It was a strange night at Harold’s Cross last Friday, with a major question of the validity of the times clocked by some dogs that raced later in the card, compared with the earlier races. The difference in clocks between the first and final quarter final was nearly a half a second (7 lengths) in favour of the dogs that ran 45 minutes later, which highlights a major change in the running surface over the course of the evening. I think it is best to concentrate on each individual performance, rather than the calculated times.

The first quarter final threw up a mouth watering clash between Tullymurry Act and the impressive Westmead Grant, with both dogs flashing from the traps. When Westmead Grant hit the front off the second bend, most judges thought that the race was over as he has been exemplary around the track in his previous two runs, but Tullymurry Act showed a lot of tenacity to lead again at the third and stay on to hold Westmead Grant and the fast finishing Mays Castle. On closer inspection, Westmead Grant may have picked up a slight niggle from a bump at the first, but let’s not take anything away from the winner, who is now a serious player to give Derby winning trainer Pat Buckley another major prize.
The second quarter final was less eventful with the Paul Hennessy trained Farran Crash bolting from the traps to be collared by Vito Maeve, who displayed all round pace to lead the field home. Cornamaddy Flash flew down the back straight and was crowded at the crucial third bend when looking to challenge to qualify.
The early paced Kevin’s Star lead the field a merry dance in the third quarter final, and was caught a stride from the line by Freedom Bolt who had turned a few lengths behind off the second bend. Kevin’s Star lost nothing in defeat, and with early pace such a potent weapon around this tight circuit, he is a live outsider for this stake.
The final quarter final threw up a match between the highly touted pair of Deanridge Rage and Westmead Bond. Both hounds had taken a while to get used to the unique contours of the track but they didn’t disappoint with a ding dong battle up the home straight, with the Ian Reilly trained Deanridge Rage coming out on top. It is fair to say that he has came on leaps and bounds in this competition as his first two runs were pretty average, after finding trouble in both races. Westmead Bond continues to qualify and I still believe we have yet to see the best of him.

The draw for the semi finals has produced two intriguing heats where the run up to the crucial first bend will determine the outcome of both. I would expect Tullymurry Act to be the favourite in the first, but he will need to clear the inside pair of Vito Maeve and Cornamaddy Flash as quickly as possible, especially with the tendency of Vito Maeve to move middle in the first few strides. If there is any trouble on the inside, Westmead Bond could benefit the most by keeping wide and storming off the second bend down the back straight.
Westmead Grant is easily the best drawn dog in the second semi final, and if he can break in his usual slick fashion, he can get back on the winning trail. With Deanridge Rage drawn in three, he will look to run straight up the middle which will offer Kevin’s Star a dream run up the rail to utilize his ferocious early pace, as we could have carnage in behind him at the opening bends.

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Trap 1 Belvedere Champ@33/1
The youngest dog left in the competition and the rank outsider of the field. This dog has serious back straight pace and if he could improve his starting technique, allied with a bit of luck in running, could definitely make the frame but it would be a major shock if he was to be crowned the Derby King.

Trap 2 Oran Classic@7/1
This early paced hound is surely overpriced in a race that could be decided at the opening bends. He is certain to lead up and with four middle runners vying for a position on his outside, there looks certain to be crowding at the crucial first turn. This would play into the hands of Oran Classic and as he has proved many times before, there are not that many dogs in the country that can live with him to the third bend. Although he is not a great finisher, compared to the other dogs in the final, he will have first run on the field which is a major factor. In a clean run race he would struggle to live with the favourite, but with a bit of luck in running, and trouble behind him, he could be the value bet in the race.

Trap 3 Faypoint Man@7/2
Probably the best drawn in the field, this dog has consistently clocked some fantastic times around this circuit since we saw him early this year. With Cashen Legend likely to take a step to the right when leaving the traps, this fella should have a dream run to the first bend where he can manoeuvre himself into a position to unleash his challenge off the second bend. He will need to improve his starting, which has been his Achilles’ heel over the last few rounds, but there is no one better than his trainer Owen McKenna in getting them out on final night. He definitely has the pace to win, but I was a tad surprised that he checked up so badly at the third bend in the semi final when looking like he was about to take control of the race. With an injury scare made public early in the week, let’s hope he is fit enough to do himself justice on the biggest night of his life.

