Banksie's Five to Follow- Friday 8th August

Banksie's Five to Follow- Friday 8th August

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.

Two winners from the four selections which ran last week. Ballymac Decky followed up his debut victory in A9 when making all the running in an A8 contest at Swindon last Saturday at 6/4 for Angie Kibble, while Suave Lily also followed up a debut victory in A10 when landing an A9 contest at Monmore on Tuesday for Pat Curtin at odds of 15/8

To follow any of these selections or any other greyhound you wish to follow, click here to receive updates as to when they next run

Moving on to this week:

TOOFASTTOOPASS : Ran from Trap 4 in the 3.13pm at Newcastle on Friday 1st August (runs today in the 3.51pm at Newcastle)

Having finished down the field on debut previously, Ryan Buckton’s Toofasttoopass was a good winner of an A6 contest at Newcastle on Friday afternoon.

The February 24 youngster had to overcome some slight crowding from the traps but was able to show good pace into the opening bends and was able to hit the front inbetween the opening two bends but it was his pace down the back which really caught the eye.

Having exited the second bend with a length lead, his pace down the back saw him building up a lead of four lengths heading into the third bend, which extended again when his rivals in behind were held up at that point. He stayed on well enough to cross the line in front four and a half lengths clear of his rivals in 29.35 (+10) at 11/4.

That was a smart performance in just his second performance and has plenty of scope for further improvement and if penalised with just a one grade rise next time out, then he could go close to landing the double having improved three lengths on the clock from previous trials.

FABULOUS NAOMI: Ran from Trap 4 in the 3.29pm at Towcester on Sunday 3rd August (runs today in the 4.07pm at Towcester)

April 24 puppy Fabulous Naomi was an impressive winner in his third start at Towcester on Sunday and was well fancied to do so for trainer Laurence Tuffin in a two bend D4 contest.

The pace shown wasn’t instantaneous, but having turned the opening bend a length behind the leader, she hit the front coming off the last bend and drew clear on the run for home to score in a decent 16.07 for a D4 contest at odds of 4/9F

Yes, this may just have been a four dog contest, but she won in a style that can see her on the winners podium again in the coming weeks, especially when she eventually steps up to four bends as she looked better the further she went, improving three lengths on her best previous time.

She is just an April 24 whelp and has bags of potential to come and she could go close in D3 company next time out if close enough to the leaders when rounding the final bends

SAMBAR PRINCE: Ran from Trap 1 in the 1.26pm at Nottingham on Wednesday 6th August

Colin Wilton’s December 23 youngster gained his first victory in his fourth start at Nottingham on Wednesday in his first start since late May

Having trapped in midfield, Sambar Prince had a lovely run round the opening bends, enabling him to emerge from the second bend a length behind the leader. Heading into the third bend, he went to challenge the leader but had the door slightly closed in his face.

He managed to keep his momentum though and as the runners came off the last bend, he had all the room in the world to strike, hitting the front on the run for home, drawing clear in the later stages with each stride to record a five length victory in 30.44 (+70) at 5/2JF, an improvement of nearly four lengths on the clock

As that was his first race since May, and just his fourth in total, Sambar Prince is entitled to improve on that run and if that’s the case, then he has every chance of landing the double next time out.

ROMANTIC ROMEO : Ran from Trap 5 in the 9.11pm at Romford on Wednesday 6th August

January 24 youngster Romantic Romeo made an eye-catching debut when finishing runner up in an A3 contest at Romford on Wednesday evening.

Despite being unfancied in the market when sent off at 10/1, Gemma Evans’s debutant showed good early pace into the first bend, but when challenging the leader between the first two bends, he came together with his rival and lost a length or so having come off worse from the collision.

He was still in a handy position down the back though and again, came to challenge the leader at the third bend but this time, showed his inexperience and tried going through on the inside, and found the door closed in his face, causing him to lose another length or so, but stayed on well after, finishing runner up a length and three quarters behind the winner.

The winner won a maiden open race previously, so this looked to be a promising performance and he looks sure to improve on this outing next time out and in the coming weeks

FREEDOM PRO AM : Ran from Trap 1 in the 9.11pm at Newcastle on Thursday 7th August

Tom Heilbron’s December 23 youngster Freedom Pro Am caught the eye in defeat at Newcastle on Thursday evening and showed signs that a first win may not be far away

This was his first race since June 5th but was well fancied to get his head in front, going off at 2/1. Punters hoping for a fast start on the rails may have known their fate when Freedom Pro Am missed his break, producing a 4.76 sectional instead of a 4.60 something which he has produced before.

He did show decent pace to the bend though, and rounding the first bend, had worked his way up into second.  Just between the opening two bends though, Freedom Pro Am just had to check his stride as he ran off the back of the leader which cost him a little momentum and track position. Instead of challenging up the inside, he now had to go round the outside of the leader, but into the third bend, he was able to take up the lead.

Having worked hard to get to the front, he was unable to pull away from his rivals, but battled well and looked like gaining his first victory but was picked up on the line. His time of 29.09 was his best time recorded, and that was after a slow start and a little trouble in running in his first start for two months in just his third start. If he can remember his trapping boots next time out, then he has every chance of landing an A3