Mark Pierrepont’s Derby sectional times have provided some useful insights into the running styles and abilities of the Derby entrants. The final six are five races in and the data grows more solid with every outing.
To halfway
Ballymac Fairone was the quickest dog to halfway in the semi finals with a personal best of 15.48. He ran from black having clocked his previous best (15.60) from the white box.
The 15.48 run was just two spots down on the fastest ‘halfway’ of the entire event, recorded by Signet Ace in the second round.
Other points of interest, the importance of early pace with five of the finalists among the fastest sextet.
From halfway
We previously noted that we lost many of the ‘sprinty’ types in the quarter finals.
Well it might be argued that we lost many of the stronger dogs in the semis.
Paul Hennessy’s Beach Avenue might have been quickest in the latter stages but even a 13.39 (by comparison Unlock Unlock clocked 13.28/13.30 earlier in the event) wasn’t enough to earn him a place in the final.
Cold As Ice was another casualty, along with record holder Bockos Belly.
As for the prospect of the sextet being line abreast as they approached the third bend, would anybody want to oppose Ballymac Wild. Note too the consistency of the clockings.
Winning time
This is the ‘look away’ now section for connections of Toolmaker Sydney and Beach Avenue who were among the six fastest runners but didn’t make the break.
Imagine clocking 29.36 in a Derby semi and not finding yourself in the final!
Compare and contrast with Newinn Session whose previous best throughout the event was 29.47.
Despite the disappointment of Bockos Belly being eliminated, his recent times suggest it wasn’t such a shock.
Whereas ‘Mr Consistent’ Kilara Lion produced four of his five runs within seven spots of each other.
Perfect Run
Once again – and a pure novelty – we have produced a ‘perfect run’ table for the six finalists.
This is calculated by patching together each dog’s quickest ‘to halfway’ and ‘from halfway’ sectionals across the five rounds to date.
It may just raise a smile with a particular Kerryman.
