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Top tip last week, Westmead Lola, duly won the final of the Ladbrokes.com 540 Trophy.
This was the greyhound’s fifth straight win at Crayford and the dog, trained by Wayne Wrighting at Hove, is likely to return over the coming weeks when I expect her winning ways to continue.
We have another big final on Saturday for the Ladbrokes.com 540 Maiden Trophy and while the two semi-finals were won by visiting dog Joes Mixa and the Crayford-trained If Ever Banba, we have a strong chance of landing the final with five representatives trained here.
The first semi was won in impressive fashion by Joes Mixa, who is trained by Claude Gardiner at Hove, in a fast 34.18sec for a winning margin of four-and-a-quarter lengths.
The dog was followed home by Crayford’s Bouncing Dan and High St Destiny.
The second semi went to If Ever Banba, trained by Katie O’Flaherty, in a better 33.82.
Chubbys Gooch and Ballyhill Legend will also go to traps.
Ballyhill Legend started at odds of 2-1 and showed his usual early pace over the first 160m but looked unlucky after having led for a circuit to be bumped at the second-last bend.
Having said that, semi race favourite If Ever Banba managed to close the gap and get to Ballyhill Legend and he seems to be improving after just seven races at the track.
Having looked at each greyhound’s best times over the 540m distance, I am expecting a close final with all six dogs within a couple of lengths on the clock. It may be the dog who shows early pace over the first 160m is likely to prevail.
If the local bookmakers are consistent with their semi-final betting, they will make If Ever Banba favourite over Ballyhill Legend and, while the former is still improving, I am going to side with Ballyhill who had a bad draw in the semis from trap five and hopefully will be drawn in his preferred traps of either three or four.
I expect him to lead and hold on for the win.