2015 Group One National Derby heat tips & betting preview
AFTER the girls get their chance to shine in Friday's Futurity heats, the boys will hold all of the attention on Saturday night with six sensational heats of the Group One National Derby at Wentworth Park.
The three week series offers $75,000 to-the-winner and has attracted plenty of fast greyhounds.
1st: $5,450 2nd: $1,550 3rd: $775.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
The first heat is probably one of the strongest heats of the night and I think the Melinda Finn trained Winsome Prince can get the job done. This explosive chaser has won 14 of 16 overall and he looks well placed to find the early lead and dominate out in front.
Bad Boy Sniper is in rare form and he scored a devastating 29.54 win here last week and if he repeats that effort he will take a power of beating, my only concern with him is that there is a fair bit of speed drawn around him and he will need everything to go his way in the early stages.
Victorian chaser Ikaku Bale has a big engine and if he gets some room early he should be able to make an impact, his effort to score at Sandown last time was enormous.
Zipping Saxon rounds out the chances, he appears to be improving with every run and he is armed with a blistering turn of foot soon after box rise, all he needs is a clear passage in the first 50m.
Top Four: 7 – 3 – 1 – 4
Suggested Bets
Win bet on Winsome Prince
Exacta: 1,3,7/1,3,4,7 ($9 for 100%)
Quinella: 7 to rove with 1,3,4 ($3 for 100%)
Trifecta: 7/1,3,4/Field ($18 for 100%)
1st: $5,450 2nd: $1,550 3rd: $775.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
Fernando Bale is a star in the making and he looks well placed in this event. There is very little speed on his outside and if he can step on terms he should be able to out muster the field and find the lead at the first bend. Three starts back he set the track alight at the Meadows when winning in 29.71 and a repeat of that will see him score easily tonight.
Country Fox had little luck here last week and he should run an improved race from the red. He possesses smart early speed and he really caught the eye when winning at Nowra two runs back in 30.02.
Sokyo was solidly placed here last week after having a month off and he would have derived a lot of benefit from that run, he has scored some sizzling wins in his brief career and if he finds the bunny early he should give a great sight.
Oh So Striking is the run on type in the event, however he is resuming from a spell so he should show a bit more early dash. He is well drawn in the pink and he has won here previously in a brilliant 29.70.
Top Four: 6 – 1 – 3 – 8
Suggested Bets:
Win bet on Fernando Bale
Boxed Quinella: 1,3,6,8 ($6 for 100%)
Exacta: 1,6/1,3,6,8 ($6 for 100%)
Trifecta: 6/1,3,8/Field ($18 for 100%)
1st: $5,450 2nd: $1,550 3rd: $775.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
Zipping Eastwood is an exciting prospect and he turned in a monster effort when narrowly beaten here last week. With a slow beginner drawn in box two, he should get plenty of room to drive through at the bend and if he can get into some open space he should round them up and dash away. It's worth noting he did win a trial here a couple of weeks ago in a sizzling 29.75.
Spring Missile is your likely leader and he should be able to build up a nice lead mid race. His last 50m isn't great but he has won here previously so he should be able to hold on for a top three finish.
Topper Road should follow Spring Missile across in the early stages and prior to his two luckless Gosford efforts he was in fantastic form.
Country Gun is the interesting runner, he could cause the five and six some bother early because he is a brilliant beginner. I dont think he will run out the trip but he could cause some problems early in the race.
Top Four: 1 – 5 – 6 – 8
Suggested Bets:
Win bet on Zipping Eastwood
Exacta: 1,5/1,5,6,8 ($6 for 100%)
Quinella: 1 to rove with 5,6,8 ($3 for 100%)
Trifecta: 1/5,6,8/Field ($18 for 100%)
1st: $5,450 2nd: $1,550 3rd: $775.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
Anything Less is a beast and he has won 10 of his 16 tries over this trip. He doesn't have the best box manners but he does have great track sense and he should be able to work his way through the field mid race and be in a threatening position as they turn for home. He has numerous wins here in around the 29.60 mark and with a clear run he should get the job done.
Dark Vito is a brilliant Tasmanian chaser and he is drawn to lead for a long way, he captured the Devonport Cup final at his last start and on that occasion he hit the line powerfully.
Rare Pearl is an enormous talent but he tends to find a lot of trouble in his races, from the yellow box he is still a chance but I wouldn't be taking short odds about him.
Whittaker was a recent finalist in the Paws Of Thunder and his effort in the final was respectable, he isn't well drawn but he can muster speed quickly and he might fluke a run through at the first bend.
Zipping Carter is the interesting runner, I think this bloke is going to be a star in the future and he is just lacking a little bit of experience at present. He can obviously win tonight, but I would be watching him in future Group races.
Top Four: 7 – 1 – 4 -3
Suggested Bets:
Win bet on Anything Less
Quinella: 7 to rove with 1,3,4 ($3 for 100%)
Exacta: 1,7/1,3,4,7 ($6 for 100%)
Trifecta: 1,4,7/1,3,4,7/1,3,4,5,6,7 ($36 for 100%)
1st: $5,450 2nd: $1,550 3rd: $775.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
Are Jip has turned in three steady efforts of late but tonight he exits his favourite draw and he should get every chance. There is a fair bit of speed drawn underneath so that should allow him to get a nice cart across early and with a clear run he will be running some serious time. He did record his blistering 29.48 PB here from this pin.
Opus Forte announced himself as a force to be reckoned with when scoring here in a brilliant 29.72, he had always showed great talent but he was making a lot of mistakes in his races. Last week he reeled off impressive sectionals and he then powered to the line.
Winsome Jacko is one of the most talented chasers in training and if he gets some room early he will make an impact.
Paua To Roar looks the likely leader and he should give a nice sight, he will get a stitch in the last 50m but if he breaks them up mid race he might have enough in the tank to hold on.
Top Four: 8 – 5 – 2 – 6
Suggested Bets:
Win bet on Are Jip
Exacta: 5,8/2,5,6,8 ($6 for 100%)
Quinella: 8 to rove with 2,5,6 ($3 for 100%)
Trifecta: 8/2,5,6/Field ($18 for 100%)
1st: $5,450 2nd: $1,550 3rd: $775.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
Crackerjack Max appears to be improving with every run and last week he flew into the first turn before posting an impressive 29.79 victory here. If he can produce a similar first sectional this week he should be able to cross early and if he finds the bunny I dont think they will reel him in.
Winsome Mission has plenty of gears and if he can step cleanly he will prove hard to hold out, last week he was far from disgraced when placed behind Bad Boy Sniper and with slow beginners drawn around him tonight he should get every chance to push through early.
Dyna Yemen has been disappointing of late but I know he is better than that and he should show improvement tonight.
Zipping Sonny must also be respected, he has scored three sizzling wins of late and he appears to be going from strength to strength.
Top Four: 8 – 2 – 4 – 5
Suggested Bets:
Win bet on Crackerjack Max
Boxed Quinella: 2,4,5,8 ($6 for 100%)
Exacta: 2,8/2,4,5,8 ($6 for 100%)
Trifecta: 2,4,8/2,4,5,8/2,4,5,6,7,8 ($36 for 100%)