Fresher College can remain unbeaten
Things can work out much better this time around and the College can maintain his unbeaten record in this year’s classic with another powerful performance in the opening heat.
The Mike and Vincent McKenna owned College Causeway is a much fresher dog this year, largely due to his prolonged absence since the Ladbrokes 600 final, during which time he was on stud duty in the Droopys Kennels. If anything, he has come back an even better tracker and his lit up this Derby with his outstanding performances.
His trainer Pat Buckley saw his team of five whittled down to two in the quarter finals and then saw College and Slip The Lark drawn side by side in the opening heat. Yet, it is still a favourable draw and Slip The Lark can set the pace on the outside with College likely to come through to lead them home in a race where Shaneboy Lee is another major player. Oran Classic could well cut out the running while Mid West Blue and Group Skater will be powering from halfway.
The second heat is another classy contest, though Faypoint Man is likely to be a strong favourite. While the outside will be no hindrance to him, he won’t be helped by the strong running Cashen Legend on his immediate inside, Royal Tornado and Three One Three will fly up the inside, while both Belvedere Champ and Airport Pilot will be piling it on down the back.
College Causeway remains my choice to win the Derby and he is value at the 9-4 being offered by Cashmans. Slip The Lark is another that represents value while each way punters might do worse than have a little speculation on Cashen Legend at very generous odds of 20-1.
If you can’t make it to Shelbourne on Saturday, or enjoy the Inter Track action at the tracks, you can enjoy the Derby thrills in an hour long programme between 9 and 10 pm on Setanta Ireland. The programme will be repeated on Setanta Ireland on Sunday at 10.45 and 4.30 while it will be shown again on Monday at 5 pm and midnight; Tuesday at 9 pm and Wednesday at 11 am.
The Derby final night programme will be the usual high class offering and the most valuable supporting race will be an International Open 550 which will see Wise Thought and Windy Millar taking on the best available home runners for a prize of €2,000. Other open races advertised include 350, 525, 550, 575, 600, 750 and 850. Entries for all these races close on Monday at noon.
While the Derby has been commanding all the headlines in the greyhound world of late – and deservedly so – it will soon switch towards Leeside, with the Cashmans Bookmakers Irish Laurels due to commence in two weeks time.
There will be special Laurels trial sessions at Curraheen on Friday and Saturday of next week between 5 and 6 pm. Entries will then close on Monday week at 11 am and the first round will be spread between Friday, September 18th and the following night. Next week’s Getting Out race will be an Open 525, while there will be a one-off D4 750 run on Friday, September 25th.
Tomorrow’s Youghal card features the semi-finals of the Track Supporters A2 and the Barry Nurseries A4 Stakes. But the big one at Youghal will be commencing next Friday night. The 2009 Catunda Harry Champion Stakes will have a winner’s prize of €10,000.
With most finals at the track now run on a Sunday, it will be something like the good old days at Clonmel this evening when the final of the Suirside Stayers Champion Stakes will be run over the 750 yards distance. There is a smashing line-up for what promises to be a thriller but if the Kevin Commins owned Ferdia Bound gets a reasonably clear run then he should collect the €3,700 prize.
There will also be huge interest in tonight’s card at Enniscorthy which comprises of the twelve first round heats of the Future Champions Unraced Stake, an event that was won by Ardkill Jamie and Express Ego in its first two runnings. There are a number of very interesting pups in the line-up, including Owen McKenna’s Hallucination and Maria Byrne’s Dysert Davdor. There is also a free to enter valuable consolation competition for those dogs eliminated in the first two rounds.
Shelbourne Park apart, one of the most interesting races of the weekend will be the final of the Texacloth Puppy Derby at Newbridge tomorrow. Unfortunately Tom McKevitt’s Whiterock Wonder has been withdrawn due to an injury picked up in a home gallop and he will now be replaced by Westmead Bond, which means that Fraser Black will be doubly represented by the Westmead comrades Bond and Grant.
It is a race that could have a huge influence on the betting for the Track Bookmakers Puppy Derby which will commence at Harold’s Cross next Friday. It would be no surprise if Westmead Bond made the most of his reprieve and took the main prize tomorrow.
The Puppy Derby will close at Harold’s Cross on Monday morning and the entries are flowing in for the 72 dog event. The entire first round will be run next Friday, the eve of the Paddypower.com Irish Derby final.
The Droopys Stud Munster Oaks first round will be completed at Kilcohan Park on Saturday with the re-run of the second heat. Then the competition will resume with the second round next Saturday night. Also on Saturday the second round of the Fair Warrior Sprint will be run at Mullingar and the brilliant first round action suggested that this is going to be a tremendous competition. Sprint Cup runner-up Yes Boss was fastest and he looks the one to beat.
The next Sales at Thurles will be staged on Saturday week and the catalogue is now available.
