The Williamhill.com English Derby will reach the semi-final stage next Saturday when the third round is run at Wimbledon and hopes of an Irish victory in the classic are sky high following another very successful weekend for the raiding party.

THE Hegarty Bookmakers 600 dominates the home racing scene this week but there will also be huge interest in the progress of our numerically very strong team which will be on duty in the second round of the Williamhill.com English Derby at Wimbledon.

NEWS from across the water yesterday is that one of the biggest entries for many years will go into the draw on Sunday for the first round of the Williamhill.com English Derby and among them there will be one of the biggest ever Irish raiding teams.

BLARNEY trainer John Linehan will be breaking new ground when he challenges for the Williamhill.com English Derby with his Curraheen Park qualifier Droopys Sastre.

LEADING owner P.J. Fahy suffered a double blow this week as two of his outstanding trackers have been struck by injury that will force them to miss major engagements.

The College Causeway/Killahan Phanter Easter Cup picture changed drastically yesterday when two high-profile withdrawals from next Saturday’s second round resulted in Thurlesbeg Joker becoming a very hot favourite to land the prestigious Shelbourne Park feature.

CLONMEL manager Eddie Anderson was a very pleased man yesterday when he reported that the Red Mills Produce Stakes had filled with 96 entries and all is now in readiness for the great feature which is the highlight of the racing year at the South Tipperary venue.

There’s quite a treat in store for Curraheen Park racegoers on Saturday when last year’s Cashmans Laurels hero Sevenheads Bay reverts to two-bend racing as he opens his seasonal campaign with a challenge for the Kudos Supersprint.

IT HAS been a highly encouraging week in the face of the economic recession, with the Irish Derby sponsorship secured and the continuation of two other classics confirmed.