DROOPYS PLUNGE gets a confident vote to win the Coral Olympic and can begin his big-race campaign in heat six of the four-bend end-of-season showpiece at Hove tonight.
Six Olympic heats over 515m share the stage with six heats of the George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial over 740m for a great card at the Sussex venue. The six-bend event commemorates the historic achievements of two of greyhound racing's biggest names, the world record-breaking greyhound and his trainer.
Outright ante-post fancies in the Olympic are Droopys Plunge and Proper Heiress and both should win their heats, as should Garfiney Blaze in his heat of the George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob. Hopiehopeihopie gets an each-way vote in this competition.
So to the heats of these two high-class Category Ones themselves and major players bookend the card with Garfiney Blaze (6.08) set to make a successful return to the fray in heat one of the George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial.
Mark Wallis's Cesarewitch champion has missed much of the year due to injury but has been given plenty of time and comeback trials have been impressive. He might always have the jump on the keeping-on local hope Swift Jarvis, while Patrick Janssens' in-form Breton Molly (6.42) gets the vote in heat two after her runaway Crayford win.
Other George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial votes go to Richard Rees's fresh-post-comeback Unanimous Madam (7.16), Matt Dartnall's much-improved Move Over Ogie (7.49), Nathan Hunt's recent Notts track record-breaker Droopys Flotilla (8.24) and Tom Levers's marathon star Beach Babe (8.59).
So to the Olympic and Mark Wallis's well-pitched Proper Heiress (6.26) might always be bossing proceedings in heat one after running without luck in the Eclipse at Notts.
The draw looks decent and a smart prep trial over 515m augurs well for his chances to edge Coral Sussex Cup champion Newinn Benni in an intriguing clash.
Other Coral Olympic votes go to Patrick Janssens strong-running Barntick Bear (6.59) off the back of an impressive trial himself, newly crowned Gold Collar hero Aayamza Sydney (7.33), Mark Wallis's improving Gun Slinger (8.07), well-drawn 2023 Sussex Cup winner Candolim Monsoon (8.41) and the hugely exciting Droopys Plunge (9.16).
The first three in each of tonight's heats make it through to Saturday's semi-finals with the £10,000 finals a week later as part of a gala card on Saturday, December 14.
Oxford also stages Category One action tonight with the heats of the bet365 Challenge Cup over 650m and the Cowley track has been rewarded with a brilliant entry too.
Mark Wallis's New Destiny (8.09) and Nathan Hunt's Cooladerry Dust (7.31) catch the eye ante-post and both should win their heats, while other suggestions are Kevin Hutton's consistent Oaks finalist Coppice Ella (6.21), Matt Dartnall's well-pitched Carols Hero (6.56), another Hunt-trained runner in the returning Riverside Shari (8.26) and another Wallis runner in the shape of the always-a-factor Mad For Sterling (8.43).
The Oxford card also includes the semi-finals of the BetGoodwin Series Maiden Cup with Maxine Locke's pair of Ballymac Axel (6.39) and Droopys Prefect (7.14) catching the eye in their semis - likewise Matt Dartnall's Bombay Mojo (7.51) in hers.
