Connected Puppy Championship Hot Pot

FASTEST qualifier Connected has been installed a warm favourite for Tuesday afternoon's George & Eileen Johnson Puppy Championship Final (452m) at Devonport.

Recording a commanding 25.66 heat victory last week for trainer Ted Medhurst, Connected, a fashionably bred son of Fernando Bale and Keune, will exit box three for Tuesday's $3,960 to-the-winner decider – race five on the 10-event program.

Winner at six of 13 overall and two from three at Devonport, early markets see Connected around the $2.25 quote, ahead of his kennel-mate Fabulous Baroque who landed the other qualifier last Tuesday in 26.04.

Currently $3.50 in early betting, Fabulous Baroque heads into Tuesday's decider in outstanding form, winning three of his past four starts and eight from 15 overall.

Amazingly, however, each of Fabulous Baroque's eight career victories have been won by less than a length.

Medhurst's Puppy Championship hopes are rounded out by Havilah Kid, runner-up at each of his three Devonport starts, including a 4 ½ length second to Connected last Tuesday.

A brother to gun sprinters Stanley Gordon and Raging Ralston, who in the past fortnight have each broken the Hobart 461 metre track record, Havilah Kid is currently around the $9.00 mark and isn't without claims in the star-studded final.

One chaser getting good support for Tuesday's final is the Butch Deverell-trained Inner Circle, the son of Barcia Bale an eye-catching narrow second on debut last week behind Fabulous Baroque.

With the benefit of that debut appearance, the promising youngster is expected to derive plenty of improvement.

Away from the feature event, some spirited racing is set down for decision on Tuesday.

Fresh off a winning double at Launceston on Monday night, trainer Mick Louth ventures to Devonport with two key chances.

In the opening event, Louth lines up Fabregas dog Fairbanks from box five over the 452-metres, while in the second, his litter brother Yellow Knife looks a great chance of landing the prize from box three.

Placed at six of his seven Devonport appearances, Yellow Knife is around $3.00 in early betting and looks poised for a breakthrough success at the venue.

The feature on Tuesday's Devonport card is the George & Eileen Johnson Puppy Championship where Tassie's leading trainer Ted Medhurst looks a great chance of claiming more silverware.

At Hobart last Thursday, Stanley Gordon upstaged his brother Raging Ralston to claim the Tasmanian Gold Cup in track record time.

Tuesday's Puppy Championship goes at 1.45pm ESTD.