The Irish raid the third round of the English Greyhound Derby
The third round of the williamhill.com English Derby wasn’t short of any missing ingredient to make for a fantastic night out. The night saw the Irish secure eight of their eleven into next Tuesday’s quarter finals, with Toomaline Jack burning up the sand to produce the best performance of the competition and also set a new track record across the 480m.
Mesedo Blue (11-8F) was first to represent the Irish in the opening heat, managing to produce the fastest break. There was a slight tussle between him and Moneygall Obama (4-1) but Blue managed to clinch first place in a time of 28.53secs. Forrest Boss (5-2) was the first Irish elimination from the same heat, having taken a few bumps it was hard to see him making up for the time.
Barefoot Bullet (6-4F) and Krug Ninety Five (7-4) made a joint representation for the Irish in the fourth heat. Paul Hennessy’s Bullet paid dividends with ease as he crossed the mark five and half lengths clear of Cloheena Cash who clocked 28.98sec. Fraser Black’s Five was slow to ping but caught up through the middle and managed to take third in 28.99sec.
Tranquil Time (1-1F) landed trainer Hennessy with his second victory of the night, clocking an impressive 28.55sec as he led through the first bend onwards beating Mark Wallis’ Eye Onthe Tempo by five lengths.
Oran Classic (5-1) saw to the elimination of heat six favourite Ten Large Down (11-10F) as he clinched the third place by three quarters of a length. The Irish certainly dominating the English Derby at this stage and may very well continue till the end.
Toomaline Jack (11-8F) was the joint favourite in the ante post with Charlie Lister’s Bandicoot Tipoki before the race, but half a minute after heat seven, the odds compilers were made busy once again as he smashed the track record to take first in 28.25sec.
The Dolores Ruth-trained dog smashed out of trap five to take the early lead and continued to use his entire pace till the very end. Sevenheads Bay (10-1) took second in 28.66sec, whilst Faypoint Man (4-1) missed out by a length and a quarter to make it the second elimination for the Irish.
Heat eight saw Pat Buckley’s charge Slick Robert (7-1) make an average break from the traps, and having said that I think he did considerably well to finish in second in a time of 28.80sec. Robert would have been the clear winner if he managed to break as well as Lyreen Mover (7-4) did to take first. Westmead Scolari (6-4F) took the last spot to qualify through to next Tuesday’s quarter finals, which gave the Irish there third elimination in the form of Archaton Pine (7-1) who was just unlucky to be drawn in such a tight race and after a poor break could only finish last.
Tuesday’s quarter finals will be televised live on Sky Sports:
1st quarter
1. Glenard Sunrise
2. Eye Onthe Tempo
3. Oran Classic
4. Moneygall Obama
5. Mesedo Blue (m)
6. Westmead Scolari (w)
2nd quarter
1. Kerrs Destiny
2. Head iton Ellis
3. Romeo Reason
4. Slick Robert (m)
5. Barefoot Bullet (w)
6. Gilbeyhall Jake (w)
3rd quarter
1. Rainham Giles
2. Roo Come On
3. Krug Ninety Five (m)
4. Cloheena Cash (w)
5. Adageo (w)
6. Toomaline Jack (w)
4th quarter
1. Lyree Mover
2. Bandicoot Tipoki
3. Tranquil Time
4. Sevenheads Bay
5. Tyrur Speedy
6. Farloe Skywalker (w)
Other great performances came from the original ante post topper Bandicoot Tipoki (8-15F) in the third heat who clocked 28.56sec to take first and is now second favourite in the ante post. Tyrur Speedy (11-2) managed to take second in the sixth heat in a time of 29.12sec giving Charlie Lister his second hopeful to clinch the Derby.
Champion trainer Mark Wallis also remains very much in the frame as Adageo (9-2) produced an amazing performance in heat two. His break was pretty much matched by Scottish Derby hero Nambisco but after early crowding resulted in him taking advantage to finish first, whilst Nambisco failed to replicate and made a shocking exit from the tournament, missing out on the £1m Triple Crown which was on offer from Bettor.com.
Eye Onthe Tempo also qualified to give Mark Wallis his second qualifier.
Will it be one of the legendry trainers who takes the £75,000 jackpot this year or will it be the Irish - who at present are looking like a force not be reckoned with.
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