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Post by BVADMIN on May 16, 2019 11:20:03 GMT
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Post by BVADMIN on May 16, 2019 14:39:54 GMT
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Post by BVADMIN on May 16, 2019 23:00:12 GMT
Brothers Wildcat, Woo Hoo now in their fourth season and still love it..IT was 2015 at Wimbledon when we last saw anything like 43 Irish-trained raiders in the Derby, a year of several records in terms of the £250,000 first prize committed by then-Hills’ boss Ralph Topping which drew a total initial field of 273.
However, the big negative was that it meant the opening round dragged across four long nights with only the first two qualifying from each of the 48 heats.
Pat Buckley at the time described this set-up as mistaken. "You try turning up at the Curragh or Epsom with any horse you fancy for the Irish or English Derbys there,” he told me. “But that's what happens here.
"There are dogs who are 500-1 who should be five million to one. The 192 qualifiers should be selected, it seems desperately unfair for the fellow who has paid £25,000 or £40,000 for a dog to see it go out in third here."
Four year later, Wimbledon has gone and so it seems has the shooting star of Towcester. Nottingham has stepped up to the plate. The management there are realistic, accepting there are some capacity and viewing drawbacks but are determined to put on the best show possible.
Getting 43 Irish hopefuls for a £100,000 prize reflects the tweaks Nottingham made to the format. Dropping the three quick runs, confining the field to 192 (so it’s the first three throughout), keeping the opening rounds to just two nights and a sense that the track offers a more traditional gallop.
The fact the entry was oversubscribed is a massive boost with the new seeding committee also being well received. A key issue is there aren’t sufficient wides around. Given the 23 wides currently in the field this means, under equal distribution, each automatically gets trap six. There are 32 first-round heats so, as it stands, middle seeds will run from the outside in nine of them. Given likely bunching on the inside, it might not be quite the drawback it seems. Kevin Hutton, trainer of ante-post favourite and defending champ Dorotas Wildcat recognised this when admitting after his dog’s excellent trial on Tuesday that luck in the draw would be absolutely vital. Quite why he is as short as 12-1 is surprising.
He is one of only two fourth-season runners in the field, the other being his brother Dorotas Woo Hoo - both started racing in 2016. The last-named is a genuine wide, thus guaranteed his draw. Steered to Scottish Derby victory in 2017 by the now-retired Charlie Lister, he is with Hayley Keightley.
What an amazing litter this one (Ballymac Vic - Droopys Daneel, May 15) has proven. Another brother, Dorotas Vic, was third last year.
The Wildcat, in fact nearly all the triallists on Tuesday, looked both happy and professional, enjoying the track like old hands. Most railed, though, so it’s definitely going to be crowded on the inside.
The draw is 1pm on Friday (May 17) and is due to be streamed live by the track/Greyhound Board (details highlighted by them on social media immediately beforehand).
Once it's complete and available it will also go up on greyhoundbet in our running news section. The link to use for that and our news/reports through the Derby is bit.ly/2W1TJZN.
The first round is on Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25 with 16 heats apiece. It’s going to be tense and exciting with the best of the best on show.
The draw for the second round is then made on the Monday afterwards, that takes place (eight heats each night) on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1.
The third round, the last 48 and always one of the most keenly anticipated occasions, is Friday, June 7. Hope to see you there.
Star Sports bet: 12 Dorotas Wildcat, 16 Droopys Verve, 20 Clonbrien Prince, Lenson Blinder, Jaytee Taylor, 22 Burgess Bucks, 25 King Turbo, Magical Bale, Martinstown Band, Slippy Cian, 28 Seaglass Phantom, 33 Ballymac Anton, Brinkleys Poet, Clonbrien Swift, Droopys Biker, Rising Brandy, Skywalker Logan, Wolfe, 40-1 bar
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Post by BVADMIN on May 17, 2019 13:04:10 GMT
