CRAFTY SHIVOO gave the track record a shake as Mark Wallis’s fantastic run of form continued in the second batch of second round heats of the 2024 Star Sports & TRC English Greyhound Derby at Towcester.

With winners at Romford, Monmore and Towcester over the course of Friday and Saturday, the champion trainer’s team is in imperious form just now and last year’s Empress Stakes winner was flawless – and very fast – in heat 12 as a slick start and fastest-of-the-night 3.98sec sectional set up an impressive all-the-way victory.

Soon in command, the October 2021 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac Sanjose raced away for a four and three-quarter lengths success over Ballymac Slick (Liam Dowling) and Faypoint Sean (Graham Holland) in 28.59sec (normal), just one spot off the joint-best held by Droopys Clue and King Memphis.

Team Wallis would later land a Saturday night heat double as their reigning Derby Plate champion Whyaye Man wore down longtime leader Grouchos Duke (John Byrne), the January 2021 son of Droopys Jet and Droopys Megan getting up by three-quarters of a length from the Irish raider in 29.01sec (normal). Third was Droopys Pivotel (Maxine Locke).

Pat Buckley matched the Wallis double with back-to-back wins for the Irish trainer in heats ten and 11 – with a resurgent Ballinabola Ed initiating the Buckley brace.

Lining up in a red-hot heat 11 against the high-profile duo of Barntick Bear (Patrick Janssens) and High Trend (Graham Holland), both of whom would exit the competition at this point, the now senior June 2020 son of Confident Rankin and Dolls Lady was quickly away and enjoyed an uncontested lead outside as they crowded inside.

Always in command, last year’s Shelbourne 600 and Race Of Champions winner crossed the line a length clear of kennelmate Singalong Dolly for a Buckley-trained one-two, with Droopys Supply (Patrick Janssens) securing his third round place in third. The winning time for the 500m was 28.91sec (normal).

The Buckley double was landed by Antigua Hawk who produced another impressive all-the-way victory in heat 11, breaking smartly before the 38-kilo April 2022 son of Droopys Sydney and Mystical Moll went on for a length and a half success from Ballymac Gizmo (Liam Dowling) and Droopys Doughnut (Patrick Janssens) in a fast 28.77sec (normal).

The Irish challenge on the Saturday session had kicked off in the best possible style as Shelbourne 575yd winner Azurite struck for Peter Cronin in heat nine.

The lightly raced December 2021 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ballybrack Gem, an Enniscorthy Unraced Stake winner last year, was always handy off the back of a slick exit and battled well to deny Coss Tokyo (Maxine Locke) by a short-head in 29.09sec (normal), with favourite Unreal Bruiser (Diane Henry) edging kennelmate Clona Curly for third.

The evergreen Ballymac Finn, runner-up to Born Warrior in the 2002 Irish Derby and an English Derby semi-finalist last year, was a popular winner of heat 14 as the November 2020 son of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac Petsy broke smartly and made all from Hawkfield Abbie (John McGee) and the dead-heating pair of Savana Jackpot (Diane Henry) and Jim By Two (Brendan Maunsell) in 28.99sec (normal). Savana Jackpot’s connections were successful on the drawing of lots for a place in Saturday’s third round, with Irish raider Jim By Two standing by as reserve.

The remaining heats went to home-trained runners with Derby-winning trainers Patrick Janssens and Seamus Cahill successfully guiding runners through to the third round.

The Janssens-trained Edwards, a July 2021 son of Belles Direction and Lapari Supreme, gamely held the finish of the unlucky-in-running Boylesports Bob (Paul Hennessy) after leading at the first bend in heat 13 in 29.10sec (normal), with Romford’s Aero Convey making Saturday’s heats in third.

James Edwards, the delighted winning owner told Joe Conneely on social media for Star Sports: “He’s had to work hard but bullied his way to the front and then it was a case of catch-me-if-you-can”, while trainer Janssens added: “The six ran very well but our lad is coming to hand nicely, stays well enough, and we’re very pleased with him.

“He knows how to win races and it’s great to be in the next round with him and the others.”

The Cahill-trained Never Say No later wrapped up the second round with another close call in heat 16, coming through a battle with Miracle (Patrick Janssens) to win by a neck after the pair went head to head from the get-go and crossing the line well clear of third-placed Bramble Elvis (Steve Anderson). The winning time was 29.03sec (normal).

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=411403&raceId=1041548