Droopys Nidge To Ease Through – Heats 12-17 Preview

On Saturday night we will have a further 12 top class Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby heats commencing at 7:50pm.

There are plenty of big names in action such as the joint fav Droopys Nidge, 2012 winner Skywalker Puma, British raider Holdem Spy just to name a few. All heat prices and outright prices are available on www.Boylesports.com

Heat 12
British raider Holdem Spy (10/11) will start fav for the opening heat on Saturday night and with his back straight pace and finishing kick he is going to prove hard to beat. Barefoot Apollo has a cracking draw on the inside which he will look to exploit to the fullest.

The Champion Stakes consolation winner has improved immensely in the past few weeks and he should give the jolly plenty to do if he starts. Best Option has shown some excellent Cork form and he also has been showing some blistering early pace but for Option to get involved here he will need one of his better starts.

Jaytee Osprey is a new purchase for British owner John Turner and following her latest final win in Galway she looks a smart buy. She starts and stays well but, if she is to win she will need to lead the inside to traps to the turn. Vulturi has some excellent Limerick form earlier in the year and if he is to win this tricky heat he will require one of his better starts.

Quick Blaze is a young pup with an extremely tricky draw as he likes to lead and is an inside seed, he is drawn in trap 5 and there is plenty of early on his inner, for me he will need luck to get a clear passage. Spy is the sole wide seed and with the ideal draw he should capitalise. The early runners could cause each other problems at the bend and I expect the Spy to pick up the pieces.

Heat 13
In the betting ring this race could essentially be predicted to be a match between Droopys Ward (5/4) in trap 1 and Metro Jack (13/8) in trap 3, I would expect these two to dominate as the betting suggests and I feel the experience of Metro Jack may just sway the race in his favour.

Droopys Ward the English Derby runner-up for me could go a long way in this competition as his running style is tailor made for Shel PK and I just feel in this heat as far as winning it, I feel Metro Jack will have more experience.

Twospoonsalice has just has 4 races while winning three, he too lacks experience but has shown great early in his few races and should he get through I expect him to improve with each run he gets under his belt. Metro Jack was a real surprise winner of the Dundalk International recently and this gutsy all-round performer for me could easily go a few rounds in this year’s competition.

I think Jack can win this heat, he likes to lead and with two inexperienced runners on his inside, I can see him popping out, getting the rail and going on to make-all. Ghost town has the potential to cause an upset to the market leaders but will need a quick getaway and to reproduce it’s recent track record breaking performance in Cork. Both Abbey Carla and Whizzing Around appear up against it and it would be a shock if either of them won this heat.

Heat 14
Droopys Nidge (1/3) goes to the boxes in heat 14 and barring accidents he should progress to round two with relative ease. Tyrur Arthur goes from trap 1 and after his very impressive win in Galway last time out there is every reason to believe he is in good form and should also go through to round two.

Kilanan Baby probably hasn’t produced her best form of last year yet this term but, if she could find that level of ability she too would progress. Barnhill Turbo is an improving pup who ran a career best last time out when beating Fiery Spendour around Cork and with a smart break I can see him putting in a bold bid for qualification. Both Nans Top Boy and Half A Cent will need huge career best efforts to trouble the Nidge and they will both be doing there best to qualify from this tough heat.

Nidge runs from a plum draw in the stripes and with a good start the joint-fav can show exactly why he as being built up to be a superstar in the making. Trained by last year’s Derby winning trainer Robert Gleeson Nidge has all the attributes to go very far in this year’s event and should only improve with racing as he has only had 6 races to date.

Heat 15
Another heat where the betting suggests it is a match, this time it’s between General Wolf (13/8) and Paradise Silva (10/11). Personally I feel as though Silva has more ability than Wolf but, I would be slightly concerned if Silva missed the kick as he has little room for error. Honour And Glory goes from trap 1 and if he could reproduce his Clonmel form he would have a chance however, he needs to improve on his last two runs at Shelbourne Park.

Wolf does from the blue box and this very consistent performer sets a high standard in this race. He never runs a bad race and should Silva slightly miss the kick, I would expect the Wolf to pounce. Coolavanny Dave is very inexperienced so is open to improvement but, if he is to feature here that is exactly what he will need to do. Silva goes from trap 4 and with one of his better starts I can see him proving too strong for his rivals.

He showed in Wimbledon all of his ability and a reproduction of those runs would be too much for this field. On Alert and Change of Gear will both be aiming just to try progress to round 2, with four runners well matched on form with possibly just 2 remaining qualification places.

Heat 16
Deanridge Pennys (5/6) will start fav here and I suspect it will be hard to beat him if he gets a clear run. Farloe Quest for me is one of the fastest starters in the Derby and has a perfect draw in trap 1. He could be the one who Pennys may have to catch as they head down the back and head for home. Lagganmore Milan will need to step up significantly on his recent trials if he is to make the frame. Pennys has a lovely draw with not the fastest starters either side and if he can turn 2nd to Faroe Quest down the back he will fancy his chances of picking him up before the line.

Highview Premier in his last race produced a huge career best effort and he needs a similar performance to make an impact as he is stepping up in grade from A3 to the Derby. Droopys Day Lewis was highly thought of as a pup but, things clearly haven’t gone according to plan, he can be a bit hit and miss but, with a decent getaway he could get through.

Ecclestone out wide will look to clear Droopys to the bend and secure a qualification spot from there, he ran very well in Wimbledon to reach the Semi-finals but, he will need to improve drastically on his previous Shelbourne Park form if he is to repeat the trick.

Heat 17
Not necessarily the strongest of heats but most of these connections will fancy themselves of qualification here if not the heat win. I think Hawaii Kinsale might just have the edge in a wide open affair.

Shopping Basket has a limited amount of racing done for his age but he does possess the ability to win a heat of this nature, his recent Shelbourne Park win over General Wolf would be good enough here. Native Hut finished 6 lengths behind Droopys Nidge and believe it or not a reproduction of that run may even see him win this heat, clearing trap 1 early however is unlikely.

Band Major was unlucky in his latest start due to early trouble having impressed on his penultimate start however, a career best effort may be needed to win this. Hawaii Kinsale was one of the most improved performers in this event last year, he won his last start and should come on for the run, for me I think he is the most likely winner. Meadowiew Dove has never finished outside the first three places in his 12 races and he will need that consistency to progress here.

Razldazl Al is an inside seed drawn in trap 6 which is far from ideal however, arguably his best run came from trap 5 at Shelbourne Park so that would give you confidence despite the poor draw.