Timeform Greyhound SmartPlays: Headford Chief will be hard to beat at Nottingham

An Open race winner in March, ONE DAY ESSIE (Trap 1) hasn't added to her tally since but she ran a cracker over six bends the following month and a recent staying-on third over the standard trip suggests she's back in good order. With Swift Main on her outside likely to be ahead at the first bend in this evening's A2 Nottingham contest at 18:19, One Day Essie can slot in against the rail before her stamina hopefully kicks in.

A record of 5-41 isn't particularly inspiring, but SHOCKWAVE VOODOO (Trap 5) normally plies her trade at a higher level than A7 Nottingham, finding only one too good down in this grade last month. It's hard to get a handle on what she achieved in a couple of handicaps since but the 18:51 presents a really good chance for Shockwave Voodoo to snap her losing sequence.

There's pace across the track in the 19:41 at Nottingham, but HEADFORD CHIEF (Trap 6) was established at the top level in 2022 and he can reward the patience of connections this evening. He's clearly had his share of issues of late given he's had a brace of lengthy absences, and while he finished last on his return, he wasn't beaten far having suffered crowding off the fourth bend. Sure to strip fitter with that under his belt, Headford Chief can outclass these before tackling better company.