Banksies Five to Follow- StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby Friday Night

Banksies Five to Follow- StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby Friday Night

Slightly different feel to my usual weekly column of trying to find five puppies that have ran in graded action in the last week or so that could be worth a follow in the next few weeks.

For the first few rounds, we will take a look at five Greyhounds who ran well in defeat but still managed to qualify for the next stage who may just be worth a bet next weekend.

RACKETHALL BRUTE: Ran from Trap 4 in Heat 11 at 6.35pm- Finished Third

The Mark Wallis-trained Rackethall Brute ran well in the first heat on Friday evening in a race that was marred by first bend trouble. Derek Knight’s runner in Trap six Newinn Benni had missed the trouble and was able to build up a winning lead.

With Seamus Cahill’s Missile One turning in second, it was a question who would finish third. Both Rackethall Brute and Maxine Locke’s well fancied Ballymac Axel encountered trouble on more than one occasion round the first bend, but it was Ballymac Axel in trap five who emerged in third.

At this point, Rackethall Brute had a few lengths to make up and would have been around ten lengths behind the leaders. Into the third bend, he took up third position, and then set off after the two leaders, cutting into the lead with each stride.

He finished third, just under three lengths behind the winner Newinn Benni and runner up Missile One which connections surely would have taken when rounding the opening bends. He can keep on qualifying but will need to gain a smoother passage in the early stages for chances of winning in the next round.

ROMEO STEEL: Ran from Trap 3 in Heat 15 at 7.46pm- Finished Second

For anyone who is a fan of the Patrick Janssens-trained Romeo Steel, it could prove too soon to give up on him yet despite finishing runner up behind Graham Holland’s Faypoint Harvey.

Janssens even admitted on Gone To The Dogs live that Romeo Steel needs to lead in the early stages and if he didn’t, he may not even qualify for the next round, so follower’s hearts would have been in their mouths when the traps opened. Instead of his white jacket pinging the lids, it was the blue of Faypoint Harvey leading the way, with Romeo Steel a couple of lengths behind in third.

However, he showed searing pace to close that deficit down into to the first bend, nudging Faypoint Harvey out of the way to hit the front and was able to build up a two length lead, a lead which he held onto until the run for home when Faypoint Harvey proved too strong in the later stages but comfortably qualified in second place.

If he can just time the start right, Romeo Steel is more than capable of leading on the inside should he receive a favourable draw in the next round, it could prove worthwhile backing him to make all the running but will need to produce a better exit in order to do so.

SINGALONG MOLLY: Ran from Trap 6 in Heat 16 at 8.06pm- Finished Second

Pat Buckley’s Singalong Molly was an eye-catching runner-up when behind Phil Milner’s Keefill Goose, staying on well in the later stages to do so.

Singalong Molly was having her first look round the Northamptonshire track and that lack of a previous look round showed at the first bend when spinning off wide at the opening bends but lost little ground, maybe a length or so in doing so.

She emerged out of the second bend in second, four lengths behind the leader in Trap three, Keefill Goose, and set about closing the margin down. Four lengths turned into three lengths at the third bend, which turned into two lengths when coming off the last bend and continued to stay on well, reducing the gap to just under a length when Keefill Goose crossed the line.

To break 29.00 seconds in defeat in her first look round the track is an impressive effort, and that sort of time would have won the majority of the other heats on Friday. She looks sure to improve on that performance, and although she didn’t appear to be the widest of runners, she may keep out of trouble being out as far as Trap six again and may not be far away at the business end in the coming rounds

BOYLESPORTS BLUE: Ran from Trap 1 in Heat 16 at 8.06- Finished Third

Paul Hennessy’s strong running Boylesports Blue produced an amazing performance just to qualify from this heat when finishing third, gaining the verdict in the tightest of tight photo finishes. If he can qualify in the coming weeks, connections will no doubt look at this run and think that things could have been very different had he not qualified.

Boylesports Blue faced a tough task in the Juvenile behind Proper Heiress in his previous visit to Towcester, but it seemed that he may fare better in this field when the traps opened and was third heading into the opening bends. At that point though, it all went wrong as he ran into the back of Trap two, Makeitpaddington, trained by Frank Gray, and then ran off the back of the Mark Wallis trained Kilmore Dancer, running from Trap four.

Out of the second bend, Boylesports Blue was in last, nearly ten lengths behind the eventual winner, Keefill Goose, but was only three lengths behind the third qualifying spot. He then encounted trouble again at the third bend when again finding Makeitpaddington in his way, along with Jason Gray’s runner in Trap five Loxleys Troy, and and this point, qualification looked to be virtually impossible as he was four lengths behind Kilmore Dancer, who was himself staying on well.

But Boylesports Blue knuckled down to the task well and was just able to reel in Kilmore Dancer in the shadow of the post, which was confirmed after a photo finish to finish five lengths behind the winner and runner up Singalong Molly. Having lost plenty of ground in running, he showed a great attitude to finish in a qualifying spot and is yet another runner in this competition who could keep qualifying if the gaps can open at the vital times.

BALLYMAC LUCIA: Ran from Trap 3 in Heat 19 at 8.57pm- Finished Second

Maxine Locke’s strong running Ballymac Lucia, who has only just turned two years old, was an eye-catching runner up behind the well fancied Romeo Empire, trained by Patrick Janssens.

Having initially come out of the traps with a narrow lead, she was then headed into the first bend by kennelmate Indian Bonnie before finding her path blocked at the bend by Patrick Browne’s Swords Hero in Trap two, relegating her to last position out of the second bend, eight lengths behind the leader, with Romeo Empire making ground up.

The vital moment came at the third bend as she was making ground up on Richie Taberner’s Holding Harry, who was in third at the time. She went to pass Swords Hero and could have easily found trouble in doing so, which may have cost her a qualifying spot in doing so, but she went past cleanly. 

With Holding Harry giving Ballymac Lucia plenty of room between the bends, she set off after the two at the head of affairs, and made giant strides in doing so, making up three lengths on the run for home to finish second behind Romeo Empire by just over a length.

That was her first look round at Towcester since December and she looks sure to improve on that run again. Like so many other runners, she may need some luck in running but can make her presence felt in future rounds if gaining a clear passage rounding the bends