We entered 17 runners for the 2019 Boylesports Irish Derby and after the draw was made I had to remind myself it was an open draw because they went it worked out I could have ended up thinking ‘conspiracy theory’.
Four of my best dogs in one heat?
Three in another and two in most of the rest.
I keep telling myself, ‘don’t overthink it, just get on with it’.
(Odds are ante post and included as guidance only)
We start off in heat one with three runners and three dogs with very different stories. Macaroon Cruz really needs further and is coming back after a lay-off. The long term plan is to get him back over 600 yards after the Derby. Of course he still has a touch of class about him and will be running on to hopefully qualify. Newinn Hero is a really nice prospect but only has four races on his card. He won the unraced stake at Cork though I think he may find the 550 at the end of his range at this stage of his career. I wouldn’t put anyone off backing him because you never know with pups, but realistically I would hope he can use the Derby as a learning experience for the Puppy Derby later in the year.
Everybody know Clona Blaze‘s quality after running third in last year’s final. He was injured at Cork in June and has been finding his way back to fitness which he really need as 550 is as far as he wants. I would expect him to lead with Jaytee Tornado as his biggest danger.
No more runners until heat four and again two in it. Murts Boher had never shown any liking for Shelbourne until his last race when he ran very well behind Burgess Bucks. Before then he had looked a bit of a Clonmel specialist. Boynepark Woods has been a decent hound but seemingly not at his peak form in recent weeks and I would expect Murts to lead and hopefully hold on.
Lenson Austin has been falling out of the boxes and then moving middle. He is a bright prospect but given his age and lack of experience, the Puppy Derby would appear a more realistic prospect. Droopys Davy would appear to have the proven class in the race but that recent trial would suggest he is a bit short of his best at the moment.
Unusually, in heat six, we only have one runner, Sweep The Yard who has been in the kennel for a couple of months and a dog I rate as a real future prospect. He surprised me with that 16.14 sprint at Clonmel and confirmed how good he was when giving Totos Park a start and beating him four lengths in a private trial. He looked to be upgraded when put into an A1 grade, but given the trial, we did have a small tickle on him last time out. My biggest concern is Music Toour Ears who will move straight to rail from trap four. On all known form Deadly Dynamite is the one to beat, but you never know. Our lad has a touch of class about him.
We have Ballydoyle Valor in the ninth heat which looks very open. Ballydoyle Valor is a genuinely fast dog, as he showed in that last trial, but if there is trouble, he will probably find it. I would expect Burgess Bucks to lead and hopefully Valor can keep himself out of trouble and follow him around. If he avoids aggro he could make a race of it.
The race from hell to complete Friday night. Starting with the big outsider Ballyhimikin Bolt is up against it in this company, particularly because this isn’t his best distance. He looks a decent future stayers. The other three are all proven top class open racers. Totos Park is getting on a bit now but showed he still retains a bit of class by running third in the Champion Stakes. Slippy Cian reached the final last year and looks well placed to run a big race. I would have preferred an earlier race with him to be honest as he is a bit excitable, particularly when he is fresh. Clonbrien Prince might be a bit ring rusty but will be far happier in trap one here, than the stripes in the English Derby Final. He is class, what more do you need?
Saturday night kicks off with ‘The Wolfe‘, who remains in my book one of the fastest dogs in England or Ireland. We will never know what caused him to check at the third bend in his English Derby heat, he can’t tell me. But I know this dog and there is not an ungenuine bone in his body. He is our best dog on the gallop and although he is like a big puppy at home, he is an absolute savage if he sees anything move. He isn’t flawless, which of them aren’t? I know that if he is drawn wide with a lot of early pace on his inside, he may struggle to get across before the bend. But with any kind of clear run, he has devastating early pace and is fearless at the bend. I think the world of him and hope he has a huge Derby.
Newinn Lester picked up a slightly sprained hock at Cork and is chasing fitness coming into the Derby. I think he has more early pace than any other dog in the kennel and runs a lovely bend. Unfortunately for him, he is drawn against an absolutely fantastic bitch in Killmacdonagh. She is as good a bitch as I have seen and will take all the beating in the competition. As of now, I would take a qualifying spot.
Two more drawn together in heat 19 and both exciting young dogs. Ballyhimikin Jet might not be a household name so far, but I think he has something about him. He ran well to beat Jaytee Tornado last time out and was unlucky in his previous run when he got tangled up with Slippy Cian. Jet is a dog who I would expect to keep progressing. Lenson Bocko is another youngster with massive potential. As a character, he is very businesslike. I am here to race, let’s just get on with it. I trialled him from red to see whether he would go to the bend in a straight line but he veered to middle. Hopefully six will suit him. He has devastating early pace and was quicker than Lenson Blinder to the third bend. I am quite excited to see him run.
Of all the dogs in the kennel, I would say Lenson Blinder looks to be in the best shape. One of the reasons is that he has a new kennelmate, Clona Dream, who has brought out the best in him. They say that dogs are like their owners well Blinder is an absolute character. He is as stubborn as a mule who gets so far on parade and says ‘that’s it, I’m not going another stride.’ He is equally as obstinate on the gallop. But he used to be kenneled with an old coursing bitch who was a bit of a bloody misery. Clona Dream is a head case and Blinder has fallen in love. He runs around after her like a lovestruck teenager. We call them Len and Pat. Anyway, I hope and expect a big Derby from him.
Blue East is a dog who had enormous potential but he reached a string of finals and never won any. But as he got older he came more consistent and won the Select Stakes and the Tralee Derby. He only just gets the 550 yards so I hope he and Blinder avoid each other. Fingers crossed they both get through unscathed into the second round.