Greyhound-derby-NEWS Draw complete for opening round of the Derby BY JIM CREMIN OF THE RACING POST. Star Sports, Arc and LPS Derby first round.....Friday May 24Heat 1 1 Sporting Dave 2 Sunray Minor 3 Savana Awesome 4 Pennys Luna 5 Antigua Sands (m) 6 Itsur Mate (w) Heat 2 1 Kilara Tain Bo 2 Hitachi Hoban 3 Ela Juliet 4 Raise The Stakes 5 Ribchester (m) 6 Salacres Vincent (w) Heat 3 1 Meet Me 2 Volcanic Reef 3 Saving Sonic 4 Plaza Lep 5 Droopys Trapper (m) 6 Droopys Biker (w) Heat 4 1 Lostrigg Barney 2 Taydal Boy 3 Plaza Roicead 4 Slaheny Star 5 Totos Park (m) 6 Killinan Fury (w) Heat 5 1 Honour Turbo 2 Clonbrien Prince 3 Colston Havana 4 Forest Mike 5 Sunset Ranger (m) 6 Headford Maurice (w) Heat 6 1 Lemon Shane 2 Ballymac Osby 3 Designer Label 4 Good Champ 5 Rising Brandy (m) 6 King Sheeran (w) Heat 7 1 Paganini Show 2 Seaglass Tiger 3 Man Twenty One 4 Farloe Falcon 5 Onedin Paradise (m) 6 Leemount Venus (w) Heat 8 1 Wildfire Jimmy 2 Bubbly Bonaza 3 Blue East 4 Emers Cookie 5 Megatone (m) 6 Martinstown Band (w) Heat 9 1 Sharpys Junior 2 Ballydoyle Valor 3 Bockos Rory 4 Nadurra Dutch 5 Antigua Romeo (m) 6 Droopys Davy (w) Heat 10 1 Adis Abebba 2 Salacres Barley 3 Distant Rain 4 Newinn Missile 5 Windmill Rover (m) 6 Hero To Zero (w) Heat 11 1 Pinpoint Rocco 2 Dower Rory 3 Cooneen Jack 4 Busters Bullet 5 Burgess Bucks (m) 6 Sharpys Rocket (m) Heat 12 1 Savana Volt 2 Da Head Hunter 3 Piemans Star 4 Roxholme Glory 5 Worseforwear (m) 6 Wichita (m) Heat 13 1 Baldoin 2 Noelles Phelpso 3 Bockos Tiger 4 Nice Charmer 5 Conors Blake (m) 6 Ballymac Syd (m) Heat 14 1 Haggswood River 2 Bockos Doomie 3 Dantes Inferno 4 Droopys State 5 Lemon Ronald (m) 6 Distant Sailor (m) Heat 15 1 Hagglers Hawk 2 Akelawre 3 Droopys Expert 4 Swan Style 5 Knockduff Declan (m) 6 Ballymac Devon (m) Heat 16 1 Wolfe 2 Dorotas Wildcat 3 Brinkleys Poet 4 Savana Tuftys 5 Bellebob Zuri (m) 6 Born To Achieve (m) Saturday May 25Heat 17 1 Wildfire Legend 2 Droopys Verve 3 Ballymac Miscula 4 Desperado Dan 5 Slippy Cian (m) 6 King Lennon (m) Heat 18 1 Priceless Blake 2 Savana Floyd 3 Front Edge 4 Coolavanny About 5 Oi Oi Upenalty (m) 6 Kingsbrook Glyn (m) Heat 19 1 Liberty Hawk 2 Shaneboy Pascal 3 Ballymac Brayden 4 Roxholme Butt 5 Loher Honey (m) 6 Arthur Noodle (m) Heat 20 1 Deanridge Ashton 2 Antigua Vows 3 Badminton Jet 4 Droopys Nadal (m) 5 Forest Alan (m) 6 Maries Darkie (w) Heat 21 1 Seaglass Phantom 2 Ballymac Anton 3 Queen Beyonce 4 Kilmessan Puma (m) 5 Getting Up (m) 6 Trade Fudge (w) Heat 22 1 Swift Jim 2 Ballymas Tas 3 Sidaz Jet 4 Deadly Storm (m) 5 Quantum Leap (m) 6 Jaytee Taylor (w) Heat 23 1Ballymac Reds 2 Skywalker Logan 3 King Idol 4 Holdem Zidane (m) 5 Romeo Rumble (m) 6 Swift Sabbath (w) Heat 24 1 Ballydoyle Frank 2 Lenson Whelan 3 Rockmount Ozzy 4 Pond Ricardo 5 Stonepark Warrior (m) 6 Droopys Nirvana (w) Heat 25 1 Pink Osteria 2 King Turbo 3 Comeonyoubees 4 Jelly Flood (m) 5 Bramble Milburn (m) 6 Formidable (w) Heat 26 1 Magical Bale 2 Master Reed 3 Slaneyside Sylvy 4 King Dylan (m) 5 Geelo Blissful (m) 6 Burgess Doc (w) Heat 27 1 Pond Adonis 2 Jacks Tornado 3 Braveheart Bobby 4 Clonbrien Swift (m) 5 Innocent Times (m) 6 King Cash (w) Heat 28 1 Bubbly Cougar 2 Craigland Jack 3 Affane Buck 4 Payyaway Kane (m) 5 Roxholme Jim (m) 6 Dorotas Woo Hoo (w) Heat 29 1 Doona Buck 2 Ballyanne Sim 3 Uncle Wexford 4 Cushie Jet (m) 5 Lightfoot King (m) 6 Martinstown Hope (w) Heat 30 1 Colston Pearl 2 Nidderdale Lark 3 Boylesports Boom 4 Deanridge Kane (m) 5 King Diamond (m) 6 Lemon Express (w) Heat 31 1 Macaroon Cruz 2 Heathlawn River 3 Boylesports Xtra 4 Salacres Punch (m) 5 Droopys Gold (m) 6 Sparta Master (w) Heat 32 1 Bull Run Button 2 Panther 3 Lenson Blinder 4 Hometown Hero (m) 5 Alien Sea (m) 6 Newinn Banger (w)
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Post by BVADMIN on May 17, 2019 14:16:37 GMT
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Post by BVADMIN on May 17, 2019 19:39:38 GMT
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Post by BVADMIN on May 17, 2019 19:40:16 GMT
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Post by BVADMIN on May 17, 2019 19:40:55 GMT
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Post by BVADMIN on May 18, 2019 6:35:13 GMT
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Post by BVADMIN on May 18, 2019 7:11:21 GMT
Wildcat and Verve face tricky opening test in Derby....BY JIM CREMINDEFENDING Derby champ Dorotas Wildcat faces one of the races of the opening round of the Star Sports, Arc and LPS Derby, in Friday’s concluding heat 16, after he was drawn against Select Stakes winner Brinkleys Poet and also Irish raider Wolfe.
