Greyhounds: Kim chasing the Golden Jacket at Monmore
Monmore trainer Kim Billingham-Hine is beaming with pride as both Magical Luna and Skylars Vision compete in tonight’s Premier Greyhound Racing Golden Jacket semi-finals.
The £20,000 event – held over Monmore’s testing 684m trip and previously staged at former sister track Crayford – began last weekend, with Magical Luna and Skylars Vision among the 18 greyhounds to get through the first round.
The ladies both line-up in the same semi-final this evening and have perhaps landed the kindest of the three semis – Mark Wallis’ Newinn Cloud the only heat winner from last week involved.
Magical Luna has previously excelled over even greater distances, winning a 900m marathon at Monmore, while Skylars Vision enjoyed a phenomenal rise through the graded ranks before catching the eye in this Category One competition.
Billingham-Hine, whose kennels are in Swindon near Kingswinford, would love to make it to the final having often referred to Monmore as her second home.
“Magical Luna ran very well last Saturday to finish second in her heat,” said Billingham-Hine. “As long as we don’t get too far detached from the leader, she’ll always have a great chance with her strong running style. Over 684m, she’s only just getting warmed up.
“I feel she may be starting to run into a bit of form as well, so fingers crossed.
“Skylars Vision is a very young bitch and just starting out over the distance but did herself proud last Saturday with a third-place finish.
“She looks to stay every yard and is probably stronger coming home than she is at the start.
“We’re all very excited to be in the semi-finals, especially on our home track, and we’d love to make it to the final. Come on girls.”
A repeat of last week for Magical Luna in the third semi-final tonight, finishing second to Newinn Cloud, would be enough to make next week’s showpiece. She runs from trap three while Skylars Vision is out in five.
The third ‘home’ greyhound still involved is Nathan Hunt’s Intriguing Iris, who won in fine fashion last weekend and runs from trap five in semi-final two.
Two other heat winners are in the race, too, in the shape of Savanaregimental (Diane Henry, Towcester) and Mongys Wild (Wallis) – the latter arguably last weekend’s standout performer having gone through the gears late on to win by more than six lengths.
Mongys Wild is the second favourite in the outright betting behind kennelmate New Destiny, who was the quickest victor last weekend and goes from trap three in tonight’s first semi-final at 7.22pm.
Wallis, remarkably, had four of the six heat winners last weekend, and Bombay Nutty also looks to impress again for the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) champion trainer.
