SINGALONG WHEN YOU’RE WINNING!
KEV AND CITY WILL MOVE CLOSER TO THE TITLE
THE SHELBOURNE Open 600 is the feature event at HQ this evening, with €15,000 to the winner.
This prestigious competition boasts a total prize fund of €26,290, with the talented Singalong Dolly the 7/4 favourite with the bookmakers.
Trained by Pat Buckley, this versatile daughter of Droopys Sydney/ Mydras Dawn has won the Irish Cesarewitch and Champion Bitch Stake already in 2024, not to mention the Puppy Oaks last year.
She ran out a comfortable winner last week in the semi-finals, clocking a stunning 32.02 in the red jacket, which is a career best over this trip.
Dolly races from trap one again in race 9 and she is the one to beat if last week’s performance is anything to go by.
Owned by Gilbert Anderson from Oxfordshire, Singalong Dolly has already accumulated over €20,000 in prize money.
This won’t be an easy task, however, as trap six Ryhope Beach is 15/8 for trainer Michael J O’Donovan.
This son of Droopys Sydney/ Calzaghe Jan has been showing outstanding pace down the back straight.
Week
I’m going to take a chance on Noirs Ben in trap two for trainer Shaun Conway, who is in flying form of late.
Ben won last month over course and distance in 29.96 with Carrick Keano a danger in trap three.
I fancy Carmac King to continue his purple patch in the second heat for trainer Owen McKenna while recent Con & Annie Kirby Memorial finalist Scooby Pacemaker looks to have a chance from trap three in the third heat for trainer Jennifer O’Donnell.
The Retired Greyhound Trust A0
525 Final also features on the card, with €2,500 up for grabs.
Heat winner Droopys Metaphor ran a cracker to win in 28.31 from trap five as an inside seed. Trap six isn’t ideal in this final but he has the talent to overcome the draw.
Deelish Nora was the other heat winner in an identical time of 28.31 so this should make for a competitive affair. Lets Go Bubbles is the danger in trap two for trainer Owen McKenna.
The €7,500 A2 Spring Derby semifinals take place at Curraheen Park, with two competitive races.
SHELBOURNE PARK
Race 3 – Trap 4 Mustang Sally Race 5 – Trap 2 Noirs Ben
Race 6 – Trap 5 Carmac King Race 7 – Trap 3 Scooby Pacemaker Race 8 – Trap 6 Droopys Metaphor Race 9 – Trap 1 Singalong Dolly NAP Race 10 – Trap 3 Poets Dawn Race 11 – Trap 1 Boylesports Coco
CURRAHEEN PARK
Race 8 – Trap 1 Katsumoto Race 9 – Trap 2 Labana King
Youngster Ballymac Gizmo caught the eye in the opening round when winning in 32.33 and ran fantastically behind Singalong Dolly last week.
Heat winner Pennys Lynx cannot be dismissed after his 32.18 win for trainer Rosemary Price. He took a flier from trap three with a 5.87 split so a repeat will put him in the mix.
The general consensus is that he will step right when he comes out of the traps, which will give Singalong Dolly more room along the fence.
I thought Fashion Model ran superbly last week for trainer Patrick Guilfoyle — but a faster start is required, while Kyanite Kate is the 33/1 outsider for Frank Harvey.
Greyhound enthusiasts will be spoilt as the €7,500 Shelbourne Champion 550 kicks off with four to qualify from each of the three heats for the semi-finals next week.
The opening heat is tough. Trainer Jerry Melia has a future star in Belfast Gerry, who is making his Dublin debut. He won in Newbridge last month is a sensational time of 28.29 on just his third start.
Form
BUSINESS TIME NOW: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
JUST keep winning, that’s all Arsenal can do — if Manchester City do the same then you just have to tip your hat to them.
For the Gunners, it is about getting nine points out of nine to finish the season and hoping that is enough.
It is not a monumental task either as they must face Bournemouth (safe), Manchester United (shambolic) and Everton (who knows, they might have another points deduction next week).
Today’s task is the Cherries at home and really Bournemouth have not shown anything to suggest that they will be party-poopers.
Arsenal’s biggest opponent is themselves.
Suggestion
Any suggestion that they will ‘bottle’ it has gone with the way they have won their last game, even if Tottenham gave them a scare.
Bournemouth actually have the eighth best away record in the Premier League and they are obviously no mugs, but this is too big a match for Arsenal to blow and they won’t fall short here.
Arsenal should be comfortable winners and I will take them to win by scorelines of either 3-0 or 3-1, which are available at prices of 8-1 and 10-1 respectively.
Whether it is a benefit to be in action before Manchester City or not I have no idea, but the Gunners won’t have to wait very long to find out how City get on — we can probably guess as they are at home to Wolves in the evening game.
Wolves have managed to get enough wins together to stay in the division with plenty to spare, but they are no match for City at this stage of the season — even if they did beat them at Molineux in September.
I expect City to turn on the afterburners here.
Bearing in mind that goal difference could still have a role to play, City will want to eat in to Arsenal’s advantage in this area.
City are 2-1 to win at -3 on the handicap.
That is far from certain, but it is worth a go I think.
Kevin De Bruyne has been quiet