His trainer Kevin Hutton said: “It’s tougher than we’d have hoped but he’s good to go. He's faced hard races throughout at Towcester and everything now is a bonus with him. There are no issues, no excuses. Obviously Brinkleys Poet was impressive here earlier this week and Wolfe is highly regarded.”
He said a straightforward first three qualifying system helps. “It’s hard to believe we have had some Derbys in the past with only two going through in the first round. This is fair, everyone knows where they stand.”
Mark Wallis, trainer of Brinkleys Poet, said: “That’s a tough race and should pack them in at the track next Friday. That’s the Derby for you - if you're going to win it you have to take on the best. I’m pleased with the dog and his race at Sheffield tomorrow [Saturday May 18] should put him spot-on. He’s no 50-1 chance [in places]. This is a good dog.”
Hutton by contrast was delighted with trap one in Saturday’s heat 26 for his Magical Bale, the Irish Derby runner-up when in the hands of Pat Guilfoyle. “That’s perfect after getting some poor draws in Ireland. This is his year and he has a major chance,” said the handler.
There was oohs in the room when last year’s runner-up, Angela Harrison’s Droopys Verve, was drawn against Graham Holland’s Irish star Slippy Cian in Saturday’s opening heat 17.
Jason Gander, Star Sport’s odds-maker, said: “Heats 16 and 17 really look the standouts to me – the last heat on the Friday and first on the Saturday. If forced to pick one for the Derby I’d be sweet on the chances of Clonbrien Prince, who I think has fared well in box two in the fifth heat.”
Gander shortened Pat Buckley’s Burgess Bucks, saying: “He looks good in heat 11, and we’ve also cut his kennelmate Droopys Dave [heat 9] from 40s into 28s after interest."
Gander added: “It is a tough draw for the Wildcat, surrounded by pace, it’s not easy for Slippy Cian either. Of course our biggest liability Martinstown Band should safely go through in heat 8!” Chris Akers’ dog would cost Star £348,000 after a hefty bet from connections.
Nathan Corden, a director at Nottingham, said: “We were expecting a strong Irish entry and it’s certainly that, with a fantastic home squad to take them on. It looks a great Derby, with some proper heats.”
Corden asks enthusiasts to look at the stadium website at nottinghamdogs.com if they wish to come. “You can book online. It’s £10 admission for the four opening rounds, then £15 for the semis and £25 for the final. The restaurant on final night is full, but our marquee is still available at £90pp.”
Paul Illingworth, GBGB senior stipendiary steward, supervised the draw. “It worked well, there was only one guarding issue to emerge," he said. "Nottingham put a lot of hard work into preparing for it beforehand - both in the office and with trials and races. The streaming worked. We could have faced a nosedive in interest after losing Towcester but the passion in evidence is fantastic.”
Dave Levy, the GBGB registrar who helped supervise, said: “It’s a strong entry and a good Irish contingent. It proved a well balanced draw and the preparation that went into making it happen has been first-class from Nottingham.”
Rachel Corden, Nottingham’s MD, said: “I’m grateful for all the hard work that Jason Smith and our racing office have put into this, and Paul [Illingworth] and Dave [Levy] are seasoned experts when it comes to Derby draws. Good luck to all the contenders.”
Smith, Nottingham's joint racing manager, said: “Heats 16 and 17 are hard, but I’d expect the big names to go through. Clonbrien Prince looks to have a nice draw with two in Friday’s heat five. He will improve through the competition. He’d be my pick.”
Peter Robinson, the other RM, added: “I liked the look of Ballymac Anton. He’s got trap two in heat 21 but it’s a hugely competitive event.”
Graham Webster, a local regular, attended the draw. He said: “I thought it was well organised and went smoothly." He said he was looking out for Pat Buckley’s Burgess Bucks as the draw progressed. “I like the look of him and heat 11 seems a reasonable opener.”
Nottingham states there will be a second kennelling each night. Friday heats 1-6 is 4.30pm, heat 7 onwards will be at 6.15pm (or 4.30pm if preferred). Saturday heats 17-22 is at 4.45pm, then heat 23 onwards at 6.30pm (or 4.30pm if preferred).
‘Don’t be late and beware of the Friday night traffic’ was the message from the racing office.
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