GREYHOUNDS: Brizzle Blue bids for Blunsdon glory
6:00am Wednesday 18th July 2012 in Sport
HOT favourite Brizzle Blue will be looking to go one step closer to the £15,000 first prize in the semi-finals of the British Bred Produce Stakes at Blunsdon tonight.
The Swindon-trained dog stormed to an easy six-length victory in the second round at the weekend, clocking 28.28, and has been drawn in its favourite trap six for tonight’s race.
The dog is trained by Alan McDowell and owned by Malcolm Arnold and Jill Filer, who made last year’s final with That’s Our Blue, and the team are looking to go one step better this year.
“It's brilliant to have a dog who can live with the big boys, and after getting to the final last year we're hoping for the same again.,” Arnold said.
“It's a brilliant feeling having bred Blue, and watching him grow up into a terrific greyhound is just a dream.”
McDowell believes his dog is in the hardest of the three semi finals, but is confident he can made the draw work for him to book a place in the final.
“He's come out of his last run in brilliant form, and looks really up to the challenge on Wednesday,” he said. “He's in the hardest heat for sure, but he'll be at his best and ready to give them a go. “We've had Produce Stakes finalists before. “However, to be having a good go at winning it with Blue would be an amazing culmination of hard work and dedication.”
Blue races in the third semi-final heat on Wednesday evening against pre-tournament favourite Westmead Adonis, who races from a not-so-ideal trap four, with Peacemaker also set to challenge.
In the other heats, Benkaat Blue looks to be an easy winner of the first heat, with Mark Wallis' Puppy Derby finalist by far the classiest runner in the field.
Andy Clarke's Teena Marina looks to have a terrific chance of winning in the other semi-final, and booking a place in the final at Blunsdon on Saturday night.
Gates open for tonight’s semi-finals at 6pm, with the first race of a card including nine other races due off at 6.28pm.
