BALLINABOLA ED again set the standard as Pat Buckley’s dog improved his unbeaten record at Towcester to three with another stunning success – and fastest-of-the-night effort – in heat seven of the third round of the 2022 Star Sports & TRC English Greyhound Derby at the Northamptonshire track on Saturday.

The Kirby Memorial finalist, the clear favourite for the £175,000 outright prize on June 25, paced up well to edge fast-starting Aussie Captain (Patrick Janssens) at the first bend before streaking clear to win by almost five lengths from Aussie Captain and another Buckley-trained runner Bobsleigh Dream in 29.12sec (-10).

Winning trainer Buckley said of the June 2020 son of Confident Rankin and Dolls Lady: “He just gets better and better and is exciting. He’s getting the hang of the traps here and could still improve. He arrived with not a huge amount of racing and is exciting. He’s got so much foot and just reminds me of Premier Fantasy.

“It’s about qualifying and you need luck at this stage to get him through to the big night hopefully, but so far, so good.”

The night kicked off with victory for Seamus Cahill as Kilkenny Santy scored a game victory in heat one as the December 2019 son of Kilkenny Desmond and Lemon Isabella was always handy after a decent break and came home strongly from the three-quarter pole to lead home Deelish Frankie (Patrick Janssens) and Kildare (Peter Cronin).

The winning distance was a length and a half and the winning time for Kilkenny Santy 29.60sec (-20).

Ballymac Fairone reached the final last year and his campaign this year goes from strength to strength after an all-the-way success in heat two.

Liam Dowling’s June 2019 son of Ballymac Matt and Ballymac Scala was always in command and kept up the gallop to cross the line three lengths clear of kennelmate Ballymac Belvult and Priceless Jet (Paul Hennessy) for an Irish 1-2-3. The winning time for Ballymac Fairone was 29.54sec (-20).

Signet Goofy maintained his unbeaten record in the English Greyhound Derby when making all the running in heat three.

Racing to 4.04sec split, the fastest sectional of the night, the John Mullins-trained January 2020 British-bred son of Magical Bale and Forest Natalee crossed the line half a length clear of Romeo Magico (Graham Holland) and staying-on Faughan Rebel (Richard Yeates) in 29.55sec (-20).

Ireland was on the mark in heat four as last year’s Irish Derby second ramped up her Derby campaign with a brilliant victory in heat four.

Pat Buckley’s July 2019 daughter of Tullymurry Act and Droopys Smasher was soon handy inside and challenged and passed Signet Ace (Kevin Hutton) at the third bend before going on to score by two and three-quarter lengths from the Greyhound of the Year and third-placed Derrinasafa Boss (Seamus Cahill) in 29.34sec (-10).

Cape Cloud proved another Irish-trained third round winner as Peter Cronin’s runner made all the running in heat five.

Racing to a fast 4.06sec split, the October 2019 son of Pat C Sabbath and Bua Bui was never headed as he scored a length and three-quarter length victory from Mickys Barrett (Jason Gray) and Make Noise (Seamus Cahill) in 29.38sec (-10).

Best finish of the night was provided by the runners in heat six as Diane Henry’s Savana Beau (Clonbrien Hero-Slippery Thelma, April 2020) finished fastest of all to edge out Lautaro (Patrick Janssens) and Signet Denver (Kevin Hutton) by a short-head and the same in 29.55sec (-10).

Heat eight saw the fourth of Seamus Cahill’s quarter-finalists safely through as his Global Vision (Droopys Sydney-Conquering Queen, March 2020) used the inside line to lead at the first bend before stretching on to win by two lengths from Hello Hammond (Paul Hennessy) and Coppice Fox (Kevin Hutton) in 29.52sec (-10).

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=385701&raceId=845848

 

STAR SPORTS/TRC ENGLISH GREYHOUND DERBY

Towcester

Quarter-finals: Saturday, June 11

Semi-finals: Saturday, June 18

Final: Saturday, June 25