In Brief
- Johnson has a big team entered on Tuesday.
- Masters events for the veteran chasers.
- Big two days of racing on the North-West Coast.
Leith-based trainer Gary Johnson will take a raft of chances into Tuesday afternoon’s 10-race greyhound program in Devonport with no less than 22 dogs among the acceptors.
The third and fourth races of the afternoon are Masters events, Free-to-All Whelped on or before 30/6/2017 where Johnson will box at least half the runners in each race.
In race three, Johnson has four of the seven chasers entered into the race, however that may not be enough to upset the likely favourite, Outlaw Teddy (box four) trained by Anthony Bullock.
The brindle dog by Kinloch Brae – Coco Benz was an impressive winner as $1.70 favourite in Hobart last start, recording 19.56s for the 340-metre trip.
Outlaw Teddy’s last three starts have been over that distance in Hobart but rising to 452m is unlikely to hold any fears for the chaser, his 30 previous starts over the Devonport 452m trip have returned eight wins and 13 minor placings, however he has not won from the blue box that he will jump from on Tuesday in two previous attempts.
Of Johnson’s quartet in the third race, Buckle Up Carter (box six) and Buckle Up Nola (box eight) appear his best chances, the latter finishing second in Devonport two starts back on 29 December.
In race four, Johnson will again have the numbers in his favour with five of the seven dogs entered but this time it’s the Wayne Williams-trained It’s Fletch who looks the main danger outside of his kennel runners.
It’s Fletch was a winner at the track and distance on 22 December with the blue brindle dog recording a winning time of 25.66s.
Buckle Up Rhonan from the Johnson kennel chased home It’s Fletch that day and that pair look set to fight it out again, however the box draw is slightly different for Tuesday’s race.
It’s Fletch had box seven and Buckle Up Rhonan eight when the pair clashed a fortnight ago, and once again they draw next to each other however Buckle Up Rhonan has box three and It’s Fletch four.
The margin was over seven lengths last time they met so certainly the son of Buckle Up Wes – America Bale has work to do to turn the tables.
The first of 10 races on Tuesday is scheduled for 12:20, the program a lead-up to the Ladbrokes Devonport thoroughbred Cup the following day.
Watch the replay of It’s Fletch defeating Buckle Up Rhonan on 22 December.