GREYHOUND DERBY SEMI-FINALS PREVIEW: It’s the Greyhound Derby, it’s England v Ireland, and we’re set fair for the semi-finals of the world’s greatest greyhound race, writes Jonathan Hobbs.
We’re down to the last 12 of the Star Sports, Arc and LPS Greyhound Derby and a place at the sport’s top table awaits.
For owners and trainers, the best week of their lives is within touching distance – starting with Monday’s traditional Greyhound Derby Lunch in London – and two high-quality semi-finals take place at Nottingham on Saturday.
And the Anglo-Irish battle could not be more perfectly pitched with six runners apiece – and a host of Derby-winning owners and trainers still in contention.
Reigning champion Dorotas Wildcat (Kevin Hutton) has made the semis, as has last year’s Irish Derby winner Ballyanne Sim (Mark Robinson). Both trainers know what it takes to win a Derby, as do Patrick Guilfoyle (Skywalker Logan) and Paul Hennessy (Jaytee Jet, Priceless Blake).
Guilfoyle won the Irish Derby two years ago with Good News, while Hennessy has won the Triple Crown of Derbys – English, Irish and Scottish – and famously landed the last English Derby at Wimbledon with Jaytee Jet (2016).
Liam Dowling (Ballymac Tas) is also an Irish Derby-winning handler, as is Graham Holland (Clonbrien Prince). Add in the powerful and hugely successful kennels of Angela Harrison (Droopys Expert), Hayley Keightley (Roxhome Glory) and Liz McNair (Queen Beyonce, King Sheeran) and these 12 semi-finalists rival any year.
Queen Beyonce is the only unbeaten runner left and is proving a real credit to connections as one of just two bitches left – the other being Ballymac Tas – while last year’s Irish Derby runner-up Magical Bale is a high-class ‘second string’ for Dorotas Wildcat’s trainer Kevin Hutton. He could actually be his best chance of retaining the title.
So who will qualify – and who might be taken on?
First Semi-Final (8.48):
Play: Magical Bale, Ballyanne Sim
Lays: Dorotas Wildcat
Why? Hutton’s duo side-by-side is not ideal, but the way Magical Bale trapped in the quarter-finals last week makes him a real danger to Dorotas Wildcat’s march to back-to-back wins with whoever leads the Hutton pair set to go on. Let’s hope ‘The Cat’ can qualify, but with his Irish Derby-winning rival Ballyanne Sim next door not to mention Priceless Blake both pacing up there is no margin for error.
Second Semi-Final (9.05):
Play: Jaytee Taylor
Lay: Queen Beyonce
Why? One of the stars of this year’s Derby, Queen Beyonce continues to thrill and is yet to be beaten at Nottingham. Again, qualification is hopefully the name of the game, but with track record-holder Skywalker Logan one side and Clonbrien Prince the other a career-best effort is needed. She’s certainly capable but the draw is tough. Jaytee Taylor, on the other hand, has a peach draw and is coming to the boil nicely.
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