Ian Brindle returns with his antepost preview of the Greyhound Derby, with the action starting on Thursday.
Dogs betting tips: Greyhound Derby
2pts e.w. Cheap Sandwiches at 14/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes 1/4 1,2,3,4,5,6)
1pt e.w. Barntick Bear at 33/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4,5,6)
Sky Bet's Greyhound Derby odds
Thursday sees the opening round of the Star Sports/TRC Greyhound Derby at Towcester where six rounds of competition will ultimately produce a winner of the £175,000 first prize.
Last year’s bounty was scooped by Irish raider, De Lahdedah, and Liam Dowling’s dog has been made a general 33/1 chance to an illustrious band of repeat winners.
While Dowling’s squad will feature a number of lightly-raced types, the Irish challenge remains typically heavyweight and they are a general 1/3 to take the trophy back across the water.
Diamond favourite for gold
Graham Holland is responsible once again for the ante-post favourite and Bockos Diamond is as short as 7/2 with the sponsors to be on the winner's podium come Finals night.
Imperious in the Irish Derby, his semi-final performance prompted esteemed commentator Ian Fortune to describe it as “the most perfect display I’ve ever seen from a greyhound”.
That series proved that not only was he able to produce the fancy clocks but he could also stand up to the physical rigours these competitions demand.
Turned over in the Juvenile Championship over this course-and-distance, the obvious question is whether he can display his abilities around Towcester. To judge him on one run would be folly, though Holland has kept options open by keeping a wide seeding on him for now.
Kennelmate CHEAP SANDWICHES had to play second fiddle at Shelbourne Park but I’m prepared to back him to have his day at Towcester.
Owned by the brilliantly named Bark Wahlberg syndicate – the son of Burgess Bucks is a strong runner and he kept on well to win a Trial Stakes after a lengthy absence. The handler has never been afraid to run his charges in such races and the winning time was fair.
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Bombay Pat also represents the kennel and has been the big market buzzer. He ed for a useful yardstick in March On Freddie (a full litter brother to Bockos Diamond) in a Trial Stakes, and the early pace he showed during Shelbourne’s Maiden Derby could prove potent.
Paul Hennessy’s runners are always to be respected and the two-time English Derby winning trainer sends across another decent team.
Boylesports Bob, who was runner-up last year, will aim to bounce back from a controversial disqualification in the Easter Cup, but the market has been sweet on the chances of Hello Diego and Lennies Desire, who were first and third in the Maiden Derby.
Wallis leads British challenge
It’s surprising that 15-times Champion trainer Mark Wallis hasn’t won the Derby since 2012 but fortunes have changed for the link up with Mike Davis, and the “MWD Partnership” have already annexed seven Category One events since the turn of the year.
Their main Derby hope will be Proper Heiress, and he (yes, he) has been responsible for three of that number.
Seeing off Droopys Plunge in a lowly Maiden Open at Towcester last September, the son of Droopys Sydney has progressed rapidly to land the Olympic at Hove, the Winter Derby at Monmore, and the Kent Plate at Central Park.
Who could have forecast that the pair would return to fight out the finish of the Juvenile Championship – an invitational that was widely regarded as having its strongest renewal for many a year.
That rival is trained by Patrick Janssens and among the Belgian’s team will be BARNTICK BEAR, and I cannot help but include him in my portfolio.
Granted, he doesn’t have the raw speed of many in this competition but he loves Towcester, stays well, and is intelligent in his run. A thorough competition performer, he should give us a decent shake for our interest.
CLICK HERE to back Barntick Bear with Sky Bet
Janssens also sends out Romeo Command. Well on his way to his fifth birthday, he remains one of the most popular dogs in training, and along with Richard Rees’ Churchfield Syd (fourth in last year’s Derby), will be hoping to produce one last hurrah.
Market awake to Ned
Many have come from the North with tall reputations but with four Category One prizes secured during 2024, Wicky Ned has the honours to back it up.
The GBGB Greyhound of The Year being impressive in the All England Cup at Newcastle when defying a fitness scare ahead of the final.
That said, he was eliminated in the first round of the Derby last year and the draw has pitched him in against Bockos Diamond on the opening night.
Headford Asher may be an unfamiliar name, though Maxine Locke's puppy has certainly captured the imagination of the punters. Connections probably felt their hand forced to come here after his demolition job in the Hove Puppy Cup but his trials have pleased the clockwatchers.
Bombay Birch hasn’t been seen competitively since a setback in February but Paul Young’s dog had picked up the Puppy Derby in November and subsequently returned to land a valuable invitational event. Were he to steer through the opening rounds, there’s every chance he could peak at the right time.
Also back from a layoff is Gary The Arb. Belinda Green's charge trades at triple digits and the Hove-based trainer has got form for defying the oddsmakers having got the similarly unfancied Ninja Kerry to the 2023 final. The Winter Derby runner-up did secure a valuable pot on last year's Finals night so could appeal to the more adventurous of players.
Many specials on offer
As ever, there are plenty of specials markets to delve into and the top bitch market is always one that attracts interest.
I’m not sure that there is a standout performer and that’s backed up with the layers going 6/1 the field. Tom Heilbron’s Untold Ruble deserves to be favourite but I was shocked to see Hills going 12/1 about Ballymac Lucia, though frustratingly that price was snapped up just before this column went to print!
A finalist in the Puppy Derby and the Puppy Oaks at Towcester last term, she had cogent excuses in the Brighton Belle and should be able to keep qualifying if avoiding early bother.
She can still be backed at 6/1 to be “Top Maxine Locke runner” with the Leeds-based firm but that task looks considerably tougher as among Locke’s dozen are her litter brother Ballymac Kobe, Headford Asher and last year’s semi-finalist Droopys Prefect to name but three!
It is uncommon for a dog to go unbeaten and win the Derby but the mighty Westmead Hawk managed it at Wimbledon in 2006 and the sponsors currently go 7/1 about that eventuality.
Posted at 0755 BST on 06/05/25
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