The Bettor.com Scottish Derby is scheduled to commence with its opening heats next Tuesday. The competition will be staged as each year at the Shawfield greyhound stadium, with races being run over a course of 480m.
Trainer Pat Buckley’s Cabra Cool won the prestigious competition last year, pocketing his camp a cool first prize of £25,000. Buckley’s hound clocked an excellent time of 28.83secs, which was the best time of the competition.
The complete list of runners will be made available after entries close this Friday, and if any one of them can replicate Cool’s performance on final night, they will certainly stand a very strong chance in winning. No-one as of yet has come close to the time, although Sniper Petra has been making last week’s headlines for his efforts.
Petra, who was unfortunate in the Bettor.com Scottish Derby Trial Stakes Trophy, shrugged off the defeat by clocking the best time in trials last week. Gary Carmichael’s hound went all out in a solo workout to clock 29.38secs, whilst the next best in was the Betfred Laurels heroine Sunoak Crystal with 29.51secs.
Charlie Lister, who has an excellent record in the Scottish Derby, also trialed Yahoo Jamie and Farloe Lee round the 480m track, who both produced respectable times, though Lee produced the better in 29.55secs.
Lister was unfortunate to miss out on Tuesday’s Betfair Trainer’s Championship as Mark Wallis took it by two points. The Scottish Derby is a chance for Lister to pocket his first major competition win of the year, and many wouldn’t be surprised if he does, he’s already won five.
Trainer Stuart Mason is also looking a possible favourite to take the Derby, after unleashing deadly duo Yorkshire Star and Droopys Power in further trials on Tuesday. Star not only maintained his unbeaten record of four, but clocked the best-of-night time of 29.36secs. Power produced a respectable time of 29.49secs, just missing out on first by half a length in the last of the three trials to Killieford Fire.
Wilfy Wells was the winner of the opening trial, with a time of 29.57secs, a great result for new handler Jimmy Wright. Also among the line-up was Greenwell Gale, one of many representing trainer Pat Flaherty.
Flaherty’s dogs have the most experience in terms of number of races, whilst Gale clocked 29.89secs, Greenwell Viper and Greenwell River were all present, River produced the best time of 29.50secs. The dogs from the Greenwell kennel have proved over time that on their day, they can produce results, but can they produce a winner?
Or will it be time for a new Star to shine?
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