First-Round Review: Favourites Deliver and Surprises Arise. Greyhound ratings analyst Peter Walker reflects on the first round of the BGBF Produce Stakes for Greyhound Weekly.
Most of the first-round heats went according to the formbook, with six out of eight favourites (four at odds-on SPs) winning their respective races. Unfortunately, Keefill Maverick was brought down at the first bend in the last heat, even though it was only a four-runner field! The good news is he appears to have recovered after his fall without injury. Although disappointing for the kennel and ante-post backers, his litter sister Keefill Dares did qualify in third place, as well as ‘Rocky and ‘Goose in earlier races.
The smartest out of the traps according to sectional timings were Romeo Cypher (3.93), Cassidy (3.97) and Coppice Ronnie (3.99). Of the three, Cassidy was the only one who managed to hold on to an early lead and pass the finishing line in front. Coppice Ella was the quickest (24.10) covering the distance between the split point and the completed time. She was closely followed by Union Rebel (24.17) and Southfield Petal (24.19) who both ran in heat three.
On the subject of timings, the biggest improver on the night was Kevin Hutton’s Southfield Petal. She managed to shave 71 spots off her previous trial time and appears to be coming back to her best following a seasonal break in May. Still available at 25/1, she could belie her odds and become a live outsider, coming under the radar of the more fancied competitors.
All the remaining greyhounds in the event have been rated collectively for the second round with three from each quarterfinal going through to the two-race semifinal stage. I have also included a summary which includes the best ante-post prices at the time of writing.