Trap 4 Cashen Legend@8/1
A model of consistently throughout this competition, this gusty determined dog is looking to add another classic win to his Laurels crown. The start will be all important to this dog as he will need to take a flier to avoiding a bumpy ride from College Causeway and Shaneboy Lee on his outside. With his tendency to take a middle to wide path, especially down the back straight, he will need everything to go in his favour to lift the Derby crown. This dog never knows when he is beaten though, so if it comes down to a battle, you know he is in with a fighting chance.

Trap 5 College Causeway@5/4
We are beginning to run out of words to describe the mesmerising performances of the People’s Champion, College Causeway, throughout this Derby competition. From a track record breaking run in the first round, he has remained unbeaten throughout the stake displaying such track craft and sizzling pace that it was a privilege just to be there to see him. He has caught the public’s imagination with his sensational ability, although he has been given a tough draw in the final of the greatest competition in the world. If he can stay out of trouble around the opening bends to unleash his sensational turn of pace, the roof will come off Shelbourne Park as he may be the best we have seen for a very long time.

Trap 6 Shaneboy Lee@4/1
This dog burst onto the scene in Dublin with two great runs in the Champion Stakes to propel him to the top of the ante post market for the competition. Once again he has been very unlucky with the draw as he definitely is a better dog from the middle traps, so he will need to take a flier from the lids and lead up on the outside. He is an extremely fast greyhound so anything is possible, but he would struggle to give the likes of Faypoint Man or College Causeway a start and a beating. He will need to run the race of his life but with a bit of luck, we could be looking at the Derby Champion.

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Last Saturday’s action at Shelbourne Park saw some of the more fancied runners exiting the Derby at the Quarter Final stage

We are down to the final twelve runners in the paddypower.com Irish Greyhound Derby, and the draw has set the tone for a night of pure excitement at headquarters this weekend. The first semi final has drawn together three out of the top four in the outright betting, the People’s Champion College Causeway, the back to form Slip The Lark, and the dog who has become a firm favourite with the Shelbourne Park faithful, Shaneboy Lee. From my perspective, College Causeway is the best drawn dog in the race. From the trap rise you would expect the early pace of Oran Classic and the middle to wide running Slip The Lark to lead into the first bend. College Causeway will have the beating of Group Skater to the bend and barring an accident on the run up, he will be in the prime position to unleash his unbelievable pace off the second bend to put this race to bed as they enter the home straight. Once again I feel the unlucky dog in the race is Shaneboy Lee, he has been drawn outside a fast starter who will most likely take his ground in the all important dash to the first bend. He will have to do a lot of running to qualify, but this dog is more than capable of doing it. I would even go as far to say, if drawn inside College Causeway, he would be the only dog left in the competition that would have the gears to beat him and that’s some compliment! Slip The Lark has been staying on readily this year and he too should make the final - qualification is the name of the game at this stage.

The second semi final is a wide open affair, and you couldn’t rule any of the six out of the race with any confidence. Royal Tornado will have it all his own way up the inside, while the Laurels winner Cashen Legend does not know when he is beaten, and has run so many mighty races so far in this Derby. Faypoint Man is sure to go off as favourite, but he has been beaten in his last two runs so he wouldn’t be banker material for me. He will need to get the start right this time, as he hasn’t been foot perfect at the traps for a while now. Airport Boss has a better draw this time also, and I think he is capable of supplying a shock in this race. If there is any trouble up front, this dog will be eating up the ground coming home and would definitely be a forecast mixer for me.

We also have the two semi finals of the paddypower.com Plate, for dogs that were knocked out of the Derby in the early rounds. The first semi final has thrown together five early pacers with Tyrur Christy drawn on the outside. This dog clocked a very quick time last week, and if he can manoeuvre himself into a challenging position off the second bend, will surely take a lot of stopping as he takes off from halfway.

The second semi final has a real international flavour, with the American dog Kiowa Myth and the English trained Thurlesbeg Joker renewing last week’s rivalry. Kiowa Myth will love being drawn close to the fence but with Tyrur Mikiemac drawn on his inside, he will not have it all his own way in the all important run up to the first bend. I have to say that this American dog has an electric turn of foot down the back straight, only a few of the top dogs in the country could live with him. His Achilles’ heel is that he doesn’t run the bends at Shelbourne Park that fluently, which may cost him the race. Thurlesbeg Joker lacks a yard of pace to the opening bend and will need some luck in running to survive the possible crowding that looks certain to be in store. If he was able to turn close to the leaders, I think this race is there for the taking for this fast finisher as he has been out of luck in his recent runs around this circuit.

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