Greyhounds: Warzone and Tom the Two for Crayford’s Major Finals
Crayford stage a fantastic morning/matinee meeting on Saturday. The 14-race card includes two Category One finals. Track owners and sponsors, Ladbrokes, have been amongst the first major online bookmakers to price-up the action.
At Crayford many races can be won or lost at the starting boxes. ©GettyImages
Roxholme to Take the Biscuit
The open-race action kicks off at 11.39 am with the Ladbrokes Kent National Hurdle final. 12 months ago, Ricky Holloway landed a one-two-three finish in this 540-meter jumps contest.
Remarkably last year’s first and second – Roxholme Biscuit and Nomansland Flyer – represent the trainer again. They occupy the top-two places in Ladbrokes’s betting.
Impressively Holloway has an additional two finalists in the field. But this looks like an easy race to unravel. Either Nomansland Flyer smashes out of the starting boxes and makes all as he did in the heats, or Roxholme Biscuit traps better, finds a semblance of a clear run, and wins courtesy of his superior ability.
Option number two is the most likely scenario and Roxholme Biscuit is our fancy at Ladbrokes early price of 6/4.
Tom to Rage War
Warzone Tom overcame significant trouble-in-running to take last weekend’s first Gold Collar semi-final and at 12.09 pm he can land the £10,000 final of this famous competition.
On semi-final times he faces a genuine rival in Gymstar Elusive. However, that impressive winner made all the running to win his qualifier uncontested. Conversely, Warzone Tom’s path was as hopeless as a Ferrari driver stuck in a London bus lane during rush hour. He still won despite the congestion, albeit clocking a slower time.
With a semblance of a clear run, Warzone Tom can put his devastating middle-pace to good use and will mow down any rival if sitting within four lengths of them off the fourth bend.
Alaskan Dawn Can Rise in Front
On paper, the ten-bend Ladbrokes Cesarewitch final is a wide-open affair. The top four in the sponsor’s betting are priced under 7/2. It is a consequence of very little separating the chief contenders on heat times.
However, Alaskan Dawn would appear to be the most likely early leader from trap-rise. There is no better place to race than off the front at Crayford.
Trainer Hazel Dimmock always has a good staying greyhound in her kennel. This black-and-white dog is a prime example. He has won his last four starts at the Kent track.
His two most recent victories came over this 874-meter distance. It is a tasty 10/3 about that winning sequence being extended to five with the best greyhound betting sites.
Hunting for the Home Team
Local trainer Darren Whitton can keep one trophy at home this Saturday. His Huntsman is ideally drawn in the Kent Rose Bowl and could have the race wrapped up by the opening bend.
Due off at 1.09 pm, this four-bend contest looks all about the dash to the opening corner and with the pint-sized Twoathem on his immediate right, Huntsman can quickly shoulder his way into contention.
An improving greyhound that has progressed from an A5 debut win in July to an open race winner within a few months, the trap 1 runner looks over-priced at 3/1.
Recommended Crayford Bets:
- 11.39am – Roxholme Biscuit
- 12.09pm – Warzone Tom
- 12.39pm – Alaskan Dawn
- 1.09pm – Huntsman
Recommended Bet: A Yankee
