Tonight’s SKY meeting comes from the new home of the English Derby, Towcester racecourse and greyhound stadium, in Northamptonshire.

The Derby is by far the most important race in the calendar with a history tracing back to 1926. The most famous greyhound of all time won the competition twice, the great Mick The Miller, successful in 1929 and 1930.

If you have a passion for greyhound racing – this the THE big one.

We started out just over a fortnight ago with 192 runners. We are down to 48, and in fortnight’s time the final six will contest a final worth £175,000 to the winner, kindly sponsored by the independent bookmakers, Star Sports.

A quick word about the course – the runners will all be racing over the 500 metre course which is just over a full lap with a 74 metre run to the winning line.

 

HEAT 1

The first heat is one of the most interesting for various reasons. Sadly it is reduced to five runners though that barely makes it easier to predict. We have to start with Carn Brea who is one of the few British bred dogs in the event. He is also possibly the biggest dog ever to run in the Greyhound Derby. He is a whopping 40kgs, or 88lbs for those who prefer imperial. That makes him around 20% bigger than an average male greyhound. But this is no lumbering giant, he can certainly shift and many even start as favourite. His big danger is probably the unbeaten Pacey Bambi – who is a boy, despite his girlie name. It will be hammer and tongues on the run to the bend and Bambi’s connections will be hoping to avoid 40 kilos of brindle Brea

Favourite: Carn Brea (T1) Outsider: Minnies Highway (T3) Guru Guide: : Carn Brea (T1)

 

HEAT 2

Fancy doubling your money? Rely on the Bruiser in trap one and roughly even money in the betting. Handled in Suffolk by champion trainer Mark Wallis, Bruisers Bullet is a very lightly raced dog. One race in Ireland and six in England of which he has won three. Bruiser is just two years old and even his trainer will confess that he doesn’t know how good he is. But he knows he is GOOD!

This is far from an easy race, though it is possibly a little less testing than his first two qualifying races where he was against some –as Arsene Wenger might say ‘top top opposition’.

At the other extreme is Shaneboy Freddie. If the Bruiser is Ryan Sterling, then Freddie is Wayne Rooney, he has seen and done it all. Freddie is coming up to four years of age and has 68 races in the log book. But he is unbeaten so far and might just give the youngsters a running lesson. Are you ready Freddie?

Favourite: Bruisers Bullet (T1) Outsider: Coolavanny Pet (T2) Guru Guide: Bruisers Bullet (T1)

HEAT 3

The third heat features the flying Geordie – Droopys Buick. Bred in Ireland but trained by Angela Harrison, Buick was Greyhound of the Year in 2016 much to the delight of the Newcastle fans where he is based. Buick was favourite to win the Scottish Derby but drew trap five and found trouble in running. Three is probably his favourite trap –not black and white stripes – so will we see the real Droopys Buick?

However this is far from being a George exhibition race. In trap two we have Cloran Paddy, the best hope of trainer Charlie Lister OBE, a man who has won the English Derby no fewer than SEVEN times. Paddy is a strong runner who should be running on powerfully at the end.

On the extreme outside is the Kent born and trained blue dog King Eden. He is a confirmed wide runner and will be strongly fancied to qualify. Much less strongly fancied – he could go to traps as big as 66-1 – is the Melton Mowbray bred Romeo Treaty. That would buy a lot of pork pies.

Favourite: Droopys Buick (T3) Outsider: Romeo Treaty (T1) Guru Guide: King Eden (T6)

HEAT 4

Welcome to the Irish heat – four of the runners are from across the water, and those boys seldom bring slow greyhounds.

In trap six, all the way from Co.Kilkenny but owned by Englishman John Turner, is the 2016 English Derby winner and defending champion Jaytee Jet. A confirmed wide runner, Jet kind of does his own thing, quite often just running around the outside of the field. He finishes very strongly.

There will be just as much interest in compatriot College Paradise. In the previous round, Paradise appeared to get involved in a first bend fisticuffs. At least that was the view of some racegoers. The local officials didn’t agree, though it is fair to say, his reputation is currently under a cloud. The pair will be the top two in the betting.

Favourite: College Paradise (T3) Outsider: Airport Jumbo (T2) Guru Guide: College Paradise (T3)

 

HEAT 5

Heat five is almost as Irish and features two runners who would probably be on every Irishman’s list as among the six fastest greyhounds in training. We are talking T1 Clares Rocket and T2 Priceless Brandy.

Both are winners of Irish classics, both are unbeaten in the competition but both are probably capable of faster than their best performances to date – and Rocket is a former track record holder.

At the other extreme is Fweshfromthesesh trained by young Alfie Herbert who only took out his training licence this year and finances his hobby with a day job repairing roads.

If you are looking for a ‘romantic’ Derby winner, Fwesh is your boy.

Favourite: Priceless Brandy (T2) Outsider: Crossfield Hugo (T3) Guru Guide: Fweshfromthesesh (T6)

Heat 6

The current track record holder Tyrur Shay – trained by Irishman Patrick Fahy will start favourite from trap five but he has a big task on his paws – particularly if he traps as slowly as he did in the first round.

Any mistakes and he can expect to see Forest Con (T6) jetting up on his outside. Con, who is a track record holder over a slightly shorter distance at home track Hove, barely sees out the 500 metres, but if there are any traffic issues behind him. . .

Look out too for one of the great runners currently in training. Ballymac Matt is almost four but has a tremendous career. If the old saying about class being permanent is true – he won’t be far away.

But if there is a sober Cindy in the house, wouldn’t you be tempted at odds somewhere in the vicinity of 66-1?

Favourite: Tyrur Shay (T5) Outsider: Sober Cindy (T2) Guru Guide: Ballymac Matt(T1)

Heat 7

Another five runner field featuring one of the fastest runners in training in Hiya Butt.

The big Butt, so to speak is his stamina. Imagine asking Usain Bolt to run 400 metres! A champion sprinter who reached last year’s English Derby final, just about managed the 480m.

So far, he has struggled to get home, but he was only beaten on the nod by the mighty Bruisers Bullet last time out. What he needs to do is lead the Birmingham Bolt in Danzey Exception who also rockets away.

Then there are the two powerful finishers Cable Bay and the precocious youngster Calico Ranger. If you back Hiya Butt, you’ll be sweating on the Ranger not being too close in the later stages.

Favourite: Hiya Butt (T3) Outsider: Velvet Blaze (T1) Guru Guide: Calico Ranger (T6)

 

Heat 8

We conclude with one of the hardest of all the races to call. If the betting is accurate, they will finished T3-T5-T6 with the strong finishing Irish runner Collavanny Mason running on strongly to win.

But Murrays Act (T6) who beat Carn Brea earlier in the competition will give them all a run. Not should we underestimate the fast starting pup The Other Reg who looks likely to lead on the outside and has the fastest time in the field based on second round form.

As the saying goes – it is because of conundrums like this, that you seldom see a bookie on a bike!

Favourite: Coolavanny Mason (T3) Outsider: Teejays Apache (T4) Guru Guide: Murrays Act (T6)