Heat 1 of the Star Sports, ARC and LPS English Greyhound Derby looks there for the taking for the Seamus Cahill trained Sporting Dave. Though likely to be sent off a strong odds on favourite, he looks very likely to justify those short odds. His form stands up to the closest scrutiny and a level break from last years Sussex Cup Final winner should be all that’s required to see him quickly set sail for victory. Mark Wallis’s Antigua Sands trialled well enough here a couple of weeks ago and though since going down to a narrow defeat at Sheffield behind kennel mate Aayamza Bonnie, she was noted making strong late ground up before pulling clear to the pick up and can run on for second.
Heat betting: 8-15 Sporting Dave, 4-1 Antigua Sands, 12-1 Itsur Mate, 16-1 Savana Awesome, 16-1 Sunray Minor, 20-1 Pennys Lunar
Heat 2 is a very open looking affair where any of the six could lay reasonable claims. The selection would have to come down on Laurence Tuffin’s local runner Kilara Tain Bo who looks well drawn in one if trapping in decent style. His last time out victory in 29.96 (+20) would likely be good enough to take this race if turning the first bend in front. Peter Harnden’s local star Salacres Vincent reached the quarter finals of the Derby at Towcester last year. He continues to run well but will have to be on his toes early to clear the pace of the Brendan Matthews Irish raider Ribchester, who is drawn on his immediate inside, and is not likely to give up much in the way of room on his way around the opening two bends.
Heat betting: 10-3 Ribchester, 7-2 Raise The Stakes, Kilara Tain Bo, 9-2 Ela Juliet, 11-2 Salacres Vincent, 8-1 Hitatchi Hoban
Heat 3 will likely see Patrick Janssens’ Droopys Biker head into traps as a relatively strong favourite. However, with good early pace to his left in the shape of Droopys Trapper and Plaza Lep, he’ll have to play his cards right around the opening two bends. John Mullins improving British Bred star Saving Sonic is hardly devoid of early pace either and looks set to clear the inside pairing soon enough. In what looks a tricky enough race to call on paper, take a chance with Saving Sonic who at the time of writing is available at odds of 14/1. Meet Me, drawn in trap 1, has plenty of pace but has his own way of thinking, easing at the bends before showing plenty of pace on the straights. It does have to be noted that he didn’t go clear to the pick up in his last race, when having the chance to do so. That said, he’s the type who it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see keep on qualifying throughout the competition.
Heat betting:13-8 Droopys Biker, 11-4 Droopys Trapper, 9-2 Volcanic Reef, 7-1 Meet Me, 12-1 Plaza Lep, 14-1 Saving Sonic
Heat 4 will see Graham Hollands Totos Park sent off a strong favourite despite the fact he lacks a trial around the venue. Totos has until last week been engaged in the Irish Cesarewitch at Mullingar, finishing third in the final beaten 7 1/2 lengths behind Skywalker Logan. His form is top class though and he looks drawn to perfection on the outside of four dogs who will all be looking for a position nearer the rail. So long as he doesn’t totally blow the first two bends, he can put himself into position A by the second turn and power on for a emphatic victory. Killinan Fury, for local trainer Alec Stone, is a solid performer around here, stays well and similarly to the selection is well drawn. He can run on for second and land the forecast.
Heat betting: 6-4 Totos Park, 5-1 Taydal Boy, 6-1 Killinan Fury, 5-1 Slaheny Star, 8-1 Lostrigg Barney, 25-1 Bayview Gerry
Heat 5 sees one of Ireland’s leading hopes for this years Derby go to traps in the shape of Clonbrien Prince trained by Graham Holland. After trialling well he ran well to win a trialstakes event on his first competitive start at this venue. Sent off a strong odds on 4/9 favourite to follow up that initial success on his second start, he disappointed somewhat when beaten 3 1/2 lengths into second by Quantum Leap. His back straight pace was there for all to see though, likely to have improved for what was another look around, he can lay handy at worst by the second turn before opening up. Peter Harnden’s local hope Forest Mike comes into the competition proper with a 100% 3:3 record in trialstakes. His times might not be as flashy as some, but he possesses good early pace and is a difficult dog to pass if gaining the lead. Kevin Boon’s Headford Maurice always runs his race, stays well and should claim a qualifying spot from his draw out wide in trap six.
