JAYTEE ETIENNE kicked off the 2024 Star Sports & TRC English Greyhound Derby at Towcester on Thursday with an impressive victory over 500m in the first of 31 heats of the £175,000-to-the-winner Classic.

Setting out Ireland’s stall in an early clash with one of the UK’s leading contenders Newinn Syd, Paul Hennessy’s KAB Maiden Derby champion made a successful return to the Northamptonshire track to get the better of Mark Wallis’s fast-starting Eclipse champion.

The latter led early but had no answer to Jaytee Etienne’s surge into the third bend and onwards, with the Irish raider, an October 2021 son of Jaytee Taylor and Cornerhouse Lady, pulling clear for a two and a half lengths win over Newinn Syd in 28.85sec (normal).

Hennessy, twice an English Derby-winning trainer, later landed a double as Boylesports Bob (Good News-Roanna Bess, Oct 21) finished well to win from Singalong Dolly (Pat Buckley) and early leader Miracle (Patrick Janssens) in a fast 28.87sec (normal).

Susan Hennessy, wife of the winning trainer, said of Boylesports Bob: “We’d have taken third all day long, but to win the heat is great. It gives the dog himself confidence moving forward and was a really good run – he handled the track very well first time.

“We’re in the next round, which was always the main aim of tonight. Bob has an engine and has proved a good competition dog in Ireland because he doesn’t have to lead and comes home really well – as you saw tonight. We’re delighted.

“There’s a long way to go to June 29, the day of the final, but it’s great to be back. Thank-you to the sponsors and to everyone at Towcester.”

Richard Rees, for whom Cochise finished third in last year’s English Derby final, also landed a double on the night as Kilara Roberto struck in heat five and Nowitsmyturn took down heat seven, both in all-the-way style over the one lap trip.

Kilara Roberto, a July 2021 son of Pestana and Kilara Diamond, won by almost three lengths in 29.03sec from Bockos Thunder (Kevin Boon), while Nowitsmyturn (Pestana-Whitings Gift, Sept 21) won by two lengths from Droopys Doughnut (Patrick Janssens) and Scaglietti (Ricky Holloway) in 29.17sec.

Fastest of the night in the first session – ten heats followed on Friday and 11 on Saturday – was the Liam Dowling-trained De Lahdedah as last year’s Irish Derby semi-finalist came through strongly at the first bend in heat eight when the gap opened for him.

Thereafter, the October 2021 son of Lenson Bocko and Ballymac Sarahjo showed plenty of class to draw away for a seven and a half lengths victory over Never Say No (Seamus Cahill) and Churchfield Syd (Richard Rees) in 28.78sec (normal).

Reigning Irish Derby champion The Other Kobe began his campaign in the perfect way in heat six as the April 2020 son of Ballymac Best and Mountaylor Queen was soon dominating on his way to a two-and-a-half lengths win in 29.23sec.

Now with Graham Holland for his English Derby bid having won the Shelbourne Classic for Jennifer O’Donnell, The Other Kobe crossed the line clear of Tullymurry Jenga and the winner’s kennelmate Faypoint Harvey, the Time Juvenile Championship winner.

The other heats on the first night of action at Towcester were won by Mark Wallis’s Empress Stakes winner Crafty Shivoo (29.33sec) from the fast-finishing McNeill (Paul Hennessy); Patrick Janssens’s fast-starting trap-to-line winner Edwards (28.98sec), Diane Henry’s Unreal Bruiser (28.91sec), another who led from pillar-to-post to beat last year’s Derby Plate winner Whyaye Man (Mark Wallis), and Maxine Locke’s Cooliogold (29.14sec) who led hotpot King Capaldi (Liz McNair) at the bend before going on.

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=411030&raceId=1039694