I, like many others, made the annual first round pilgrimage to Towcester last weekend to see the 2024 Star Sports Greyhound Derby get underway. It’s become something of a tradition to go for all three nights of the first round and as always it was a privilege to watch the best English and Irish four bend dogs currently in training.
With the early start to the meetings, on Thursday and Friday it was a bit of a mad dash from work to get there but in fairness as someone who often makes a two or three hour round trip to watch my own dogs run for anywhere between 15 and 40 seconds, an hour’s drive for a three hour meeting was something of a luxury!
There’s something about the Derby, both English and Irish, that gets the heart pumping even for someone like me without a runner this year. As an owner, of course, the dream is to be participating in a competition with the best of the best but even when you don’t have a dog that can mix it in top company, being there and being surrounded by those who are daring to dream is somehow infectious. In a time when there’s been much to feel despondent about, I can say that soaking up the atmosphere (it was markedly busier for this year’s first round than last) and talking to those who are involved from an owner perspective brought back some of the excitement that first got me hooked.
I think it would be fair to say that given the issues Towcester experienced in the weeks leading up to the Derby there was an air of trepidation before the first round got under way. It was reported that some skilled and experienced people worked hard to resolve the issues that had blighted the track in recent times but whatever magic was worked and by whom, it’s fair to say everyone was pleased (let’s be honest – relieved) to see all 31 heats run without the traps, hare rail, hand starting or anything else being the main talking point. It is apparent though that ongoing investment in the maintenance of the track continues not only for the benefit of this great competition but also for the dogs, owners and trainers of the graded runners who also deserve the very best week in week out.
It goes without saying that the dogs took centre stage over the weekend. They are the stars of the show and much loved by both their connections and others like myself who for whatever reason develop a soft spot for a particular dog. Ask anyone involved in greyhound racing and they will be able to tell you a dog that’s not their own that they love and why. In my case this is De Lahdedah, owned by The Garsuns Syndicate and trained by Liam Dowling. I cheered him on like he was my own on Thursday night as he landed Heat 8 in 28.78 which would prove to be the quickest of the night. A word here for the trainer, Liam, who took time to chat and once again allowed me to fulfil my fan girl status and give De Lahdedah lots of love after the race. It’s gestures like this that are a reminder that there are many good greyhound people out there who take time to involve others in the enjoyment that the greyhounds can bring whether that is stopping to talk when they are really busy, bringing retired racers to the track or doing meet and greets for the children.
Although I said it’s all about the dogs, it’s about the people too. It was great to spend the weekend surrounded by many genuine lovers of the game. Everyone has an opinion about the dogs, the make up of the races and the various tipping competitions and fantasy kennels added a further topic of conversation – we are a fiercely competitive lot! The Derby, by its very nature, brings greyhound people from far and wide together. It was lovely to catch up with people who have quickly become friends because of a shared love and interest we have in the dogs – the greyhound family as Ben Keith of Star Sports would say.
I hear all the time that greyhound folk are a dying breed. It is true, we are losing owners at a rapid rate for a number of reasons and whatever our views on why that may be, it is something the powers that be have got to work hard to reverse. However, the Derby first round weekend reminded me that there are people out there that still love the dogs and want to make things better. Getting back to where things once were when greyhound racing was the second most attended sport isn’t going to happen but there is a desire to still make things great albeit with a different lens. It’s not out with the old and in with the new, it’s how can we work together to make our wonderful sport viable and sustainable in the current climate where there are a number of challenges. I digress…now is not the time to fall down that particular rabbit hole – I need to focus on the great racing from the weekend!
There were eye catching runs on each night and as they say it is all about opinions. Although it was the first heat of the competition, Jaytee Etienne certainly franked his impressive Towcester form having won the Maiden Derby a month or so ago over the same trip. For those of us that like a story, seeing The Other Kobe, last year’s Irish Derby winner who had been retired, make a reappearance to see if he could be the first greyhound since Toms The Best to win the English Derby the year after winning the Irish Derby certainly brought a smile to my face as he landed the spoils with a trap to line victory. Nowitsmyturn for Richard Rees also made all in his heat and at 7/1 was the biggest priced heat winner on the first night. In the last heat on Thursday, all three qualifiers from Heat 10 will be worth keeping an eye on in the next round.
On Friday, although it was largely a night for favourite backers, it was a great night for some big price qualifiers; Vixons Bagheera at 66/1 finished third and Savana Aurora was second at 80/1, both somewhat defying their odds to find themselves in the hat for round two. That is what Derby dreams are made of!
The highlight of Friday was seeing King Memphis put in an electrifying display to equal the track record set by Droopys Clue just a few weeks ago and for the sentimental ones among us, seeing Swords Rex, last year’s Derby favourite who had been paw perfect until the final and last year’s eventual winner, Gaytime Nemo, both win their respective heats warmed the heart.
Saturday night was a good night to be in trap 6 with 4 of the 11 heat winners coming from the stripes. The first of those was Road Exile for Pat Buckley who has pace to burn and although the trip may be testing for him as the rounds progress, the best place to be is out in front. Heat 22 caught the eye for a different reason with the three biggest priced dogs taking the three qualifying spots – well done to anyone who predicted the order of finish there to land a £1007.34 tricast!
High Trend (pictured above) put in an impressive display and is a name I have heard from a number of good judges this week although his round 2 heat is sizzling! Barntick Bear and Clona Curly both caught my eye when they ran in the Puppy Derby final at Monmore in March finishing second and third respectively despite the fact that the track didn’t really suit either of them. However, they proved that Towcester is more to their liking as they both picked up a first round victory.
So after watching 31 first round heats over the weekend, who wins the Derby? I can say with absolute certainty that I know I’ve seen the Derby winner but I still think it is wide open. You won’t get the best prices by then but I do love the third round; the first opportunity to see all of the dogs on the same night is usually the point at which I finally nail my colours to the mast. For now, it could be any one of the 96 runners, of which I believe we have 62 English and 34 Irish trained dogs, who take their place in the second round this weekend.
Could it be the antepost favourite, fastest first round heat winner and joint track record holder, King Memphis?
Could Glengar Martha recreate her electric sectional of 3.90 week in week out to take the crown for a bitch for the first time since Farloe Verdict won at Wimbledon in 2003?
Could one of Graham Holland’s 10 remaining charges land the spoils to give him a hatrick of English Derby wins.
Could it be one of the eye catching qualifiers such as Jaytee Craze?
Or could it be Vixons Bagheera, the biggest priced antepost runner going into the second round?
There are still plenty of questions to be answered, plenty of battles to be won and no doubt plenty of shocks to come in the next five weeks. I’ve had a week to review and digest everything and am pretty much ready to do it all again for Round 2! Good luck to all those whose dream is still alive! Bring it on!
