Crayford best bets: Gubu has plenty going for her in Gold Collar final

David Metcalf | September 27, 2016

Gubu looks pure Gold in Collar final

The final of the Gold Collar (21:08) is the feature race on a top class card at Crayford tonight screened live on Sky Sports 3 and T3 Gubu looks cracking value to land the spoils.

Ricky Holloway’s bitch showed a tremendous attitude in the heats when showcasing early pace from Trap 3 before keeping on strongly to pick up the front running Swabys Millward and score by a neck.

Although she could only finish third behind that rival in the semis five days ago, Gabu ran from Trap 2 and got badly crowded on a couple of occasions before being beaten 5 1/4 lengths.

The switch back to the white jacket is a huge plus, as is the fact that she is drawn on the outside of two very closely matched early paced dogs.

There is a distinct possibility of crowding on the inside and, if Gabu can hold T4 Swabys Millward to the first bend or turn in a handy pitch behind that rival, then it will be game on and a repeat of the result between them in the heats could be firmly on the cards.

Atom can make class tell

In the 714m Stayers (19:59), T3 Ribble Atom can take advantage of a drop in class to get back to winning ways.

Mark Wallis’s daughter of Godsend has some top class form to her name and is a formidable opponent when timing it right at the lids and getting a clear run.

She is blessed with early pace as well as packing a strong finish and ran a cracker on her penultimate outing when staying on third to Dashing Star in the East Anglian Derby Marathon at Yarmouth.

This is far easier and, if breaking in her best fashion, Ribble Atom is going to be very hard to contain.

Racenight Jenny drawn to collect in Cesarewitch final

Racenight Jenny has a good record at the track and can further enhance it with victory in the final of the Kent Cesarewitch (20:33).

June Harvey’s veteran bitch has a 50 per cent strike rate at the venue, having won four of her eight starts.

She looked as good as ever in the heats when showing plenty of early pace from the red jacket and overcoming a couple of bumps before surging clear to score by 7 1/2 lengths.

Judged on that performance Racenight Jenny has nothing to fear from the opposing T2 Mowem Down, who was beaten 8 1/4 lengths into third, and the daughter of Duke Special again looks nicely housed to turn the first bend in front and prove too strong for her rivals.

In-form Merlot can prove too Swift for rivals

T1 Swift Merlot is in the form of his life at present and rates a solid bet in the Guys and Dolls final (20:51).

John Campbell’s charge has taken to the venue like a duck to water and is unbeaten in three runs at the track.

On each occasion the son of Kilcoh Brae has shown show bags of early pace and clocked rapid sectionals.

His best split of 3.52 is far superior to anything that T2 Swift Thruxton has produced, and with that rival traditionally slow from the lids Merlot should have little difficulty leading on the inside.

That will put him in pole position and once on the bunny Swift Merlot is an extremely tough nut to peg back and pass.