Mongys Wild starts his defence of the TV Trophy on Saturday
The first round draw of the Barking Mad Betting TV Trophy was made at lunchtime with all eyes on the reigning champion eyeing back-to-back wins in the race.
Barking Mad Betting TV Trophy
Mongys Wild will begin the defence of his TV Trophy title in heat one of the Barking Mad Betting-sponsored marathon showpiece at Towcester on Saturday.
Mark Wallis's champion has drawn trap three in a five-runner affair in which the first two will qualify for the £12,500 final a week later on Saturday, May 16, after Towcester received 16 entries for the event, two shy of the requisite number.
However, Towcester racing manager Danny Rayment was happy enough with the entry, pointing out that Mongys Wild is likely to start a short-priced favourite, despite the presence of Greenwell Gypsy, who broke the marathon record at Nottingham in March.
"I know it was a race against time to get her here, but it's great to see her in the line-up and maybe Mongys Wild might not get things all his own way. Salacres Belleza is more than capable and Innfield Fifi has won over 942m here. Overall we're happy with the entry in the circumstances," he said.
Three heats of the Barking Mad Betting TV Trophy will follow eight heats of the Star Sports & Orchestrate Ltd. English Greyhound Derby on Saturday, with the key third round draw of the Classic and the draw for the TV Trophy final being made after racing on a superb, high-quality card at the Northamptonshire track.
"Overseeing the Derby for the first time is one thing, but to also have three heats of the TV Trophy alongside eight second-round heats of the Derby is definitely something special. We had the TV Trophy at Crayford a couple of times, but not alongside the Derby, of course!" said the former Crayford RM.
Towcester kicks-starts the second round of the Star Sports & Orchestrate Ltd. English Greyhound Derby with the first batch of eight heats on Friday - with another eight on Saturday.
Ryan Conneely's Barking Mad Betting YouTube channel, which is backing the TV Trophy, has well over 10,000 subscribers and is producing live content throughout the English Greyhound Derby - with added spice now given to three heats of the TV trophy now included on Saturday's card.
*BARKING MAD BETTING can be viewed via www.youtube.com/@BarkingMadBetting
