TOWCESTER racing manager Andy Lisemore is looking forward to Saturday’s semi-finals of the Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby at Towcester – an English Derby he believes is shaping up as the best ever at the Northamptonshire venue.

After the weekend’s quarter-finals of the £175,000-to-the-winner showpiece – a night which also saw the track record bettered in the heats of the Pricedup.Bet Derby Plate – Lisemore says this year’s action at Towcester ranks up there with all the Derbys which have gone before at the track. Towcester first staged the Classic in 2017.

“It could be the best,” he said. “I thought from top to bottom on Saturday the racing was top-notch and the heats of the greyhoundtrader.com Stakes and the Pricedup.Bet Derby Plate definitely played their part – seeing Lennies Desire clocking 28.39sec in his heat of the Derby Plate was pretty special.”

That time from Paul Hennessy’s runner eclipsed Barntick Bear’s previous best of 28.44sec and kick-started a good night for Irish-trained runners in the four quarter-finals of the Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby.

An Irish-trained hat-trick was kicked off by Cheap Sandwiches in the first quarter-final as Graham Holland’s Irish Derby runner-up led on the run to the bend and was never headed, crossing the line a length and a quarter in front of the keeping-on Droopys Bookem (Tom Heilbron) with Sole Mio (Peter Cronin) a clear third in 28.67sec (normal).

Liam Dowing’s reignIng champion De Lahdedah produced a stirring finish to grab gold in the second semi-final, reeling in longtime leader Churchfield Syd (Richard Rees) in the shadow of the post for a short-head success in 28.81sec (normal), with No Better Feelin (Esther Driver) finishing well in third.

Incidentally, Churchfield Syd’s 3.94sec sectional was the best of the night.

Paul Hennessy’s Dynamic Force also struck for Ireland in the third quarter-final with an impressive pillar-to-post success, pacing up well off the back of a 3.98sec split to lay the foundations for a two and a half length success over compatriot Bombay Pat (Graham Holland) and third-placed Prince Naseem (Maxine Locke) in 28.66sec (normal).

An Irish clean sweep in the quarter-finals looked on the cards when ante-post favourite Bockos Diamond (Graham Holland) overcame a moderate start to head Patrick Janssens’ fast-starting Slick Sentinel at the first bend and go on.

However, coming back to his field off the last bend, the rallying Slick Sentinel came home the stronger along with running-on kennelmate Droopys Plunge to seal a Patrick Janssens-trained one-two, a short-head between them, with another short-head back to Bockos Diamond in third. The winning time was 28.87sec (normal).

The stage is now set for Saturday’s semi-finals with Lisemore anticipating another rip-roaring night at what has been a very busy Towcester.

“We had a really good crowd on Saturday with a great atmosphere, so more of the same – and even better probably – looks likely for this week. Having the reigning English and Irish Derby champions in the draw is great and there’s still a chance they could meet in the final.

“There’s six Irish-trained runners and six English-trained runners so it’s set fair, although we know the betting gives the Irish the edge!

“Either way, it’s shaping up to be a brilliant final and we’ll be kicking off next week with the traditional Derby lunch here at Towcester on Monday when the draw for the final will be made.”

*Trap draw for Saturday’s semi-finals of the £175,000 Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby: https://towcester-racecourse.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/semIdraw.pdf

*Tickets are now available for all rounds of the Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby. See https://tickets.greyhoundracinguk.com/

 

Photos: © Steve Nash