Tipp on top to the delight of bookies

In Saturday night's second session of the first round of the ETS Irish Greyhound Derby, the bookmakers enjoyed some great results, most notably when that brilliant servant Abbeyville Tipp triumphed in a race in which Droopys Jet and Ballymac Vic were both eclipsed.

Expected to dominate from the outset, neither of the market principals broke well and they both found early trouble, most significantly Ballymac Vic, who was badly hampered when trying to recover the lost ground.

Abbeyville Tipp, who was seeking a 24th victory in 53 outings, broke well and raced a close second behind Hot Pursuit at the opening turn. The two bumped at that point, with Peter Tiernan's prolific performer edging ahead down the back.

As game as they come, he ran on strongly to beat Hot Pursuit by two and a half lengths in 29.94, with Droopys Jet another couple back in third and Ballymac Vic just inside the qualifying spots in fifth place. The last named will have a chance of revenge when he lines up inside the winner in Thursday's fifth heat.

Tyrur Sugar Ray was a doubt for this competition but he made the line up and produced a great effort to take the first heat for PJ Fahy, who recorded a double.

Favourite Holborn Junior led out of traps and moved some three clear down the back but his lack of a recent run appeared to take its toll as Tyrur Sugar Ray picked his way through the field before mounting a strong challenge at the last bend. Last year's finalist switched inside at the top of the straight and raced ahead to score by a length and a half in 29.63.

The Fahy double came courtesy of Tyrur Amelia, who came from last to first to win heat 15 at odds of 5-1. Roxholme Bully was a red-hot favourite in this one and he held a narrow advantage at the first bend. But he was baulked at that point and all but dragged to the ground at the second turn.

He was never involved thereafter but qualified in fifth place, while Tyrur Amelia picked up Carrowgarriff in the closing stages to win by a couple of lengths in 30.06.

Kereight King got his Derby bid off to a winning start when coming from behind to beat Borna Gem in heat 12. The bitch flew from traps to lead by some three lengths around the opening bends but Kereight King, trained by Pat Curtin, challenged between the final bends before forging a length ahead in 29.69.

All of Frances O'Donnell's runners on the night were non-runners and that left a large hole in heat 13, where only four went to traps. In the absence of Ardrahan Zebo and Skywalker Silk, Fire Height Scot was sent off the odds-on favourite but he had was never in a challenging position as Tynwald Galaxy led all the way to score impressively in 29.88 for the in-form Peter Cronin kennel.

Pat Buckley's Paradise Silva was particularly impressive in the following heat. Unsurprisingly, Exocet led out of traps but the winner was on his shoulder very quickly and took over before the turn into the back straight. It was a matter of time from there and he quickened to score by four lengths from Ballyana Foxtrot in 29.51.

Melodys Gamble came from behind the speed to take heat 17 for trainer Timothy O'Donovan. Refuge Of Sinner was an absentee from this one, in which the pace was set by Tyrur Balotelli. The winner came was in control from the third bend and won cosily in 29.56.

Highview Man had a great draw along the rail in heat 18 and Gerry Merriman's dog made the most of it, leading all the way for victory from Willow Man in 29.81.

Ardfert Thunder was a significant absentee in the penultimate heat of the round and ECC Timber winner Graduation Day made the most of a great draw on the rails to see off a gallant challenge from last year's semi-finalist, Killbarry Rover, by four lengths in 29.69.

The second session and the opening round were completed by a double on the night for trainer Peter Cronin. His Rockview Turbo turned second behind De Dixie Chick before forging ahead from the third bend to win readily in 29.88.

In Dundalk, the semi-finals of the Bar One Racing Irish Sprint Cup took place on Saturday night and ante-post favourite Leeview Dave, trained by Graham Holland for Tommy Delaney, marched on stylishly.

He made the race his own from an early stage and raced to an impressive four-length victory over Farloe Calvin in 21.28, with last year's winner, Cambushmore, back in third.

Victory also went to the favourite in the second semi-final as the Dolores Ruth-trained and Micheal O Muircheartaigh-owned Razldazl Rioga dominated from start to finish for a 21.22 victory, with Cloughtaney Gift in second, three and three-quarter lengths behind, with Steely Passion in third.