New Destiny and Vhagar 13/8 joint favourites for the Summer Stayers final

Ladbrokes Summer Stayers and Gold Cup final betting update

Following on from the semi-finals of the Category One competitions, let’s take a look at the betting markets ahead of the finals which take place on Saturday, August 23 at Monmore. 

Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic – Category One - £10,000 to the winner

Mark Wallis goes into the final holding a strong hand according to the bookmakers, with New Destiny (T1) and Vhagar (T5) both on offer at 13/8. Gary The Arb from T3 is a general 5s chance, but William Hills are going 13/2 about the Belinda Green-trained runner. Clona Ice (T5) is a general 8s chance with Antigua Kestrel (T2) the outsider of the field at 20s with William Hill. Unibet only go 14s about the Kevin Hutton-trained railer. 

Best prices: 

New Destiny 13/8 (William HIll) Vhagar 13/8 (Skybet) Gary The Arb 13/2 (William Hill) Clona Ice 8s (bet365, Unibet & Betfred) Antigua Kestral 20 (William Hill)

This race is all about the break. Will New Destiny hold the rails and lead round in her bid to land another Category One final? If Antigua Kestrel brings his trapping boots, he could take them along in the early stages then all eyes will be on which greyhound can turn second and get first crack at the Oxford raider. Vhagar looks well-draw in T5 with Clona Ice (T4) not the quickest into stride and T6 a vacant box with Bombay Nutty unfortunately now a non-runner. Gary The Arb made all in the first round heats, clocking 37.66. Hes more than capable of taking this with a smart exit. 

Ladbrokes Gold Cup – Category One - £10,000 to the winner

The bookmakers have this wide-open with Jacktavern Chief (T6) the 11/4 favourite with Headford Dane (T4) next in at 4s. Armagh Daithi (T5) from the Wallis kennel is also on offer at 4’s with BetGoodwin Pall Mall winner Gingers Prince (T3) next in at 11/2. Avarua Zlatan (T2) clocked 28.37 in the first round heats, and you can get 6s about the Richard Rees-trained Hove raider. The outsider of the field is Ardera Sam in T1 at 8s. If he traps well, that could look huge value. 

Similar to the Summer Stayers Classic, this race will be all on the break. Can Ardera Sam hold the rails and make all? Will Zlatan ping out and lead round? Can Gingers Prince get across to the rails from T3 and avoid a bump at the corner? Will Headford Dane turn level and show his excellent back straight pace as he looks to follow up his PGR Puppy Derby final win over course and distance back in March. Can Armagh Daithi lead round from T5 and reproduce the flying 4.37 sectional and 28.21 clock from the semi-finals? And finally, can Jacktavern Chief trap from this wide draw out in T6? First round and semi-final wins from off the pace have shown how pacey the Doncaster raider is. If he traps level, he’s the one they all have to beat. 

Peter Billingham Memorial – Category Three - £1500 to the winner

On a stacked card at the Midlands venue Monmore, the Peter Billingham Memorial Trophy final takes centre stage at 7.39 over the four-bend 480-metre trip. Maxine Locke goes into the final holding a strong hand with The Other Chief, Turnthemagicon and Droopys Scratch. You can read all about Maxine's runners HERE. 

Not So Steady is likely to start as the favourite following his semi-final win and runner-up spot in the JR Racing Juvenile Classic at Towcester last month. Vermithor from the Mark Wallis kennel is worth noting in the market. He’s shown plenty of pace in his races to date and looks well-drawn to lead round from T2.  

Vixons Contracts Ltd Trophy – Category Three - £1500 to the winner

Nathan Hunt goes into the final with three runners with Bang On Edith in T2, Scooby The Boss in T3 and Newinn Oscar in T4. Read Nathan's comments about each runner HERE. 

Aero Optional stays on well and is worth noting in the market from T1. If the race leaders hold each other up look out for Aero flying home off the final bend. Slingshot Gazza (T5) is very lightly raced and is open to improvement. He clocked 28.66 over the four-bend 480-metre trip at Newcastle recently and would be a huge runner here with a smart exit. Senahel Sydney (T6) has won two of his last three over course and distance. Last week in the heats of this competition he finished second behind Newinn Oscar having turned mid-pack, Senahel Sydney is another that will be staying on well, looking to pick up the pieces late on. 

Ticket and event info is available via the official Monmore Greyhound Stadium website