Zenith can hit the heights to see off threat of Poppy

ZENITH TANJU brought his A-game to Newcastle in a trial stakes for the Premier Greyhound Racing All England Cup last week and can serve it up again in the real thing when he goes in the second of six heats of the track’s big event, live on PGR at 8.01.

The dog who made the Derby final at Towcester for Irish trainer Peter Cronin when known as Sole Mio never looked quite at home at Nottingham in the Eclipse, but clearly relishes tonight’s course and distance, with his latest 28.27sec cruise over the 480m trip evidence of that.

He faces a serious test against the brilliant Slingshot Poppy, but if he breaks well is fancied to match Brian Fairbairn’s superb bitch to the bend and hold her at bay throughout afterwards.

The pair top the outright market for the Category One, and it looks set to be a battle royale between them.

Fenwick can strike in heat one at 7.44 courtesy of Elusivenomore, who dons his preferred red jacket and can use that to full advantage.

Swift Hostile is interesting for Rose Draper as he packs a serious early punch, but unless he leads the Gymcrack winner he will be on the back foot.

Toddys Tank is another who can go up quickly when he starts well, but the inside slot can prove too big an advantage for the selection.

Heat three is loaded with early speed but one who does not need to lead is Hardwick Woody, who gets a narrow vote over last year’s runner-up Unanimous Leon.

Stephen Caile’s dog is no youngster but showed up well against Zenith Tanju last week and if coming round unscathed may prove strongest.

Fenwick has Coppice Saphire flying at present and she can carry the red jacket to victory in heat four at 8.36.

It might have been much closer than the three and a half lengths between her and last week’s victim Ballymac Sargie had Tom Heilbron’s dog not stumbled badly at the boxes.

However, she should again be able to nip up the inside and take charge off the second with kennelmate Ballymac Lake likely to give her room at the first bend.

The drop in trip from the 515m at Hove in the Olympic will not be in favour of Heilbron’s Droopys Bookem for heat five (8.54) but he is the class act in the field and is ideally drawn on the fence.

If he holds his pitch early he should be able to swoop in the closing stages to score.

The final heat at 9.11 sees Sunderland Classic hero Santas Amigo aiming to do the big northern double.

David Mullins’ dog is the one they all have to beat but he will have to step up on a 4.63sec split he posted in a trial here. He is well capable of doing so, though, and will not be for catching if getting in front.

If he does slip up at the boxes then Bombay Fantasy could step in. Debbie Calvert’s dog made Elusivenomore pull out all the stops last week when going down by a short head and has a decent draw out wide in six.

The main event is supported by the inaugural staging of the  Jimmy Wright Future Stars, and it looks set to throw up some big winners.

One who has already made waves is Strike It Skye, and Mark Wallis’s bitch cannot be opposed from trap one in the opener at 6.37.

She demolished the opposition over the 480m trip in 28.36sec last week and only needs avoid an early bump from railer Droopys Anthea in two to lead round on the fence.

Trap one looks set to provide another winner in Bouncing Monarch in heat two at 6.53, with Dave Fradgeley’s dog bringing proven form to the table.

Heat three (7.11) is a tasty affair with cases to be made for at least three of the field, but if Fenwick’s Woltemade runs anything like as well as he did in an impressive 28.58sec debut he can again lead home kennelmate Ballymac Service.

Crafty Regalo caught the eye in taking a minor event at Sunderland and it would be no surprise to see him step up plenty on a 28.89sec trial here.

The final qualifier at 7.27 is trappy, with the vote going to Heilbron’s Five Ofa Kind.

Open Check nap
Elusivenomore
7.44 Newcastle

TV Hot Hounds
Woltemade
T6 Newcastle 7.11
1pt win
Elusivenomore
T1 Newcastle 7.44
1pt win
Zenith Tanju
T3 Newcastle 8.01
1pt win
Droopys Bookem
T1 Newcastle 8.54
1pt win

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