Blitz up against it in Puppy Derby heats

Star Gaze: goes in opening heat

  PICTURE: Steve Nash  

TRACK record holder Farley Blitz does not have it easy in the first round of the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby over 480m at Monmore on Thursday with Barrie Draper’s charge going from an unaccustomed trap five in the opening heat.

He is opposed by fellow trial stakes winners Ballymac Rumble and Star Gaze in a race which has the distinction of being one of only two heats containing a wide seeded runner in the shape of Dean Childs’s Centurion Wil. Danny Riordan’s Rio Tornado, who goesin heat six, is the competition’s only other wide seed while there are just four middles.

Oxford track record holder Up For Sam, who bounced back from Trafalgar Cup final disappointment when posting a smart 28.13sec (+20) ina Monmore trial last week is another leading fancy to have draw trap five in the opening round.

All six heats will be broadcast live in Ladbrokes’ betting shops on their Xtra service. Click here for trap draws