IT’S NOW OR NEVER, ELVIS
KING ELVIS can complete a famous double when he lines up in ‘The Hawk’ Henlow Derby Final tomorrow afternoon as the defending champion – on a day when one of the great champions is remembered.
Nick Savva and Bob Morton’s Westmead Hawk is one of the sport’s most famous sons after his back-to-back Derby wins at Wimbledon in 2005 and 2006 and owner Morton is back as sponsor of the £10,000 prize – this year named after his champion.
King Elvis, after comfortable wins in both heat and semi-final, will have to be at his best to account for Elaine Parker’s Dropzone, this year’s Scottish Derby second, and Lowgate Rudy. Jim Hayton’s runner gave Elvis an early test in last week’s head-to-head.
Before then, tonight’s action on RPGTV sees Crayford and Sheffield again take centre-stage with the best best at the Owlerton venue looking to be LOSTRIGG FREDDY
(6.22). Barrie Draper’s dog won well last week.
At Crayford, two runners catch the eye – Gary Vincent’s up-in-trip JILLYPOPS (8.34) and Jim Reynolds’ DODGERS FURY (9.27). Both races are heats of a maiden
714m event. Perry Barr’s usual Saturday feast of Open racing continues with some crackerjack affairs, as the track continues the countdown to the St Leger with two divisions of a
710m contest – plus top-class two- and four-bend events.
FOREST WEST (8.55) can strike in the Love The Dogs 480 for John Lambe, while in the earlier sprint, Marlfield Jet’s brilliant winning streak could be under pressure from KILMORE LEMON (7.47, inset) after Patrick Janssens’ dog roared back to form at Central Park last week.
Janssens also has major chances in the St Leger trials with AFFLECK DINO (8.04) and GOLDIES HOTSPUR
(9.29) set to repay support – and the latter is, of course, the reigning
TV Trophy champion. Could she be building up to defend her title?
Indeed, Crayford is to stage this year’s Ladbrokes TV Trophy, starting on December 1 over 874m, after a deal was stuck by Ladbrokes/ Coral to back the next two runnings of the famous competition. The Coral TV Trophy will be staged at Romford in 2019. ®MONMORE celebrates its 90th anniversary with a special 1920s-themed gala meeting on Thursday. Customers are being encouraged to wear their best outfits of the era with a prize for the best dressed – by order of the Peaky Blinders!
General admission and a racecard will be 10p each – the 1928 first-meeting equivalent of the current admission price of £6. Special restaurant offers are available, while money raised will support the local Greyhound Trust branch and the Poppy Appeal.
The first race at Monmore is 6.33 with gates opening at 5.30. For further details visit www. monmoredogs.co.uk ®THE GBGB yesterday underlined its commitment to improve greyhound welfare by announcing details of a new Injury Recovery Scheme. The scheme offers financial assistance to owners of a greyhound who may have suffered career-ending orthopaedic injuries on the track. ®JONATHAN HOBBS is a GBGB Greyhound Ambassador