GREYHOUND PREVIEW: As attention turns to Saturday night’s semi-finals of the Star Sports & Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby, the Irish challenge remains firmly to the fore, with eight of the twelve remaining runners trained on Irish soil. Barry Cauk previews both semi-finals from Towcester.
Last weekend’s quarter finals once again highlighted the strength in depth of the raiding party, with Epic Ace and Ballymac Deniro both landing impressive victories, while several others produced eye-catching performances in defeat. With a place in next week’s final at stake, both semi-finals promise to deliver high-class action and plenty of intrigue.
Semi-Final Draw
Heat 1
🟥 Lennies Eddie
🟦 Strike It Skye
⬜ Epic Ace
⬛ Ballymac Duffle
🟧 Ballymac Deniro (M)
🔲 Ballymac Iroko (W)
Verdict:
Strike It Skye is the sole UK representative in the opening semi-final and also the only female left in the competition alongside Scooby The Lady. She arrives here in tremendous form having won her last three starts, coming from off the pace on each occasion. We know her running style well by now — she can ping the lids, lacks a touch of early pace into the bend, but powers home from halfway. She has now won twelve of her last fourteen starts and has only been out of the frame once during that spell. She will need things to fall right to win, but it would take a brave man to oppose her reaching the final.
Lennies Eddie lines up on her inside. The son of Good Cody remains relatively lightly raced and this will only be his eleventh career start. He was beaten into second by the reopposing Ballymac Deniro last week, but Eddie does look the more consistent trapper and could reverse that form if edging Deniro into the opening bend.
Epic Ace has taken this competition by storm. Prior to the opening round, I mentioned that he was one of the fastest greyhounds in Ireland on his day, though there were concerns whether his trapping would stand up over a six-week competition. John Kennedy’s star has answered those questions emphatically. His consistency at boxes has improved dramatically and, if he continues to come away as he has been, he looks hugely difficult to oppose. He possesses electric early pace, flies down the far side and stays strongly once in front. If he breaks level, he looks the most likely leader and would take plenty of catching.
Liam Dowling fields three runners here in Ballymac Duffle, Ballymac Deniro and Ballymac Iroko, with his kennel continuing to fire on all cylinders both in Ireland and the UK. Ballymac Duffle produced a massive run in the third round before facing a difficult draw in last week’s quarter-final. He again ran with huge credit to qualify but may need luck in running once more, as he is unlikely to be involved in the early pace battle and will be finishing strongly late on.
Deniro was exceptional last weekend, producing his best break of the competition to lead Lennies Eddie before stopping the clock in a flying 28.21. Remarkably, that was only his eighth career start and it is frightening to think there could still be more improvement to come. The draw looks favourable and his current 9/2 quote appears fair.
The final runner is Ballymac Iroko, who is likely to go off the outsider of the field. However, as the sole wide seed, the draw should suit. His trapping will need to improve and he may require a slice of luck to make next week’s final, but he is not without hope.
It is a cracking semi-final and much depends on how Epic Ace breaks. If he comes away on terms, he should have too much firepower for his rivals. Ballymac Deniro is fascinating after last week’s brilliant effort and could yet go quicker again, while Lennies Eddie has the ideal draw on the fence and is capable of playing a major role.
Still, it is hard to oppose Epic Ace, who has been the standout performer in the Derby so far and can once again prove too strong with another decent start.
Selections: 3-5-1
Heat 2
🟥 Sole Focus
🟦 Proper Heiress
⬜ Scooby The Lady
⬛ Ballymac Ralf
🟧 Hackney Corner (M)
🔲 Lennies Tank (W)
Verdict:
Sole Focus has done remarkably well to make it this far and has landed an ideal draw on the fence in the second semi-final. He began life in an unraced stake at Clonmel, while his last Irish success came in an A2 around Cork. Since moving to the UK, he has won graded contests at Doncaster and has provided connections with a tremendous thrill. He will need another career-best effort to qualify, but that has been said before and he continues to defy expectations.
Proper Heiress lines up alongside him in trap two. He missed the kick last week and can ill afford another slow start with the fast-starting Scooby The Lady drawn on his outside. In fairness, Heiress is a far more dangerous rival when dominating from the front and that remains his obvious route to qualification.
Scooby The Lady has been electric from the boxes throughout the competition. Her sectionals have been among the best recorded and she will again be looking to blaze a trail from the outset and attempt to make every yard.
Ballymac Ralf lines up in trap four and ran a huge race in defeat behind Strike It Skye last weekend. His third-round performance was particularly impressive when making all to beat the reopposing Hackney Corner. Ralf again holds the inside draw over Hackney Corner and that could prove crucial.
Hackney Corner has been lightly raced this year, with this weekend’s contest only his fifth outing since last November. He probably needs to find a little more on the clock, but Pat Buckley’s runners are never easily dismissed, and improvement would come as no surprise.
Lennies Tank completes the line-up for Paul Hennessy. Tank is a high-class performer at his best, though his last couple of runs have been slightly below that level. The draw in six should help him avoid trouble and one of his trademark fast starts would certainly put him firmly in the mix.
This looks a tricky race for punters, with the break likely to prove decisive. Ballymac Ralf just gets the nod. He is versatile tactically and, if reproducing his third-round display, he could take plenty of beating.
Selections: 4-2-5
The very best of luck to all connections,
Barry.
