MY LITTLE HONDA 50: Christy Moore is well known for his humorous lyrics and I thought of his song “My Little Honda 50” after the semi-finals on Saturday night.
My Little Honda 50 she’s rapid and she’s nifty,
She’ll do a hundred and fifty on a windy day,
My little Honda 50, hit the nitro and she’ll shift me,
Get me away from the guards anyway.
The reason I’m reciting these lyrics is because of the legend Jerry Melia. On Saturday night I met him for a chat and I am still chuckling away to myself. We got talking about dogs and I said to him;
“Jerry, how did you come across Holycross Leah?”
“I bought her off the internet” said Jerry.
“And did you always know she was a good one Jerry?”
“I did”
“How did you know Jerry?”
“Well I knew she was a good one when she went by me on the Honda 50 in the field!”
As we wait with bated breath for Saturday night, the annual pre-Derby lunch took place in Shelbourne Park yesterday afternoon. It was a brilliant turn out and the atmosphere was really special. Everyone was in great form and we had a few comedians in the room, Pat Moloney owner of Sonic being one of them! I can never understand a Cork accent at the best of times but Pat first got into dogs in 1968 and it’s his dream to win the Derby. Pat says you cannot buy the Derby, you have to win it.
Sonic is 11/8 favourite now and although this is a wide open Derby, if Sonic comes out like he can, it’s all over! Pat lit up the room with his interview with Michael and the farming man will buy everyone a drink if he wins the Derby!
Another character took the floor (and the microphone from Michael I might add) Mick O’Dwyer who has flown all the way home from his pub in Hawaii to see his dog Rural Hawaii. He gave thanks to his mother who bred Rural Hawaii and proceeded to tell us about the brood bitch and mother of Rural Hawaii, Duck Fat. We were intrigued to know the story behind the naming of Duck Fat but all I will say on the matter is switch around the first letter of each word! Plenty of stories filled the room with laughter yesterday and I was glad to be a part of it.
The semi-finals last Saturday were exactly what you would expect them to be, full of thrilling, exciting action. I thought Sonic was absolutely brilliant. I was really impressed by his performance and at a beautiful price of 6/4, it was money well spent. He was flawless and completed the circuit in 29.40. He just keeps getting better and better. Will he be able to win the 2016 Greyhound Derby?
Ballymac Matt is showing more and more of his old spark as each week goes by but as Shane Dowling said himself, he is an outsider in this year’s final. But to get to another final is a huge achievement for the dog and Liam has reached the final of the Derby for the last four years, Kerrymen are lethal!
The other semi-final was fantastic, Rural Hawaii trapped superbly and clocked a 3.38 split time. He led all the way and stayed on stoutly. Holycross Leah came out through the bars but she could never catch him even when he ran wide off the last bend. It was a brilliant race run in a time of 29.58.
So what do I think of the final? It is wide open. My heart says trap 1, Holycross Leah for Jerry Melia who came agonisingly close 32 years ago in the Derby final with Glencorby Celt.
It is yet another clash for Holycross Leah and Sidarian Pearl as they have met in the Oaks final and the Puppy Oaks final. I fear that Holycross Leah will move right when she breaks and upset the whole apple cart but Sidarian Pearl might be out and gone as that stage as her split times are very consistent. Ballymac Matt won the Derby last year from trap 3 and came from behind to win it. Sonic is just special and has clocked 29.44 from trap 4 in the Derby so if all goes right for him there is no catching him, it will be all over!
Escapism comes home very strong but can he pick up the likes of Sonic or Rural Hawaii? He is just too slow away I think but definitely has place claims so stick him your trio. Rural Hawaii loves his box, trap 6 and if there is any kind of trouble I think he will get the bend in front but Sonic has already beaten Rural Hawaii coming from behind quite easily.
After all that my prediction is a battle between Sidarian Pearl and Sonic with the latter going on to score comfortably. If you want to be part of the ‘ROAR’ then make sure you get yourself down to Shelbourne Park on Saturday night where the craic is 90 and the beer is flowing.
See you all then.
£25 IN FREE BETS
