SYD ZAFIRO (7.04) gets the vote to wrap up a huge weekend of big-race action with victory in the the Genco Group Juvenile Classic Final at Towcester today.
It's a rare Sunday evening meeting at the Northamptonshire venue for the Category Two decider which follows Category One and Two deciders at Newcastle on Thursday with the Time Greyhound Nutrition Northern Flat and Arena Racing Company Angel of The North, Hove's double-header of the Premier Greyhound Racing Regency and Coral Sussex Cup and Oxford's BetGoodwin Pall Mall.
The switch from an afternoon to evening meeting was at the request of sponsor Jack Russell, whose Genco Group are backing the £5,000-to-the-winner prize won last year by Seamus Cahill's subsequent Greyhound of the Year Droopys Clue. Therefore, it's a hard act to follow of any of tonight's finalists - albeit plenty of class, pace and fast times have been on show in the three-round event this far.
So to the 500m final - and Irish success looks on the cards if 28.73sec heat winner Syd Zafiro can overcome a wider draw than usual with a slick start.
Trained by Paul Matthews, Syd Zafiro posted the fastest time in the competition in that first round effort - a time which would not have looked out of place during the recent English Derby and, while this precocious sort was beaten in the semis, it was a good effort from the winner Droopys Extragud but the Irish raider lost nothing in defeat.
Droopys Pivotel represents the sponsors and he, too, impressed in the semis, while Slick Sentinel is the epitome of consistency and will run his usual solid race.
Barntick Bear (7.24) starred on Derby final night with a brilliant and popular win on his step up to six bends and could be tough to hold on his return to 500m. He is up against the classy Newinn Syd and is hardly well drawn outside in the orange-box but his all-round pace is a joy and Patrick Janssens' runner could prove too strong.
Laurence Tuffin's debutant Romeo Aragon (7.42) catches the eye in the maiden. Trials have been decent enough to suggest a winning bow, while others making appeal are Mark Wallis's Table Toppers (7.58) after a good second over C&D in good company last week and Paul Young's well-drawn Bubbly Athena (8.52).
Towcester tips
Syd Zafiro (7.04)
Barntick Bear (7.24)
Romeo Aragon (7.42)
Table Toppers (7.58)
Bubbly Athena (8.52)
