Ballymac Eske: favourite for tonight's RP Juvenile live on Sky Sports
Eske can swoop to beat Hawk in RP Juvenile
BALLYMAC ESKE can open his account at the track at the fourth time of asking by making class tell in the £5,000 Racing Post Juvenile over 480m at Wimbledon tonight (9.19, live on Sky Sports 2 & SIS).
Barrie Draper’s dog initially looked ill-at-ease at the Plough Lane circuit during last year’s Puppy Derby but he did improve with each run culminating in a somewhat unfortunate head defeat by reopposing kennelmate Farloe Warhawk in the final.
Both the Draper greyhounds went on to star during the remainder of the campaign with Ballymac Eske winning both the Nottingham Puppy Classic and Hove Olympic and Farloe Warhawk claiming the Laurels at Belle Vue so their credentials cannot be faulted.
They have been brought back steadily in recent weeks but the suggestion is that Ballymac Eske might just be the more forward – Farloe Warhawk did seem to tire in his trial last week – and that, allied to an upward trajectory here and reversed trap draw compared to the Puppy Derby final, earns him the vote.
He should clear Teejays Bluehawk on his immediate inside with a minimum of fuss and, although Alien Planet is an imponderable on his debut for Charlie Lister, if Ballymac Eske gets round the first bend relatively unscathed he will be exceptionally hard to hold.
Alien Planet is tough to weigh up as, having won the puppy open here on Derby final night last year in spectacular fashion, he seemed to lose a little early pace as the season went on.
His trials since joining Lister have been excellent but the key issues are whether he will show more early and how he will break from one.
Paul Young’s Jaytee Hellcat has a potentially superb make-up and there is a value case to be made for him although sectionals suggest he might faces an uphill task to clear Farloe Warhawk, Young’s other runner, Northern Puppy Derby champion Teejays Bluehawk, is likely to find himself with too much ground to make up, while Tony Collett’s sole wide seed Lenson Champ is capable of outrunning his odds in the manner of Go Go Sonic last year but it is hard to see him actually claiming the main prize.
The other main feature of the card is the £5,000 William Hill Springbok final over 480m at 8.19 in which Katie O’Flaherty’s Rockview Royal makes plenty of appeal.
It was a surprise that his winning time on Friday was the slowest in the three semis as he was very impressive on the eye and he now has a dream draw on the outside with Westmead Meteor set to move in from five.
Westmead Meteor is probably fastest in the field, as witnessed by his semi-final victory, but he could be in early bother while the other main player, according to the betting, Lenson Johnny has a very awkward berth on paper.
Wimbledon rarely fails to come up trumps regarding supporting cards and tonight is no exception with the highlight being a brilliant 480m contest at 8.49 which can go to Seamus Cahill’s Loughteen Blanco ahead of a returning Bubbly Phoenix.
Other suggestions are Comeragh King (7.34), Bridge Ruth (7.49), Aero Rebel (8.04), Aero Joseph (8.34, ex-Millridge Blue) and Droopys Xavier (9.04).
Sheffield’s evening Bags meeting has four SIS-covered opens with Jamie Smith’s veteran Queen Mother Memorial winner Stepaside Glenis fancied to go in again in the 7.59 over 660m.
Open Check NAP
Rockview Royal
8.19 Wimbledon
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