There is only one place to be this Saturday if you are a racing fan – and that’s here at Crayford.

We are staging a top-class race card including the six first-round heats of this year’s Ladbrokes Golden Jacket.

We will have 36 of the best marathon dogs racing over the 714m distance of the event, which is worth £17,500 to the winner.

At the time of writing, the deadline for entries had not been reached, however there are certain greyhounds that are expected to be entered and accepted by our racing office.

These include Roxholme Dream, Droopys Bear and Farley Rio, all of whom have big reputations.

This event always takes a lot of winning, given that the dogs have to run the distance three times in 11 days and it is time for me to remind you all that the statistics say ante-post favourites do not win the Golden Jacket.

Roxholme Dream is quoted at just 2-1 to win before we even start, which is far too short a price in my books – despite her obvious chances.

Having said that, the dog came here for a solo trial last Saturday and recorded a time one hundredth of a second under the track record for that distance. That’s a run which can’t be argued with.

As a winner of 10 of her 12 races in this country since arriving from Ireland, she fully justifies her ante-post favourite position.

The dog’s last seven races have been over either 751m at Wimbledon or 748m at Monmore, so the Jacket distance is within scope.

Droopys Bear will also arrive as one of the leading fancies after an impressive win here in a race over the Jacket distance at the weekend when recording a time of 44.93sec.

He has run over distances as far as 820m and will be a big player in the Jacket on the evidence of his race here.

Farley Rio, last year’s Sunderland Grand Prix champion, was the fastest dog over 714m here a week ago at trials session recording 45.60. The time would have pleased trainer

Kevin Boon, who may well also have Kakantu as a representative.

Next week’s report will feature a review of all six heats and I will give you my potential winner.

The final is on Tuesday, February 24 with entry free.