Leading greyhound trainer Nathan Hunt was joined by oddschecker tipster Paul Millward and host Danny Archer to preview the Greyhound Derby.
Leading greyhound trainer Nathan Hunt is one of the brightest talents in the game and writes exclusively for Oddschecker every week. In this week’s column, he discusses his Scurry Cup finalist Ive Got Gears who lines up at Harlow in the final at 8.03pm this evening. He also looks ahead to Ballyard Ricki’s run in Saturday’s Derby Plate at Nottingham. Nathan advised 9/1 winner Ive Got Gears in his latest column and was also involved in our Greyhound Derby Quarter-Final Preview in which he provided viewers with his best bets for Saturday’s action.
It was great to be involved in the Oddschecker Greyhound Derby Quarter-Final Preview this week
I really enjoyed filming the Oddschecker preview for this weekend’s Greyhound Derby quarter-finals at Nottingham. Along with Danny Archer and Oddschecker’s Paul Millward, hopefully we’ve pointed viewers in the direction of a couple of winners on Saturday night.
My ante-post selection for the Derby Glengar Bale (tipped at 28/1 two weeks ago) is still in the competition and should run well in the fourth quarter-final at 9.26pm.
However, my NAP of the evening would be Coolavanny Chick at around the 5/6 mark who runs in the opening quarter-final at 8.36pm. She looks well-drawn and can make her presence felt.
Ive Got Gears runs in the BGBF British Bred Scurry Final at Harlow
She ran a cracking race last week. She trapped pretty well, but paced up really well to the bend and ran a really good first and second bend. It is a sharp bend at Harlow and is a hard bend to run, but she had benefitted from having a couple of runs at the track and ran really well. She was 9/1 and she beat a couple of short-priced contenders fair and square in the semi-final.
She has drawn trap two in the final. She has a dog drawn in trap one Dundee June who she beat last week and she should lead her to the bend. It is whether she can handle being drawn in trap two as she is usually drawn in the middle. Hopefully she stays pretty straight and then cuts in. She is a bitch in form and we’re hopeful of a big run from her anyway.
‘I’ve Got Gears’ with a fantastic performance in tonight’s Scurry Cup Semi-Final. Showing great pace to lead up a very good field. She will now take her chance in next weeks final for @JohnD99731518 @BGBF_LTD @studbookuk pic.twitter.com/jxxmGTtcfD
— Nathan Hunt (@NHunt67) October 7, 2020
Ballyard Ricki returns to Nottingham on Saturday and we’re hopeful of a good run
I trialled Ballyard Ricki on Monday evening before racing in a two dog trial and he trapped out pretty well, paced up to the corner and won by three and a half-lengths in 29.66s which is a really respectable time. We’re just hoping for a good run from him. We were done within two strides in the opening heat of the Greyhound Derby where the dogs drawn either side of him impeded his chance straight away. Hopefully, he deserves a bit of luck. I like his draw in trap four and I think on a level break he should pace up and lead – that is what we are hoping anyway. He has got lovely pace to the corner and a long run to the bend at Nottingham suits him and hopefully he can show his true colours.
He's around 14/1 to win the Derby Plate outright and Bower Luke is the 7/1 joint-favourite outright, but we are hopeful that he can go far in the competition.