Heat betting: 8-15 Clonbrien Prince,11-2 Honour Turbo, 7-1 Forest Mike, 12-1 Headford Maurice, 20-1 Colston Havana, Sunset Ranger
Heat 6 on paper is a competitive affair with Ballymac Osby, Good Champ and King Sheeran all contesting favouritism at the head of the market. Osby is a talented sort for last years Derby winning trainer Kevin Hutton. At 38 kilo though he’s a huge dog who likes time to get into stride. Drawn in trap 2, Osby will have to be at his sharpest to clear the early pace immediately to his left in the shape of Gerry Holian’s Irish raider Lemon Shane. Good Champ trialled well and has improvement still to come, but the selection is with Liz and Rab McNair’s King Sheeran who looks plotted up in stripes and a reproduction of his last time out trial of 29.55 (+10) should be good enough given the make up of this race.
Heat betting:2-1 Ballymac Osby, 9-4 King Sheeran, 7-2 Good Champ, 5-1 Lemon Shane, 33-1 Colston Hero, 40-1 Blythe Basil
Heat 7 Seaglass Tiger can ping out and make all for Patrick Janssens. Runner up in the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby Final at Monmore earlier this year, Tiger possesses excellent trapping ability and early pace and he can quickly take command of the rail from his main rival Paganini Show. That rival can stick on for the forecast spot, whilst Kevin Boon’s Leemount Venus can qualify in third. Venus is inconsistent at the traps, but doesn’t have to lead in her races to qualify.
Heat betting:15-8 Paganini Show, 3-1 Seaglass Tiger, 13-2 Leemount Venus, 7-1 Man Twenty One, 10-1 Onedin Paradise, 14-1 Farloe Falcon
Heat 8 can provide the Irish with a winner courtesy of Graham Holland’s Blue East. He should be much better for his initial couple of looks around the track and can show superior all round pace to land the spoils. Wildfire Jimmy is well drawn against the rail and can fill the forecast spot.
Heat betting: 6-4 Blue East, 3-1 Wildfire Jimmy, 9-2 Emers Cookie, 8-1 Bubbly Bonanza, 20-1 Bojangles, Megatone
Heat 9 is likely to see two Irish raiders in the shape of Graham Holland’s Ballydoyle Valor and Pat Buckley’s Droopys Davy dominate the market. The selection goes with the former who ran well to pick up Brinkleys Poet near the line on what was his first competitive start around this venue. Likely to improve for what was just his second look at the track , he can make the inside draw on his chief rival count. Davy should have no problems following him around and filling the forecast position.
Heat betting: 2-1 Droopys Davy, 5-2 Ballydoyle Valor, 9-2 Nadurra Dutch, 6-1 Antigua Romeo, 8-1 Bockos Rory, 16-1 Sharpys Junior
Heat 10 can go the way of Dave Mullin’s Windmill Rover who at the time of writing is available at double figure odds of 10/1. He finished third on his last look around this venue , beaten 2 3/4 lengths behind Salacres Punch. Even a 5.04 sectional on that occasion was not enough to see him lead however for a dog best off the front , he never gave up at any stage. A winner last time out in 23.85 (+10) at home track Romford, he can ping the lids here and make the most of a reasonable make up to go around in front for trainer Dave Mullins. Hero To Zero, drawn in trap 6, can follow him home for a Mullins brothers forecast, whilst Peter Harnden’s Salacres Barley, a 2018 Puppy Classic finalist around this track, can run on for the third and final qualifying slot.
Heat betting: 2-1 Newinn Missile, 5-2 Hero To Zero, 11-2 Distant Rain, 8-1 Adis Abebba, 10-1 Salacres Barley, Windmill Rover
Heat 11 looks like being a relatively straightforward task for Pat Buckley’s Irish raider Burgess Bucks. Ideally drawn in trap fivw , he possesses wicked early pace and a reproduction of his 4.94 split from his last trial when posting an overall time of 29.51 (normal) should be good enough here. Kelly Macari’s North East raider Pinpoint Rocco can hold his pitch from trap 1 to qualify in second whilst Cooneen Jack, for Jimmy Fenwick, can take third.
