respectful of the track records and general impact on the open-race scene that Sam Poots' dog has made in recent weeks and months, his competitive instincts will have been thrilled to see Haribo strike gold.

But while the first battle has been won, the war is still to be resolved and this event looks a cracker, especially when you have Blonde Dino just sitting on the shoulders of the front two ready to pounce.

John Mullins' dog, already backed for next year's Derby after impressing in this, was extremely unlucky in the Reading Masters, finding himself in the morning re-run and missing the break. He showed in his heat he has the pace and the necessary stamina to go far in another Category One event, and a match-up with the front two in front of the cameras for the final on November 8 would be the icing on the cake for Coventry's first major Sky fixture.

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Racing Post Festival details
Pre-Festival, Tuesday November 6: Countrywide Steel & Tubes Goodwood Cup heats 475m; Totesport London Scurry heats 430m.
Saturday November 10: Racing Post Maiden Derby heats 475m; VCBet Marathon heats 835m; Racing Post Seniors Derby heats 475m; Countrywide Steel & Tubes Goodwood Cup final 475m; £500 one-off opens 475m, 475m hurdles, 640m
Tuesday November 13: Racing Post Puppy Stayers heats 640m; Totesport Puppy Stakes heats 475m; Totesport London Scurry semis 430m; Graded 475m heats, graded 640m heats
Thursday November 15: Carlisle Brass British-Bred heats 475m; Racing Post Stayers heats 640m; Racing Post Dual Distance heats 475m; Racing Post Maiden Derby semis 475m
Saturday November 17: Racing Post Festival Hurdles heats 475m; 235m sprint £500; Graded 475m and 640m finals, both £500
Grand Finals' night, Tuesday November 20: Racing Post Festival Stayers final; 640m £4,000; Totesport London Scurry final 430m £4,000; VCBet Marathon final 835m £4,000; Carlisle Brass British-Bred final 475m £2,000; Totesport Puppy Stakes final 475m £2,000; Racing Post Festival Puppy Stayers final 640m £2,000; Racing Post Festival Maiden Derby final 475m £2,000; Racing Post Festival Seniors Derby final 475m £2,000; Racing Post Festival Hurdles final 475m £2,000; Racing Post Festival Dual Distance final 640m £2,000; VCBet Invitation 475m £4,000; 475m bitches' £1,000; 1,045m/880m open £1,000

Tags: Greyhound Betting