Jonathan Hobbs: ‘Goldies Hoddle is unsurprisingly one of the favourites.’

Greyhound journalist and Coral ambassador previews Golden Sprint

Hobbsy here – and ready to cast an eye over Coral Golden Sprint which kicks off at Romford on Friday.

Ante-post prices are available and not surprisingly Goldies Hoddle at 13/2 is towards the top in his bid to become only the second greyhound in the event’s 30-year plus history to successfully defend the title.

It was Linda Jones’s Kinda Magic who won back-to-back Golden Sprints in 2001/02 – at which point her son-in-law Mark Wallis was head man. Now a handler in his own right – and some – he has won no less than 11 champion trainer titles!

Goldies Hoddle played his part in Patrick Janssens becoming Trainer of the Year in 2020 and this prolific-scoring sort will again thrown down a huge challenge given his brilliant record at the London Road venue.

Shrewd Call is the reigning Sprinter of the Year and his appearance for local trainer David Mullins is a real boost for the competition. His early pace is second to none and he remains another very popular greyhound.

However, Bockos Jon Jo at 10/1 and Geelo Gold Dustat 8/1 are Hobbsy’s two against the field for the Coral Golden Sprint.

Another Janssens-trained runner, Bockos Jon Jo is a 23.50sec dog at best for the 400m at Romford and that puts him right up there in this 36-runner line-up. Trapping is key, of course, as are inside draws – if both are achieved he takes the beating.

Geelo Gold Dust represents Sheffield trainer Carl Perry. She was awesome in a trial stakes over C&D last week and arrives fresh after a recent spell off, so improvement throughout the competition is very possible.