Heat betting: 1-2 Burgess Bucks, 6-1 Pinpoint Rocco, 7-1 Cooneen Jack, 14-1 Busters Bullet, 20-1 Dower Rory, 25-1 Sharpys Rocket
Heat 12 can go the way of Worseforwear for Ireland’s Peter Cronin, though this is race where stakes should be kept to a minimum. Diane Henry’s Savana Volt has gears to burn, though his record of 0 from 5 starts so far to date has to be a concern. Volt can chase home the selection to fill the forecast spot, whilst Roxholme Glory who possesses excellent back straight pace but has a tricky draw to contend with, can claim the final qualifying spot for Hayley And The Glory Boys.
Heat betting:11-4 Roxholme Glory, 7-2 Worseforwear, 4-1 Da Head Hunter, Savana Volt, 7-1 Piemans Star, 14-1 Wichita
Heat 13 can provide Kevin Boon with a winner in the shape of Bockos Tiger. This heat can be settled by the first turn , with Tigers chief rivals also wanting to dominate early. The vote goes with Tiger due to him being ideally housed in white and he will be extremely difficult to clear by the bend with a level start. That can prove enough. Nice Charmer and Conors Blake can take the qualifying positions in second and third.
Heat betting: 13-8 Nice Charmer, 9-4 Bockos Tiger, 5-1 Conors Blake, 7-1 Baldoin, 12-1 Noelles Phelpso 25-1 Sharpys Jimmy
Heat 14 can go the way of Patrick Janssens Bockos Doomie who can dominate from start to finish from his draw in trap two. A winner of 3 of his 4 career starts to dat , including 2 from 2 here on UK soil at Hove , he was a late entry into the Derby but can justify the faith shown in him by Patrick and connections. Anna Thompson’s Haggswood River is perfectly housed in her preferred trap 1. She stays every inch of this 500m trip and much further. If Doomie does get away to the anticipated start, then the path will be clear on the inside for River to make the best of her way home in behind in second place.
Heat betting: 8-11 Bockos Doomie, 4-1 Lemon Ronald, 8-1 Distant Sailor, 10-1 Haggswood River, 16-1 Droopys State, 25-1 Dantes Inferno
Heat 15 can go the way of Angela Harrison’s Droopys Expert. Well drawn to ping from trap 3 , he can make every post a winning one. Liam Dowling brings over a very interesting type in the shape of Akelawre . He can follow Expert home for the forecast and should be much better for what will be his second look around the venue going forward. Swan Style has improved out of all recognition for trainer Kevin Boon just lately and can take the third and final qualifying spot for the second round.
Heat betting: 1-1 Droopys Expert, 11-4 Akelawre, 5-1 Swan Style, 14-1 Ballymac Devon, 16-1 Knockduff Declan, 40-1 Hagglers Hawk
Heat 16 is arguably the race of the evening with 2018 Derby winner Dorotas Wildcat lining up against Brinkleys Poet, 2018 Gymcrack winner and Irish sensation Wolfe. The selection posted a 5.00 dead sectional in his first 500m trial around this circuit. Despite the devastating early pace possessed by The Wildcat and Poet, that sort of pace will be difficult to clear and if Wolfe does hold his pitch, it’s unlikely that his two chief rivals will be coming from behind. This is a race where connections of the three leading fancies for the race will simply be glad to qualify. Bellebob Zuri , Savana Tuftys and Born To Achieve will all be big double figure prices drawn on the outside of the field. However it would not be a surprise to see at least one of them claim a qualifying slot. (Read trainer Graham Holland’s view on Wolfe’s chances)
Heat betting:8-11 Dorotas Wildcat, 3-1 Brinkleys Poet, 7-2 Wolfe, 40-1 Savana Tuftys, 50-1 Bellebob Zuri, Born To Achieve
