Wimbledon announces 215 runners for the English Derby
Wimbledon has announced that a mouth watering 215 dogs have been entered into the English Derby, which is due to start next Thursday. This was significantly more than expected and means the williamhill.com sponsored Derby first rounds will run across three nights - Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The draw for the first round races will take place on Sunday and anticipation is growing in and around the stadium that this year’s race could be the most competitive for many years.
However all is far from rosy behind the scenes in south west London. A row is brewing between the track and the sport's authorities over the positioning of the new stewards' box being built.
After the racing operation was switched earlier this year, the racing office team had to work out of the front of the restaurant. It seems that has to be put right before the first round kicks off next week.
Among the 215 entries, 29 runners will travel across the Irish sea from the Emerald Isle, with trainers Pat Buckley and Seamus Graham the main hopes behind the Irish charge. Lyreen Mover is the solitary runner from Europe, descending from Hungary – and with the impressive trials he has produced so far could have more of a chance than his profile suggests.
The racing office at Wimbledon had been inundated with requests for trail races, and the last week has seen over 56 races taking place.
Derby favourite Eye Onthe Storm ran a pretty disappointing trial race, clocking a 28.84sec, but trainer Mark Wallis was perfectly happy with his performance claiming the track was running slower than usual.
Greyhound of the Year Fear Zafonic ran to his form with after pinging to clock 28.41sec. After his second place last year, he will chomping at the bit to go one better this year.
Bettor.com Scottish Derby hero Nambisco was down for a 273m sprint as trial 54 (third from end) and he ran the track well, clocking 16.08sec. If Carly Philpott’s charge can go onto complete the English and Derby double – she will be one step closer to securing the £1m payout for achieving the so called impossible treble, English, Scottish and Irish Derby treble.
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