TOWCESTER racing manager Danny Rayment says he is overseeing one of the most open English Greyhound Derbys in years as the Northamptonshire track prepares for Saturday’s quarter-finals of the 2026 Star Sports & Orchestrate Ltd.-backed Classic.

And that is despite the track record going three times so far in the £125,000 showpiece.

“We’ve had some brilliant runs so far, especially from two of the Irish-trained runners in Epic Ace and Ballymac Duffle,” said Rayment who is in the Towcester hotseat for his first Derby and is witnessing not just a high-quality competition but also a hugely competitive one with honours even between the UK and Irish challenge.

“We have 12 runners from Ireland and 12 for the UK, so it does look set fair. I know the Irish dogs have been responsible for the fastest times we’ve seen this year but the home runners are doing well and you just have to look at the betting lists to see how deep this Derby goes – and there’s still two very good bitches in the last 24, too.

“We’re a busy track anyway but Saturday will be extra special. We’re racing as usual during the Derby in the morning then it’s the quarter-finals of the Derby plus the heats of the greyhoundtrader.comStakes and Pricedup.Bet Derby Plate on Saturday night.

“Then on Sunday it’s the heats of the Time Nutrition Sprint Trophy, the Greatbet Challenge Trophy and the BGBF Truframe Champion Stakes for British-breds. All of these support the Derby through to final night on Saturday, June 6.”

Heading into the Derby quarter-finals, Epic Ace is the new track record holder for the 500m trip at Towcester after an electrifying 28.14sec (normal) win in heat six, racing clear for a seven and a half lengths success to take a whopping 17 spots – over two lengths – off the previous best set the week previously by Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Duffle.

Ballymac Duffle himself also starred on the night when an off-the-pace success in heat four, stopping the clock in 28.75sec (normal) to land a double for the Dowling kennel after Ballymac Ralf’s later heat seven victory in 28.36sec (normal).

Other third round heats were won by Mark Wallis’s GBGB Greyhound of the Year Proper Heiress, winning heat three in 28.79sec (normal), and his kennelmate Strike It Skye, who landed heat eight in 28.57sec (normal) and heads into the weekend’s quarter-finals as one of just two bitches left in the event.

The other is Scooby The Lady for Hove trainer Richard Rees who landed heat five in 28.73sec, while Ireland struck in the third round courtesy of Paul Hennessy’s Lennies Eddie (28.66sec) in heat one and and Graham Holland’s Gaytime Clyde (28.69sec) in heat two, all securing places in the last-24 stage of the famous race.