JUMEIRAH CHARM IN OAKS BID
JUMEIRAH CHARM can become the first Irish-trained winner since Ian Reilly’s Droopys Stacey in 2005 when Gerry Holian’s bitch lines up in tonight’s showpiece English Oaks Final at Swindon, live on RPGTV.
The famous Classic is being hosted by the Wiltshire venue for the first time, having switched from now-closed Towcester last year. It was previously staged at White City, Wimbledon, Harringay and Belle Vue.
It was that history, and the importance the Oaks has on the breeding scene, that led to big-race sponsor John Turner taking over sponsorship and his intention is to build on the race in 2019 with an earlier date in the year mooted.
A £15,000 first prize awaits the winner and, with runners from previous Oaks-winning kennels such as Mark Wallis and Kevin Hutton against her, Jumeirah Charm will have to be at her best.
A 28.59sec return in the second round stands out and last year’s semi-finalist can strike for owner and breeder Jimmy Buckley, the country music star and brother of leading trainer Pat.
Incidentally, Magical Vera also goes for the Derbywinning trainer in the Oaks final and should go well, as will her littermate MAGICAL ICARUS (9.56), who appropriately runs in the Magical Bale At Stud Stakes named after his illustrious half-brother.
Other Swindon fancies are Carol Grasso’s National Sprint finalist GENTLE STORM (7.37pm) and the Mark Wallis-trained GLORY SNAKE (8.42), who will relish the stiff 509m four-bend trip at Swindon.
At Crayford, also on RPGTV, DROOPYS NOODLE
(8.34) can follow up last week’s success from a good make-up, while Belinda Green’s CLEANING DOCTOR
(9.27) can make a successful return to the track.
Monmore’s card has a host of open races scheduled, the pick of which is up-in-trip AMIGO VALLEY (7.54), the Kevin Hutton-trained PRO PENNY (9.16, above) and Lee Field’s regular winner FERNHILL REX (9.32).
KING TURBO lines up as favourite for next week’s Coral Greyhound Olympic at
Hove after winning his semi-final of the last major four-bend competition of 2018 in a fastest time on Thursday.
Liz McNair’s dog, already winner of two Gold Cups at Monmore and Towcester, plus the Kent Derby, eyes a fourth title this year and will be a Greyhound of the Year contender should he triumph.
Monmore Puppy Derby winner Rising Brandy, who reached the Derby semi-finals before injury struck, has made a superb return to the track for Matt Dartnall and leads the challenge to King Turbo along with Sussex Cup champion Sporting Dave. Seamus Cahill’s dog racked up his 17th open-race victory when winning his own Olympic semi-final and lies third in the race to be winningmost open-racer of the year.
That honour now rests between Sporting Dave’s kennelmate Droopys Perfect who won his 19th open at Hove on Thursday and the Yvonne Gaskin-trained Chopchop Hope with 20 open-race wins. Both could be action next week!
THURSDAY’S Coral Greyhound Olympic meeting will decide which trainers make the top six in the Trainer of the Year standings for 2018 with victory for either of Matt Dartnall’s two finalists helping to close the gap on six-placed Philip Simmonds.
Mark Wallis will be crowned champion trainer for a record tenth time ahead of Derby-winning handler Kevin Hutton.