The conclusion of the English Derby invariably sees a glut of major open race competitions and Hove have significant plans in place for their return to the spotlight in July.
Headed by the £20,000-to-winner Premier Greyhound Regency, the July 16-30 window will include the £10K Coral Regency, the £3,000 Coral Sprint, plus a £1,000 dual distance (500-515m) event for bitches. Every race on final night will be worth a minimum of £500.
All of this following the news at Thursday’s ‘1000 Winners Trophy’ only attracted two thirds of the 18 required entries, all of them locals, and despite £300 heat and £1,000 final prize money. (The event was sponsored by owner and sportsman Dave Lawrence in view of his landmark achievement over four decades.)
The events are not unconnected in the mind of Hove’s Head of Racing, Daniel Rankin.
He said: “It is very disappointing, but in all honesty not surprising that Dave’s event didn’t fill. These days trainers don’t want to travel unless it is a major competition, at least they don’t want to come to Hove. I guess many would be thinking, ‘if I am looking to give a dog a change, am I likely to find tougher opposition at Hove, or somewhere like, Harlow?’ – given the quality of the local runners here.
“But they do turn out in big numbers for the major events. And we now try to group them together, as we have done in July, to give trainers the opportunity to enter for multiple events.”
It was the acknoweldgement that connections would travel for major prizes that led to a re-vamp of the popular Ballyregan Bob Memorial.
Daniel said: “The Ballyregan Bob Memorial was always a one-off worth £1,000 to the winner. But last year, we upgraded it to include a memorial to George Curtis. It had heats and final for £2,500 and the quality was just exceptional. (Antigua Lava, Aayamza Dream, Burgess Elite, Aayamza Royale, Slippy Eva, Blueberry Bullet).
“I persuaded Ian (Smyth, Entain Director of Stadia) that we could turn it into a Cat One, so it will be worth £10K to the winner for 36 runners, again over the 740 metres. If we don’t get 36, we will run it as a 24 dog stake and it will again run alongside the Coral Olympic in December.”
Only host track Towcester (8) has more attached runners in the Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby quarter finals than Hove (plus 10 Irish).
Seamus Cahill is represented by: Global Vision, Make Noise, Derrinasafa Boss and Kilkenny Santy, who will be joined on the journey by Richard Yeates’ Faughan Rebel.
Global Vision is the first to take his chance and the Hove grader expects him to qualify.
He said: “It looks quite a ‘trappy’ affair with lots of early pace with Kidare, Signet Ace and Cape Cloud all disputing the run to the bend. Global Vision hasn’t really been trapping as well as he can and has been battling through to qualify.
“But he has shown on occasion that he has the early pace to go with them when he gets it right.
“That may not be necessary in that heat because I can’t see all three of the proven early pace dogs getting a clear run and that might leave the door open for him.”
Richard Yeates’ veteran Faughan Rebel goes in the second qualifier, and he is a dog that registered with Daniel in his very first mixed trial at Hove back in August 2020.
Rebel won the trial by just over ten lengths in a flying 29.29, followed by two hounds trained by Graham Rankin. Mollinari finished second, and in third place, a 15 month old pup running her second qualifying trial, Jaguar Macie.
Rebel went lame in last year’s Derby and his career appeared to be over. But five months later he reappeared on the track and is one of the most popular runners still in the event.
Daniel said: “For a while Richard wanted to keep him as a middle seed because he did sometimes move to middle at the bends.
“But I always thought he would be a better wide runner and he hasn’t looked back since they’ve changed his seeding.
“He is in a very tough heat obviously up against Ballinabola Ed, but he really seems to run the track well and should get a decent run on the outwide.
“I think he has a pretty decent chance of qualifying from that draw.”
Make Noise and Derrinasafa Boss both go in the third and possibly most competitive qualifier.
Daniel said: “Boss always looked decent though I am not sure I would have pictured him in this company when he was coming through the grades. (His UK racing career began in A9 company at Swindon) But he has clearly taken to the track and has shown steady progress.
“Make Noise is the Puppy Derby winner and is of course a litter brother to Hellofakerfuffle who won the Maiden Derby. I was always interested in them because their dam is a half sister to Jaguar Macie.
“I think there is a big run in Make Noise. He has been showing steady progress returning to form and you can see in his times.
“The big problem is the quality of the field, particularly with Signet Denver drawn to get a good run to the bend and cut across. In my book he is the one they all have to beat.
The final qualifier sees the Cahill kennel represented by Kilkenny Santy, a strong running dog, who like Hello Hammond, contested the Shelbourne Open 600 final at Shelbourne Park.
Daniel said: “I’m not sure how this will go though looking at the race, my first thought is for Singalong Sally.
“How unlucky do you have to be to be with a natural railer to be drawn trap four for three times in four races?
“You also have brilliant early pace of Signet Goofy out in five. It will be some contest between him and Sally as to who dominates early.
“I guess the best drawn dog to qualify is probably Savana Beau who should get a decent run on the inside.”
Hove has always boasted some top quality British bred progeny, most notably when Jane Hicks was producing the likes of Yankee Express and Yankees Shadow.
In more recent times, Seamus and Teresa Cahill have produced Surprising and the brilliant Pocket Lola.
Late last year Richard Yeates introduced a very useful April ’20 litter by Kinloch Brae out Droopys Amici.
All seven of the litter have reached the track with Ballyblack Speed having 29.19 (500) and 30.10 (515) form at Hove. Dreamers United has 29.19 winning form for the Derby course but was withdrawn off-colour from the event proper.
Less celebrated but noteworthy in his own way is litter brother Blastout Tink. He was beaten in his first seven races, was downgraded to A8 but still couldn’t win a race.
Daniel said: “He was the slowest of the dogs in the litter and I tried to get him a win (he started favourite four times in those seven races, three times at odds-on). We have a policy here to downgrade after six races, occasionally they will go seven races with the trainers agreement if we need a dog for a particular race. But suddenly it all came right for him”
Tink won races, 10, 11, 13 & 14 and is now in A1 company.
Daniel said: “The downgrade is an automatic process and sometimes we get caught out. We had one recently beaten in six D1s, was downgraded to D2 and won at 1-3f. Some of the regulars kicked off, and it can catch us out, but overall the system works pretty well. When trainers are beaten in those type of situations, they are normally very understanding.
“But they are very quick on the case after the six defeats. I swear Derek Knight sits by his computer waiting to send an email as soon as they cross the winning line!”
