EYES down for another stunning card at the Coral Brighton & Hove Stadium tonight as the semi-finals of both the Premier Greyhound Racing Regency and Coral Sussex Cup take centre-stage, while at Oxford we’re down to the semi-finals also of the BetGoodwin Pall Mall - with a track record in last week’s heats for good measure.
Starting at Hove and, while big names litter the card, the eye is drawn to the clash of defending Sussex Cup champion Candolim Monsoon and Romeo Command in the third semi-final of the 515m Category One. It's an absolute cracker - but not just merely for the head-to-head between two outstanding and classy greyhounds.
It's the story behind them that warms the heart of greyhound fans. Both are back from lengthy spells on the sidelines, nursed back to top form when retirement for both was seriously considered - and, in Romeo Command's case, he's a big-race winner since having won the British-bred competition on Derby final night at Towcester.
However, it's Candolim Monsoon (8.24) who gets the narrowest of votes after a stunning heat victory seven days ago. He flashed out to overcome a midfield pitch and railed away for the spoils. Same again tonght? A bounce notwithstanding, a first bend lead might seal the deal again for Derek Knight's star.
So to the rest of the card and Bombout Bullet (6.08) can star in the opener for local trainer Belinda Green. The draw looks perfect for the National Sprint champion who blasted round Towcester in the sprint supporting the Derby before not quite timing it in the final, albeit behind a record-breaker! He gets back on track now.
Silver Salver winner Magical Bluebear (6.26) gets the vote in his sprint heat, race two on the card. Bill Russell's dog can handle Hove first time with space next door with a vacant trap to help, while Patrick Janssens' Not So Slow (6.42) can prove he's exactly that in heat three after warming up for this with a speedy trial.
Moving on to the Regency and Queen Georgia (6.59) can make all in the first semi-final once hitting her straps early, while the other semi-final votes go to Paul Young's Bubbly Scorcher (7.16) to get the first run on powerful Ballymac Taylor and Kim Billingham's ultra consistent and improving Magical Luna (7.33) against Ballymac Bullet.
As for the Sussex Cup, we're going for Newinn Syd (7.49) big-time in the first semi-final given the scope for improvement after his heat run. Mark Wallis' dog is due a confidence booster after rough rides at Towcester in the Derby and Derby Plate and caught the eye off the back of his heat last week, where he was only beaten narrowly.
The second semi-final can go Droopys Clue (8.07), the Greyhound of the Year, who can finish best and claim the spoils, although keeping tabs with Clona Uriel and Wasted Monday is key. However, with any sort of run, Seamus Cahill's dog will be tough to hold, with the aforementioned Candolim Monsoon preferred in the third semi.
Over at Oxford, the BetGoodwin Pall Mall semi-finals are also hugely competitive and classy, not least after El Tornillo's (8.26) track record-breaking performance in last week's heats which gives him the edge over the more-than-capable Aero Sacundai.
The other semi-finals can go to Robert Hall's Perry Barr tracker Darley Diglake (7.51) for his leadability claims, while Phil Milner might have the answer to the second semi-final with Keefill Maverick (8.09) after an eye-catching heat victory seven days ago.
Hove hotties
Bombout Bullet (6.08)
Magical Bluebear (6.26)
Not So Slow (6.42)
Queen Georgia (6.59)
Bubbly Scorcher (7.16)
Magical Luna (7.33)
Newinn Syd (7.49)
Droopys Clue (8.07)
Candolim Monsoon (8.24)
Pall Mall picks (Oxford)
El Tornillo (8.26)
Darley Diglake (7.51)
Keefill Maverick (8.09)
