Banksie's Five To Follow- 5th September 2025
Each week I’ll be looking to find Five Puppies who have caught the eye in graded in action in the last week who could be worth following in the coming weeks.
Banksie's Five To Follow- 5th September 2025
Each week I’ll be looking to find Five Puppies who have caught the eye in graded in action in the last week who could be worth following in the coming weeks.
No winners from the three selections that ran this week but previous weeks selections are still popping up in the winners enclosure
To follow any of my selections, or indeed, to follow any greyhound that has caught your eye, click here to receive notifications as to when they next run
Moving on to this week:
BALLYMAC CONNERY: Ran from Trap 4 in the 5.31pm at Swindon on Friday 29th August (Racing today in the 5.31pm at Swindon)
Trainer Angie Kibble has had plenty of winners for this column in the recent weeks and months, and she may have another youngster who can add to that tally
April 24 puppy Ballymac Connery was beaten at 8/13F in A4 on debut last Friday when runner up, but showed in that run that he won’t be long in winning.
Having trapped moderately in fourth, Ballymac Connery showed decent pace into the bend but was held up slightly round the first bend as all five greyhounds arrived together and found his pace blocked off. Emerging from the second bend in third, two lengths from the lead, he then found his pathway blocked down the backstraight, again causing him to lose some momentum.
Rounding the third bend, he was still a good two and a half lengths off the leaders, but he stayed on well from that point and was able to finish second, beaten by three quarters of a length in a bunch finish where just over a length separated the field
There is every chance he can improve on his trapping as he produced a quicker sectional in trials and with this run under his belt, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him going one place better next time out
SWIFT DIRTY: Ran from Trap 2 in the 7.39pm at Nottingham on Friday 29th August
Terry Munslow’s March 24 youngster produced a fantastic performance to make a winning debut in an A4 contest last Friday night
Having trapped reasonably well in third, Swift Dirty encountered trouble rounding the opening bend and lost a couple of lengths as a result. However, she was able to overcome that trouble and came out of the second bend in second place, but was a good five to six lengths behind the leader, who had missed the first bend trouble
Swift Dirty set about reducing the lead, which she slowly started to do and heading into the third bend, that lead was reduced down to around four lengths, but it was off the last bend that she really made up the ground. Closing the gap with each stride, she was able to hit the front in the final strides to score in 30.24 (+70) at 100/30.
That was a nice performance, and it looks as though she could have more to offer in the coming weeks if the gaps can open up for her rounding the bends
BETRAYL: Ran from Trap 6 in the 12.26pm at Monmore on Saturday 30th August
Craig Marston’s Betrayl gained his first victory at the second time of asking in an A10 contest at Monmore on Saturday afternoon and his January 24 whelp could be worth following in the coming weeks.
Having moved off and found trouble on debut from trap four, Marston’s puppy clearly benefited from his draw in the striped jacket, and so did the punters who backed him into 2/1F
A moderate break saw him fourth out of the traps but paced up well enough into the first bend, staying out wide in doing so. He got a nice clear passage round the opening bends and came out of the second bend in second place, four to five lengths behind the early pacesetter. Heading into the third bend, that lead had been reduced to a length and a half, but he stayed nice and wide and off the last bend, hit the front, drawing clear to win by two and half lengths in a time of 29.59.
Betrayl clearly benefited from the draw out wide and having improved four and a half lengths on the clock from his best previous time, he could yet have more to offer, especially if his trapping can improve
BIRTHDAY BULLET: Ran from Trap 2 in the 11.27am at Romford on Saturday 30th August (Racing today in the 7.27pm at Romford)
Paul Young’s January 24 youngster got off the mark in A4 company at the third time of asking last Saturday morning but has been chucked in the deep end at Romford tonight as she goes in Heat two of the Romford Puppy Cup
She trapped well enough on Saturday morning and was only a length behind the leaders heading into the first bend but she found trouble on a couple of occasions, but nothing too serious and came out of the second bend in third, two and half lengths behind the two leaders.
Birthday Bullet showed good pace down the back and came to challenge at the third bend, where she showed good heart to try and go up the inside. Although not physically crowded at this point, she just had to bide her time, and the gap opened up for her at the last bend. She pushed her way through to hit the front on the run for home to win going away by three quarters of a length, going clear into the pick up
Stamina looks to be the name of her game and although she faces a tough task tonight, she could be seen in better light back in graded action, or even a step up to six bends in the coming week and is one to keep an eye on in that case
OLD FORT JIVER: Ran from Trap 3 in the 12.18 pm at Romford on Saturday 30th August
Tommy Batchelor’s January 24 youngster was a good runner up in an A9 contest at Romford last Saturday afternoon and showed that a win at this level may not be far away
Having finished runner up in an A8 contest on debut, Old Fort Jiver received a drop in grade into A9 company, and trapped reasonably well.
Heading into the first bend, she was in second, just over a length behind the early leader, but it was there where she was caught from behind on a couple of occasions, causing her to lose a bit of momentum, and came out of the second bend in third, around four lengths behind the front runner.
From the third bend though she stayed on really well, moving into second on the run for home, but couldn’t quite reel in the winner, who was a strong running type himself, going down by a length and a quarter, recording 24.80 in doing so at odds of 7/1
She will be no means a certainty next time out, but he just struck as one that could go close again in this grade again and shouldn’t be long before she gets her head in front
