History was made when The Other Kobe emulated litter brother Born Warrior by landing the Boylesports Irish Derby.
What a fabulous achievement for the O’Donnell family not just in the training, but the breeding too. Dam Mountaylor Queen was by the O’Donnell’s 2012 Derby winner Skywalker Puma out of Oaks winner Skywalker Queen.
Without being in any way disparaging to Warrior, Kobe was altogether more impressive. While the ’22 winner looked like a 525 yard Derby winner, who survived the latter stages by sheer determination, Kobe is the real deal. He was in the form of his life at three and a half clocking the FOY run in the quarter finals, 29.15, and eclipsing it with a 29.11 run in the final. (To be fair, Warrior may have stayed on stronger had he avoided injury as a three year old!).
A fabulous performance from the runner-up too. You can only be proud but disappointed when clocking 29.14 in a Derby final and not lifting the trophy.
The undercard was also top class with the fastest sprint of the year for Road Exile, and the quickest 575 for Scaglietti.
In the opening round of the Time Greyhound Nutrition Juvenile Derby on Friday night, seven of the 11 winners were two years old. Quickest of them all was Daleroad Duke with a 28.01 run.
Two littermates who swerved the Shelbourne Park race are Fantasy Moll and Jacktavern Bolt who are the Clonmel and Curraheen Park selections, the latter winning a semi final of the Kasco Derby.
Look out too for January pup Dunnanelly Fred with the fastest 525 of the year to date at Drumbo Park.
Jenna Boyle of BoyleSports presenting the Irish Greyhound Derby Trophy to David L’Estrange, Brian Clare & Aidan Walsh owners of The Other Kobe. Also included are trainer Jennifer O’Donnell and connections.
Trainer and Breeder Jennifer O’Donnell plants a kiss on her 2023 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby champion, The Other Kobe at Shelbourne Park
