Lila can throw it down to Mick early in possible Wallis bonanza

FIRE HEIGHT LILA is yet to win in the event but Mark Wallis' bitch could be the value shout in the £3,000 final of the BetGoodwin Series Maiden Stayers over 650m at Oxford (4.44).

Venetian Mick was totally dominant in heat and semi, taking early command and running his rivals ragged but he could be challenged in the initial stages today which makes for a fascinating final.

Both Ballyhimikin Ben and the selection have the speed to be competitive on the dash to the bend so the draw could prove crucial and the Wallis bitch may have an edge in that regard by being on the inside of the trio.

Preview - Venetian is fastest in BetGoodwin final, draw tough

THE BetGoodwin Series Maiden Stayers over 650m at Oxford saw three-odds favourites successful in the semi-finals last weekend with Venetian Mick comfortably fastest for the second week running.. Jonathan Kay looks back at those semis and ahead to Sunday afternoon’s £3,000 decider which is live on sisracing.tv and

SIS RacingJonathan Kay

Oxford also has four heats of a high-class bet365 Challenge Cup over the same staying trip with Wallis holding a very strong hand in that too.

His reigning champion, and multiple Category One winner, New Destiny can put down an early marker with victory in the opening heat at 2.16, kennelmate Vhagar, who just shades her in the outright market, is a second heat standout at 3.11 and Newinn Cloud can complete a Wallis treble in heat three at 4.07.

Wallis has claims in heat four at 5.21 too with Bombay Nutty but marginal preference is for Shaun Gresham's well-drawn Ballymac Madgie.

Vhagar shades reigning champ Destiny in 365 Challenge market

VHAGAR, three from three over the course and distance and inside the track record albeit with a hand-timed 38.80sec (-15) last week, has been installed as 6/4 favourite by the sponsor for the bet365 Challenge Cup over 650m at Oxford. The competition starts with four heats on Sunday

SIS RacingJonathan Kay

Gresham's Ballymac Drasher (2.33) might be the most interesting runner in the BetGoodwin Series Maiden which starts with six heats although Kevin Hutton has a couple of likely sorts too in Rebel Alaska (4.26) and Silvertown Blues (5.39), likewise Chris Hamblin with Ernie Webb Mate (5.03).

One-off fancies are Michelle Brown's Essex Abbigail (1.57), Hutton's ten-timer seeking Start The Engine (2.52) and Carol Weatherall's Backtoyourbest (4.39).

Martin Stout's Rose Bowl heroine Hillside Lily is the again the name that jumps of the card at Star Pelaw's evening meeting where she can complete a six-timer in the 8.34 over 435m having been denied the opportunity when the meeting was curtailed last week.

That is the opening heat of the DC Property & Improvements Oaks with subsequent suggestions being Glenn Foot's Burrow Bell (8.52) and Ballinabola Eve (9.09).

Other non-maiden open picks are Foot's duo of Beachgrove Lad (7.04) and Marleypark Ken (9.41) plus Dean Blackbird's Thats It Jack (8.16) and kennelmate Killieford Goram (9.26).

Best at Doncaster's early fixture could be Sue Watson's Luminous Dream (12.29), while Bluejig Aoife (12.38) looks solid at Valley.

There are three Sunday Irish fixtures with Catherine Lynagh's Bluejig Teddy (4.37), David Hickey's Sparks Lucky (7.14) and Ray Hamilton's Dodos Mate (7.46) making most appeal at Mullingar, Clonmel and Lifford respectively.

Fire Height Lila (nap)
T4 Oxford 4.44