Kennelmate Clona Blaze might have set a new track record for the Derby course, but Swords Rex was only seven spots slower and continues to be the outstanding greyhound of 2023 on either side of the Irish Sea. He goes into next week’s decider as the likely favourite and only unbeaten hound in the competition.
At this stage, every one of the finalists deserves accolades, be it the Holland trio, British bred Romeo Command, six bend Cat One winner Cochise, or the fabulously consistent and durable Ninja Kerry. The Greyhound Derby needs its ‘Ninja Kerrys’ every bit as much as its ‘Swords Rexes’.
There were many other performances of note at Towcester including a FOY for Ower Smasher and a 29.00 for October puppy New Destiny following on from her 29.08 Hove (FOY).
Last but not least, the even younger King Memphis who was only beaten half a length in the first race of his career. 29.04 Towcester for an 18 month old on debut, after missing his break!!
Could any of the Derby finalists have matched that at a similar stage?
Graham Rankin’s Glenvale Bill continues his domination of the ARC Puppy Trophy at Sunderland with another emphatic victory in the semi finals. His 26.55 run was just 14 spots outside the track record. A mention too for the remarkable Definitive Force with a new FOY for the sprint, that is six wins in his last seven outings.
Sister track Newcastle staged a rare Sunday open race meeting where Coolavanny Galiv clocked the fastest sprint of the year, 16.85. But we are swerving him in favour of kennelmate Droopys Biggie who is in the form of his life. Despite an early bump, Angela Harrison’s 7-1 chance came through his field to clock 28.53 in the 480 open. That is eight wins in his last ten outings, the two defeats were both by half a length.
At the third corner of the North East triangle, the veteran Mustang Tyson rolled back the years to clock the fastest time of the week (before going allowance) at Pelaw. The blue brindle, who has a 25.54 on his card dating back the guts of two years ago, saw off an A3 field in 26.13.
There was no Mustang Sam to defend his title at Oxford this week but the dog he beat a short head, Ivanexile was back this week and skated up by a comfortable three lengths in 26.88 (-10). Matt Dartnall’s Birmingham Cup winner should be a significant player in the forthcoming Pall Mall.
Droopys Cosy made one appearance at Oxford, in their Greyhound-Trader sale in May, where she made £1,750. Snapped up by Jimmy Gaskin, the December pup followed up a 30.09 trial with a 29.84 (-20) win in A2 which was the fastest standard distance run at Doncaster last week.
Yorkshire neighbour Kinsley was absolutely flying on Sunday with five sub-28.00 winning times for the standard. Quickest of the lot with a 27.60 PB was Kevin Seville’s Whistledown with a 27.60 run.
While once it was Romford, Monmore seems to have taken over as the major contributor to the wages at Imperial Kennels. On Saturday, the Suffolkers headed home with another treble over three different distances. Coonough Crow was one spot off the FOY for the 684m trip but the star was once again Gougane Jet in the sprint. It was the quickest of his 14 races over course and distance, of which he has won 13.
Romford was almost impossible to call this week. The main contenders were August puppy Droopys Loot landing the fastest 400m open in a modest 23.82 and Antigua Bigun going quickest over six bends in an equally ‘okay’, 34.96. We’ll go for the pup.
At Nottingham on Monday there were open races over four different distances won in 17.75-305m, 28.68-480m, 29.68-500m and 42.12-680m. Which was the most notable? We reckon Magical Flash’s 17.75, the joint fifth fastest sprint run this year. He also has the second and third quickest runs, 17.54, 17.67.
Nottingham A1 regular Leighas Dream was an early Derby casualty but hasn’t put a paw wrong since. After seeing off an A1 in 29.76, followed by an open in 29.68, both at her home venue, it was off to Brum for a 480m open on Saturday and a flying 28.19 to complete a hat-trick for Team Denby.
Barnfield Charm was a solid D3/A8 regular at Perry Barr. But she is now not only one of the quickest at Harlow, she is also one of the most consistent with consecutive 26.44 wins in A5 and A4.
Following Fathers Day opens, it was a ‘grader only’ diet at Sheffield this week, but that doesn’t detract from the noteworthy 28.86 run from Barrie Draper’s Steel City Puppy Derby finalist Pear Drops who saw off A2 with minimal fuss.
The clock didn’t really tell the story with the week’s A1 winner Olivetree Deano dealing with the worst of conditions (-30) on a wet Thursday Suffolk Downs meeting. It was the veteran’s fourth win in his last five outings, two and four bends, graded and open and career outing 97 (33% strike rate).
Suffolk Downs 548m track record holder Luna Jezabelle was made a 2-9f to land the 714m leg of a dual distance comp at Crayford last week. But the layers reckoned the extra half a lap would play into the hands of established marathon hounds A Mystical Love (5-2) and Beach Babe (5-4f). They were wrong by half a length and four with Keith Robins gutsy black (3-1) clocking 56.57 for the 874m. By way of comparison, Bellmore Sally’s TV Trophy winning time was 56.38 (identical going). Her 540m sectional was 33.50. Jezabelle’s on Saturday was 33.51. (The fastest open race time is Antigua Sugar’s 33.36).
Ackerman was out to defend his POW title at Swindon on Thursday, a week after clocking the fastest time of the year for the 470 (28.07). Also in the line-up was Cuckoo Fund who also won a week ago, but in 28.27. Kevin Hutton’s recent Waterford import went to traps at 4-1 but raised the bar by a couple of spots with Ackerman in second place.
Yarmouth’s defending POW Alberts Legacy was unable to land his first open race from a tricky draw on Saturday, though he did just hold onto his FOY clock. Quickest on the night was the A1 regular Swift Loves whose 27.58 was a couple of spots off Albert’s personal best.
There were cases for various Hove Thursday night performances to qualify for acknowledgement this week including Kilara Ivy (16.33 -10) in the sprint, Noelles Perfetto (30.28 -30) over 515m and 42.15 (-45) for the 695m trip. But for a multitude of reasons we’ll edge it to Jim Reynolds’ Springbok hopeful Icaals First. After a career that includes A3 Towcester, A1/S1 Hove, A3, S3 and E2 at Crayford, he had a crack at hurdling. That was a year ago and he finally won his first race over the sticks on Thursday. . . . in the fastest time of the year to date!
Some weeks, there is no gold lettering on the table after every defending POW has been chinned. This week is the absolutute opposite with five successful defences. The last of the quintet was Flitwick Club in a very competitive four-runner A1 field at Henlow. Pete Henman’s brindle was freely available at 9-4 when rubberstamping her form over favourite Jogon Blue.
