The 17:24 at Towcester looks a cracking 500m Open Race and the one we have picked out as today's feature. Six runners go to post but it is two dogs with contrasting styles who dominate our model's predictions, and the race shape suggests this could be a proper contest.
This Approach lines up from trap five and looks the one to beat on recent form. Two wins at the track in quick succession, clocking 28.97 and 29.00, tell you this is a dog who knows his way around Towcester. He shows sharp early pace and tends to get to the front quickly, which is exactly what you want around here. The one concern is trouble. He got blocked, bumped and crowded in a recent outing, and in a race with this much pace on show, that scenario could easily repeat itself. R J Holloway's charge has earned his place at the head of the market though.
Venetian Will is the danger from trap one, and if you like a closer this is your dog. His best performance average is the highest in the field, which tells you the raw ability is there. He won at the track in May in 29.26 and the inside draw suits his rail-seeking style perfectly. K R Hutton's runner does have recent crowding issues of his own though, and he will need a clean passage in the early stages to deliver his challenge.
The race shape adds an extra layer of intrigue. Slaneyside Ross from trap three and Hard Done Boy in four both show early pace but tend to fade, which could create a wall of traffic through the first two bends. Behind them, the closers will be looking to pick their way through. Stellas Charm in trap two is an interesting outsider making her Towcester debut after some decent runs at Nottingham, while Heres Ringo comes across from Sheffield and could grab a place if it falls apart in front.
Competitive races like this often come down to luck in running, and with pace on both sides of the track, trouble is a real possibility. This Approach gets the nod if he breaks cleanly, but Venetian Will from the rail could be the one picking up the pieces late on.