Cronin and Ferncombe out to complete an amazing hat-trick

WELL, here are virtually on the eve of the biggest day of the year in greyhound sport - the final of the Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park and all is in readiness for what promises to be the night of all nights.

The weight of expectation will be weighing on the shoulders of all the owners and trainers involved and Rockchase Bullet remains the marginal favourite to win the classic with Razldazl George and Razldazl Bugatti very strong and close in the market. We could well have a situation whereby the three favourites start at 3-1 or less.

If Rockview Head manages to win it then he will complete an amazing hat-trick of Derby wins this year for trainer Peter Cronin and owner Jimmy Ferncombe, who shares the dog with Englishman Clive Taylor.

First up was Lively Rossie, a dog which Jimmy was schooling for Peter Cronin. He told Steve Taylor about the dog and he ended up buying him and the dog went on to win the Scottish Derby when known as Taylors Cruise.

Steve asked Jimmy to look out for a dog for him for the English Derby and Jimmy mentioned a dog called Rising Hawk that was about to run at Youghal. Jim went down to look at him at Youghal and recommended him. Steve did the deal and the dog was trained by Peter Cronin when he won the Dermot Coffey Unraced final at Youghal. He was then prepared by Cronin for the National Puppy Stake but started to cough the week before it was due to start and he ended up being transferred to Charlie Lister to be prepared for the English Derby. He duly on that under the name Taylors Sky.

Ferncombe bought Rockview Head from a friend, Maurice Ryan from Cashel, and brought in his English based relation Clive Taylor as joint owner. Clive, who happens to be a very good friend of Steve Taylor, and Jimmy then won the Juvenile Classic at Tralee with Rockview which is, of course, trained by Peter Cronin. Now they’re in the Derby final. It could be an amazing story if the dog wins the final on Saturday.

There is a superb supporting card lined up on Saturday night, one of the best I can recall for many years. Twelve open races to whet the appetite and it should be a spectacularly occasion.

Everything is in place with top class prizemoney – minimum win money is €1,000 rising to €2,000 and good place money – and with all distances, ages and genders catered for. Leaving the Derby final aside, the race that really stirs the juices is the fourth race, the Ladbrokes.com Mobile App Open 525 some of our most precocious young trackers are engaged.

Following the huge buzz which John O’Flynn’s Milldean Panther generated last Saturday with that sizzling 28.13 trial spin, there will be massive anticipation of his Dublin racing debut in the puppy race which has been slightly expanded to a “little raced” contest.

Taking on Milldean will be Cracking Man, certain to be one of the favourites for the forthcoming Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels, as well as Derby quarter finalist Airforce Roger, 28.34 winner Rattlin Goldstar and Liam Dowling’s raw puppy Minesasmallone which is unbeaten at Tralee and won in 28.53 last time.

There will be racing over all distances and the bitch 525 promises to be another cracker. It truly promises to be one of those massively exciting occasions. The gates will open at 4.30 and all facilities will be available with Live Music on from 5 pm and the Under 21 Hurling final will be shown from 7 pm.

It will be a great week on the greyhound front. It all starts with the final of the Red Mills Open 600 at Enniscorthy tonight where Patrick Buckley’s Kiln Kylie will take the beating despite a tough draw. Then tomorrow there will be the final of the Langton House Derby at Kilkenny and also a fantastic card at Harold’s Cross featuring the twelve heats of the Track Bookmakers Puppy Derby.

In addition to the Derby final on Saturday, there will be the semi-finals of the Agri Store Fair Warrior Sprint at Mullingar where Lolos Joe and Ms Deltafire might be the likely winners.