Greyhound ratings analyst Peter Walker runs the rule over this years Produce Stakes contenders for Greyhound Weekly.
The 78th running of the Produce Stakes at Swindon for British bred 2-year-old greyhounds whelped in 2022 only received 43 entries instead of a possible 72. It’s a shame it didn’t fill but I’m hopeful we have more coming through in the future of this prestigious competition. Attracting new groups of owners is a must, and home bred puppies is a great way to get involved as they develop in their racing careers. National Greyhound Week is a step in the direction in promoting our sport to replace the older supporters leaving the industry for one reason or another. It is going to be difficult to reverse the trend, but let’s hope new initiatives can be successful in this pursuit if it is to prosper again!
I have analysed this year’s entries similar to before like the English Derby. The first round has therefore been assessed on an individual race basis at this stage. The one consolation is that I anticipate three qualifiers to go through after each round which I expect connections would prefer in all category one events where possible. From the second round onwards (in effect the quarter-final), I will evaluate them all collectively so a more direct comparison can be achieved as the competition progresses.
Prior to the second round, I have looked at the profile of the first-round entries and have come up with a couple of early contenders. Phil Milner’s Keefill Maverick is certainly capable of reaching the final. He lowered the colours of March on Freddie before contesting the ARC Puppy Cup final at Sunderland in June. Another worth considering is Kevin Hutton’s Union Rebel who also boasts some impressive recent form. Good luck if you’re having a dabble in the ante-post market.
