Deverell hits the title trail
ASTUTE greyhound trainer Butch Deverell is hoping to have representatives in the National Sprint and Distance Championships in Melbourne this month.
The state heats of the sprint and distance championships will be held in Launceston tonight with Deverell represented by Wynburn Lucifer in a distance heat over 720m and he has two from his kennel, Apollo Blue and Dooper, trying to make it through to next week’s state sprint final over 515m.
Deverell admits Apollo Blue has drawn the wrong side of the track in box seven in the first heat (Race 6) but says the dog is in career-best form and will be hard to beat if he can avoid interference at the first turn.
“Apollo Blue is probably the superior sprinter of my two, but box seven won’t help his cause, while Dooper has drawn well in box two and should he find the lead they will be hardpressed to run him down,” Deverell said.
“His win two starts back was outstanding and he didn’t lose any admirers by finishing second on a very heavy track to Just Browsing last Monday night.
“Apollo Blue has good track sense so he will run in a straight line to the first turn and if he can be in the first couple when they head down the back, he will be hard to beat.”
Dooper has not won for a while but that does not faze his trainer.
“If Dooper can make the most of his inside draw [two], then he’ll give it a shake.”
In Apollo Blue’s heat bookmakers have installed the son of Fernando Bale a $3.60 chance with Gary Johnson’s in-form bitch Buckle Up Rose, which has won her past three, a firm favourite at $2.80 from box two.
Dooper is a $3.60 chance in his heat in a wide-open betting affair with Birdwood Brianna favourite at $2.60 from box five ahead of Gold Lenny, which will wear the blue vest.
The Gavin Whitney-trained Two Bills is a short-price favourite ($1.80) to take out the remaining sprint heat ahead of Amo Bailar ($2.50) and Miss Hannigan ($7.50).
The first two placegetters and the two fastest thirds in the three sprint heats will progress to next week’s final. Wynburn Lucifer is on the third line of betting at $7 to win the first of two distance championship heats with Vrontios ($2.15) and Bobby Bound ($2.20) battling it out for favouritism.
Deverell’s bitch has drawn box eight and while she has only won three races, she is extremely consistent having notched 29 minor placings from her 51 starts. The Darren Critchley-trained Rosie Oh Rosie is a firm $1.40 favourite to win the remaining distance heat ahead of Eketahuna ($3.20) and Country Shadow ($8.50).
Only 11 dogs were entered for the distance championship, so the first four home in each of the two heats will progress to the state final.