Season heating up at Monmore Green

Both the Ladbrokes Gold Cup and Summer Stayers Classic will get underway at Monmore in two weeks and culminate on Saturday, August 24, with the winners of each claiming a cool £10,000.

Tonight’s Opens include greyhounds who are likely to be involved in the 480m Gold Cup and 630m Summer Stayers events, and a few who could well be serious contenders for the big-money prizes.

Race four at 7.22pm this evening features New Destiny – trained by Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) champion trainer Mark Wallis – who won in convincing fashion over six bends last weekend.

Destiny prevailed by five-and-half lengths in a time of 37.59secs and anything similar should see her claim the spot on the winners’ podium once more. She does have a strong field to contend with, though, and next to her in trap four is Droopys Priority – trained by former British and Irish Lions rugby player Mike Burton.

Burton played 28 times for England, 17 times in Tests, throughout the 70s and now trains out of the Valley track in Wales. This is his first look at Monmore with Priority, who boasts six victories from 13 outings.

The one ‘home’ greyhound in the race is Beatties Sparkle, trained by Monmore’s Kim Billingham. She looks to impress and boost her chances of a Summer Stayers tilt having made it to the quarter-finals of the Greyhound Derby several weeks ago.

Race two (6.48pm) is one of two 480m races that will act as a preview for the Gold Cup. Carol Weatherall, who had Untold Dollar win the Premier Greyhound Racing Puppy Derby back in March, has Breton Brigette looking to make it back-to-back successes at Monmore having caught the eye last weekend. Nowitsmyturn, trained by Hove’s Richard Rees, is a classy performer as well.

Race six (7.56pm) is the other 480 and has Wallis’ Whyaye Man in trap one, making his first appearance since finishing third in the Greyhound Derby final at Towcester last month. He will be expected to take the spoils, but Rees’ Kilara Roberto could be one to keep an eye on.

Also tonight, in graded action, Brian Thompson sprinter Knock Beeswing looks for a rare fifth graded win on the spin in the night’s final race. Elsewhere, the Monmore-based Aero Sacundai looks to clinch a phenomenal Category One triumph for Richie Taberner as he runs in the 8.26pm Pall Mall final at Oxford.