The success of the Greyhound Trader Online Auctions will be highlighted once again on Friday night when Coolavanny Derek lines up for the Category Two Sunderland ARC Puppy Cup.
A competition worth £6000 to the winner, it is quite the achievement for Derek who is the youngest greyhound in the field as a November 2021 whelp. Trained by local handler Paul Miller, it would be extra special if he could win.
There is a story behind his purchase too. Derek was in the March Online Auction and was supposed to be sold for £3350, until the intended purchaser did not go through with the deal. It was then that Paul Miller purchased the young Laughil Blake dog at a discounted price for his owners the Little Bags of Sweets syndicate.
Since arriving in the UK, Derek won his first two races at Sunderland, in A3 and A2 company, before taking the leap to Open company. He qualified in the first round of the Puppy Cup at 8/1 in 27.64 and was runner-up in his Semi-Final in an improved 27.30. He now takes aim in the final from trap 5 against a field full of quality.
Those who have been following the competition will have realised that they’re all up against the likely odds-on favourite Glenvale Bill for Monmore trainer Graham Rankin. However, what you may not have remembered is that he also was previously available in a Greyhound Trader Online Auction. To be precise, he was in Februarys instalment and was priced with a reserve of £7500 having gone around Shelbourne Park in 29.14.
Bill went straight into the Puppy Cup since being subsequently sold and he has blown away the field with 26.75 and 26.65 wins in reaching the final unbeaten. He joins a long list of passed upon greyhounds in the Greyhound Trader Online Auctions who have gone onto achieve great things along with Haka Carlo (Winner of the 2023 Future Champion Michael Fortune Memorial unraced stake in Enniscorthy) and Ballymac Run (Winner of the 2022 RPGTV Irish Puppy Oaks).
