BALLYMAC LEON, trained in Ireland by Liam Dowling, was fastest on the final night of first round action in the 2022 Star Sports & TRC English Greyhound Derby at Towcester on Saturday.

The June 2020 son of Ballymac Anton and Coolavanny Pet reached the third round of the Kirby Memorial at Limerick last month and lined up as favourite in heat 31 before a fastest-of-the-session 4.04sec split set up a near five-length victory over Baggios Champ (Frank Bryce) in 29.04sec (normal) for the 500m trip.

One of six Irish-trained winners on the night, Ballymac Leon’s performance delighted his breeder and trainer Dowling, who said: “He’s a lovely pup who we’ve always thought a lot of. He ran in the Juvenile at Tralee and the Kirby but was probably undercooked at home.

“He’s become more confident in the last few weeks, stronger too, and if he keeps on trapping like he has tonight then we’ll be happy. He took a flier and we hope for that again, but there’s a long way to go and it’s a good Derby. There’s a really good mix of top Irish and top English dogs and it’s about qualifying.”

Next quickest time on the night was posted in the very first heat of the session as Paul Hennessy’s Barefoot Supremo led close home to reel in longtime leader Bubbly Apache (Paul Young) in heat 22. The winning time for the Irish raider’s head victory over the Juvenile champion was 29.06sec.

Bockos Vieira was an impressive winner of heat 27 for Graham Holland as the October 2019 son of Skywalker Farloe and Ardera Love stamped his authority on the contest with a strong-running effort to catch Makeit For Waz (Frank Gray) down the back for a four and a half lengths win in 29.08sec.

Wide Open made all in heat 28 to bounce back from defeat in the Maiden Derby final. Brendan Matthews’ bitch was always in control after breaking well from the inside slot and never looked in danger for a two-and-a-quarter length success over Zazzeras Jack (Chris Hamblin) in 29.16sec.

Another Maiden Derby finalist Story Peewee also bounced back to winning ways in heat 24 as Nathan Hunt’s runner was always handy before grabbing Glengar Jenny (Pat Buckley) close home for a three-quarter length success in 29.37sec.

All About Ted made the quarter-finals of the Derby last year and began his campaign well in heat 30 as Peter Cronin’s dog raced to a 4.06sec split before racing away for a comfortable four-and-a-quarter length success over Headford Mike (Robert Hall). The winning time was 29.17sec.

One of the most popular winners of the first round was the Richard Yeates-trained Faughan Rebel who collared longtime leader Burnchurch Mick (Richard Rees) off the last bend before going on to score by three and a half lengths in 29.22sec, a terrific achievement from the November 2017 senior.

The other Saturday heat winners were Karol Ramsbottom’s Kirby Memorial semi-finalist Deadly Showtime (29.32sec), Allison Kelly-Pilgrim’s Deanridge Skippy (29.37sec) in just his third UK start and Katie O’Flaherty’s superb 20-1 winner Daring Deise (29.37sec) and Patrick Janssens’ Romeo De Niro (29.58sec).

 

STAR SPORTS/TRC ENGLISH GREYHOUND DERBY

Towcester

Second round: Friday, May 27 & Saturday, May 28

Third round: Saturday, June 4

Quarter-finals: Saturday, June 11

Semi-finals: Saturday, June 18

Final: Saturday, June 25