GREYHOUND PREVIEW: Barry previews the quarter finals of the Irish Greyhound Derby from Shelbourne Park on Saturday with recommendations on BETDAQ.
Irish Greyhound Derby Quarter Finals – Saturday
Just twenty-four remain in the hunt to be crowned Irish Greyhound Derby Champion of 2024 and can any dog stop Bockos Diamond. After breaking the track record last weekend Bockos Diamond is firmly the one to beat. Four outstanding quarter finals are set to be run at Shelbourne Park this Saturday night with the top three from each earning a semifinal place.
Quarter Final 1
🟥 De Lahdedah
🟦 Superfast Gorden
⬜ Cheque For Cash
⬛ March On Freddie
🟧 Ballinabola Jim
🔲 Bombay Pat
Some in-form rivals clash in the first heat and as the saying goes, somebody’s “0” will have to go! Ballinabola Jim and Bombay Pat are both unbeaten in the competition, Jim has won his last seven starts all in open company and Bombay Pat has won his last five. Pats starting is a cause for concern, he can miss a beat at the start but once he hits full stride he really motors to the corner. The draw could suit Bombay Pat, Ballinabola Jim is likely to edge inwards on the run to the corner and that should allow Pat all the room he needs on the run to the first bend. English challenger March On Freddie looks to be facing a nightmare draw. As we have already mentioned Ballinabola Jim will move to his left and he is not called “Big Jim” for nothing! Tipping the scales at over ninety pounds Freddie will need a flying start or luck to avoid him. Cheque For Cash is running consistently well of late but will need to lead up here to have a say. That said he is well capable of doing so and at around 14s he could be the value call. De Lahdedah remains top class when on song and is in his favourite box this weekend. You feel he needs to take a flier for win purposes but its hard to write him off. Superfast Gorden is another with a poor looking draw and may need luck. For me Bombay Pat could get a dream run early and prove hard to beat, Cheque For Cash could set the pace early, but the excellent Bombay Pat can prove too strong.
Quarter Final 2
🟥 Untold Dollar
🟦 Ballymac Briar
⬜ Singalong Dolly
⬛ Mustang Fever
🟧 A Lucky Julie
🔲 Cheap Sandwiches
Untold Dollar won well last week despite missing the start. Dollar was slowly away in a four-dog contest but moved well to the corner and gave Is She There a nudge on the corner and slipped into the lead to go on and score comfortably. Dollar remains capable of much better but must start a little quicker, if he were to find one of his better starts, he could be the one to beat. His main rival will be his kennel companion Cheap Sandwiches, Sandwiches was once again excellent last weekend when getting the better of Hawkfield Blue in a career best 29:18. He has a cracking draw once again and should have no issues mastering A Lucky Julie on the run to the bend. Singalong Dolly is always capable of a big run and Mustang Fever is running with real consistency of late for Sean Bourke and Patrick Guilfoyle who have both won Derbies in the past. A Lucky Julie will be finishing fastest of all and could be hard to keep out of the frame while Ballymac Briar will need to lead up the inside if he is to have a say. It looks between the two Graham Holland runners with slight preference for the well-drawn Cheap Sandwiches.
Quarter Final 3
🟥 Extra Gain
🟦 De Bold Falcon
⬜ Undulation
⬛ Is She There
🟧 Boylesports Bob
🔲 Carrick Aldo
Carrick Aldo has long been a favourite of mine and is running at the top of his game of late. Last years Irish Sprint Cup winner stepped up to the 550-yard distance for the first time in his career in round one and has progressed with each run. Aldo posted 29:42 when winning round one and followed up with 29:38 and 29:15 in the next two rounds, both behind the excellent Bockos Diamond. There is no Bockos Diamond to contend with this weekend and if trapping level Aldo will certainly lead this field in the back straight. Boylesports Bob Undulation and De Bold Falcon will all be flying from halfway, and you do feel that one of that powerful trio will turn within three or four lengths of Aldo. Extra Gain was a welcome winner for the bookmakers last weekend but faces his toughest test to date on Saturday and Is She There will need a career best. Carrick Aldo looks a likely leader, but all eyes will be on the big trio in behind. Which ever one of De Bold Falcon, Undulation or Boylesports Bob turns closest will have a big say. Aldo is improving over the distance and if he can clock a repeat of his 29:15 run from last week he may just have too much for his rivals.
Quarter Final 4
🟥 Callaway Knegare
🟦 Hawkfield Blue
⬜ Short Grip
⬛ Scooby Pacemaker
🟧 Bockos Diamond
🔲 Seven Beach
Bockos Diamond is undoubtedly one of the fastest greyhounds I have ever seen. He seems to have it all, early pace, determination, and the ability to see out the derby trip at the highest level. His track record breaking run of last week was simply astonishing. He ran away from an Irish Sprint Cup winner on the run to the corner and never let up. People may be of the opinion he has peaked to soon, but the scary thing is, has he peaked? Diamond locks horns with his old foe Seven Beach once again. Beach was unlucky last weekend when badly baulked at the opening bend but recovered well to qualify. His trainer Jennifer O Donnell is bidding for her third Derby in a row after Born Warrior and The Other Kobe. Jennifer is also represented in this heat by Scooby Pacemaker who will be finishing fastest of all. Callaway Knegare has all the gears to play a part but must lead up Hawkfield Blue in the early yards. Short Grip continues to run with credit but may be denied the early lead in this. Its impossible to look past Bockos Diamond with Callaway Knegare, Seven Beach and Scooby Pacemaker set to battle out the minor positions.
The quarter finals of the Michael Fortune Memorial Plate will also feature on Saturday nights card. The competition is open to greyhounds who were eliminated from the first and second rounds of the derby.
In the opening heat Tribal Syd should take all the beating with better expected from Dark Dilemma. Knockeen Dazzler returned to form last weekend and he looks the one to beat in the second heat. Coosane Pickles and Carmac King are the big names in the third heat and at the prices I would rather side with Carmac King for Owen Mckenna. The last of the quarter finals looks wide open but the vote goes to Faypoint Harvey.
Good luck to everyone involved !!
Barry
