ENGLISH GREYHOUND DERBY FINAL: Barry Caul previews the final of the English Greyhound Derby Final including a profile on each of the six finalists included. The big race takes place at Towcester on Saturday (9.18pm).
Trap Draw 2026 English Greyhound Derby Final:
🟥 Ballymac Duffle
🟦 Ballymac Ralf
⬜ Lennies Eddie
⬛ Hackney Corner
🟧 Ballymac Deniro
🔲 VACANT
🟥 Ballymac Duffle (Ballymac Cooper / Ballymac Wisdom) – May 25th, 2024
Owner: Liam Dowling
Trainer: Liam Dowling
A stunning-looking fawn dog, he clocked 29.50 (-0.20 fast) for the 525 yards around Tralee in June of last year in his first official trial. He was obviously showing all the right signs at home and was then put away for almost six months before returning for his second trial in December. By then he had put on six pounds since we last saw him and was clearly still growing into his now strapping 80lb frame.
His race debut came at Tralee in the opening round of the Juvenile Classic, where he was crowded early but still finished a more than respectable second to a certain Ballymac Ralf, who just happens to be his full brother.
He would fill the runner-up spot again in round two, this time finishing behind another kennelmate, Ballymac Deniro. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but that may well have been a particularly hot contest. Duffle lost all chance at the opening bend in the final and eventually finished fifth behind Deniro.
The Kirby Memorial was next and he made a huge impression when winning the opening round in 28.09. He followed up in round two, coming from off the pace to score in 28.30. He then produced a massive performance in the third round, just failing to get the better of the excellent Ballymac Setanta before eventually making his exit in the semi-finals.
He has really taken to Towcester, breaking the track record on two occasions and producing something of a minor miracle when winning from an impossible position in round three. He possesses a wonderful attitude and is clearly a greyhound with a huge future ahead of him.
🟦 Ballymac Ralf (Ballymac Cooper / Ballymac Wisdom) – May 25th, 2024
Owner: Liam Dowling
Trainer: Liam Dowling
Ballymac Ralf has a very similar profile to his brother Ballymac Duffle, with both greyhounds having taken remarkably similar paths through their careers to date.
Ralf qualified on the same day as Duffle at Tralee, where he clocked an estimated 29.88 in his first official look at the track. Like his brother, he was then given plenty of time before returning in late October 2025 to win a sprint trial in 17.65.
Two further trials followed in December, where he got the better of Ballymac Deniro on both occasions over 350 yards at Limerick. He then won the opening round of the Juvenile Classic at Tralee, beating Ballymac Duffle, but could manage only fourth place in the semi-finals after suffering a luckless passage.
Despite his inexperience, he won on his next start in an A0 contest at Tralee before switching to Limerick for the Kirby Memorial. He finished second to Lennies Dynamic in the opening round but unfortunately made his exit in round two.
Ralf remains a very lightly raced greyhound and arrived at Towcester having won twice from just five career starts. Saturday’s final will be only his eleventh race. He starts well, stays strongly and possesses the ability to make a lightning-fast exit. Having been beaten favourite on his last two starts, he certainly won’t go unfollowed.
⬜ Lennies Eddie (Good Cody / Portumna Marina) – April 1st, 2024
Owner: Lee Craze
Trainer: Paul Hennessy
Born on April Fool’s Day 2024, this greyhound is anything but a joke. He qualified well around Kilkenny in July and October of last year and made his debut in November in the opening round of an Open Novice Unraced Stake, where he failed to make much of an impact and finished a disappointing fifth.
Much better was to come when he stepped back in trip for his second start around Dundalk at the end of November. Racing over 400 yards, he won in style by eight and a half lengths in a slick 21.04.
Eddie then enjoyed a short winter break before returning with a couple of pleasing trials in Cork and Shelbourne during the early part of the year. His next race, and third career start, came in an A3 over 525 yards at Shelbourne Park, where he finished third and was arguably an unlucky loser.
He put everything together on his next outing at Limerick, winning a Trial Stake for the Kirby Memorial before exiting the competition in the opening round. Like so many of this week’s finalists, that proved to be his final race in Ireland before heading to Towcester.
