Betfair Official Blog

Roxholme to roar on at Stow

The big-hitting backers will be holding their breath as the lids crash open at Walthamstow on Tuesday night as the brilliant Roxholme King bids to power his way to victory in the opening semi-final heat of the Graphite (UK) Puppy Derby (21:03).

Harry Keightley's exciting prospect cemented his position at the head of Betfair's ante-post market for outright glory when making it three wins from three starts in last Thursday's second round.

The 'King' recorded a fastest-of-the-night 28.84sec.on that occasion, and the hugely-progressive son of Give And Go looks set to start a warm order from trap two in Tuesday's eliminator.

However, with July Captain drawn next door in the red jacket, the July 2005 whelp will need to be on his toes at trap rise to avoid any bumping with Seamus Cahill's representative.

A bigger danger to Roxholme King's prospects of progressing to the final looks to be Ted Soppitt's Droopys Obafemi (T3), who managed to qualify from his second stage heat despite running twice into bumping.

The second semi-final appears to be the weaker of the two heats, with the likes of Cahill's Milldean Buster (T1) and Soppitt's other contender Calzaghe Jo (T6) looking set to command plenty of market attention.