Magna Flintoff looking to leave Wallis in a pickle
Eye Eye Pickle is looking to put the disappointment of his second-round Derby exit behind him by landing the spoils in The Stud Book Trophy at Monmore.
He has been put up as the 3-1 market leader to successfully defend the crown which he won last year. The competition kicks off tomorrow evening with three heats, the first two qualify for next Wednesday’s final.
It is a case of déjà vu as Mark Wallis’ hound comes into the competition with the same race profile as last season, and is returning to a happy hunting ground as he also won the Summer Festival over course and distance last June.
This year’s competition has attracted a high-class field, with a handful of runner’s choosing to take this route following their exits from the Greyhound Derby in the early stages.
Along with Eye Eye Pickle, Nick Savva’s Westmead Bond was surprisingly eliminated from the Derby and has taken the Stud Book route. The bettor.com Scottish Derby finalist actually broke the track record at Wimbledon in the first round of the Derby, but flopped when well backed in the second round. He has been priced up at 4-1 third favourite and will run in the third heat tomorrow along with the outright favourite.
Magna Flintoff is the biggest danger to the favourite according to the bookmakers. He is priced up at 7-2 and runs in the opening heat of the night. Barry Draper’s charge was a first-round casualty in this event last year, but has improved over the past 12 months which suggests a final place surely beckons, especially when you consider his record at Monmore. He has won his last three races at the Monmore track by an aggregate of 12 lengths, and was hugely unlucky at Plough Lane last week where he finished third in a two-qualifier heat.
The smart money may be following Draper’s hound.
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