He has adapted particularly well to the track. Although he has won only one round so far, he has run with great credit in defeat over the last few weeks and should once again give a very good account of himself.
⬛ Hackney Corner (Here Comes Syd / Westpoint Jorgi) – June 25th, 2023
(Formerly Left Corner Back)
Owner: Hackney Boys Syndicate
Trainer: Pat Buckley
Hackney Corner began his career at Enniscorthy in the Good Cody @ Stud Open Unraced Stake in November 2024. After winning on debut in 28.68, he followed up on his second start with a stunning fourteen-length success in 28.64.
He had little luck in the semi-finals but still managed to finish third and qualify for the final, where he was sent off the 5/4 favourite. Bumped early in the decider, he could finish only fourth behind Zenith Sultan, with Texas Jack filling the runner-up spot.
That was his final start of 2024 and he returned to action with an A0 success around Limerick in preparation for the 2025 Con and Annie Kirby Memorial. He would go on to win the opening round in 28.35 before exiting in the second round.
Following another short break, he returned to action at Shelbourne Park in May with two slick trials before contesting the Shelbourne Champion 550. He won both the opening round and the semi-final before finishing second to kennelmate Ballinabola Joe in the final.
He was knocked over in the opening round of the St Leger at Limerick before turning his attention to the Irish Derby. He won his opening-round contest in 29.43 but was subsequently eliminated from both the Derby and Derby Plate over the following two weekends.
Pat Buckley kept him ticking over with a couple of trials during October and November before he finished third behind Cheap Sandwiches and Ballymac Setanta in a red-hot Winter Racing Festival Open 550. He returned to winning ways on his next start, landing a 575-yard contest at Shelbourne by nine lengths in a rapid 30.78.
That proved to be his final race of 2025. He arrived at Towcester a fresh dog and, if last week’s effort is anything to go by, he could be peaking at exactly the right time.
🟧 Ballymac Deniro (Ballymac Finn / Ballymac Arminta) – May 14th, 2024
Owner: Liam Dowling
Trainer: Liam Dowling
Ballymac Deniro clocked 29.36 around Tralee at just thirteen months of age, quicker than both Ballymac Ralf and Ballymac Duffle managed at the same stage.
Another given plenty of time by Liam Dowling, he was not seen on the track again until December 2025, when he finished a length and a half behind Ballymac Ralf while clocking 18.94 for the 350-yard trip. He improved on that effort a week later when recording 18.70 over the same course and distance, although once again he found Ralf just too strong.
Deniro then posted a rapid 17.30 for the 325 yards at Tralee in his final qualifying trial before making his race debut in the opening round of the Juvenile Classic, where he finished an unlucky runner-up.
He would go on to win the semi-final in 28.23, getting the better of Ballymac Duffle, before landing the final in a flying 27.97 (-0.20 fast), beating Silent Noelle into second place.
A tilt at the Kirby Memorial followed, but unfortunately, he was knocked over and made an early exit. That proved to be his final race in Ireland, but he is another who has thrived since arriving at Towcester.
He appears to be improving with every run and, if reproducing his semi-final performance, would take a world of beating. The stake he won at Tralee already looks exceptionally strong. Of those behind him, Ballymac Duffle lines up in this weekend’s final, while Silent Noelle contests the semi-finals of the Irish Oaks at Shelbourne. Ballymac Malinas produced a sensational trial around Shelbourne on Saturday night, while Brother Thomas and Glengar Echo remain greyhounds with considerable untapped potential.
Verdict
A cracking final, although the absence of a UK-trained runner does, in my opinion, detract slightly from the occasion. The break will be absolutely crucial. We have six exceptionally fast greyhounds in the line-up and whatever manages to lead early will take a world of beating.
We put up Ballymac Duffle at 40/1 before the event on April 23rd and, hopefully, he can go on and justify that confidence. That said, I certainly would not put anyone off their own selection this weekend, as every finalist arrives with a genuine chance.
It promises to be a wonderful evening of racing and I would like to wish all connections the very best of luck.
Barry
