As we approach the finals night at Shelbourne Park this Saturday, we have seen some brilliant performances along the way. The standard has been exceptional with two track records broken as well as British involvement which has been a real bonus. Before the semi-finals, the latest young star Droopys Kathleen went on to win the Puppy Oaks final in commanding style at an SP of 1/10 on! She is destined for a glittering future, that’s for sure.
Semi-final 1
The first semi-final included all the previous week’s quarter-final winners and was Bockos Diamond’s toughest test to date. There were five wides with the dominant ante post favourite in trap 3, but that was no inconvenience at all. He won in convincing style once again, and his split times were remarkable as he went on to equal his own previous track record two weeks ago! It was Callaway Knegare’s turn this time to chase home the winner in second place again. He came from off the pace, as well as A Lucky Julie who qualified to ensure the first bitch through to the final. The unlucky trio of wides missing out were Bombay Pat, Carrick Aldo and Seven Beach in a blanket finish.
Semi-final 2
The next race which included March On Fredie looked a much more open affair. It was Cheap Sandwiches who took up the running from his customary quick start. He wasn’t going to relinquish the lead tonight and went on to win by four lengths over Singalong Dolly, the second bitch to qualify as runner-up. Ballinabola Jim was well in contention but checked as something was obviously amiss and dropped right back in the field. Boylesports Bob missed the break but came with a wet sail to overhaul Da Bold Falcon in another tight finish for places. Our Freddie was held up at the opening bend and shuffled back early on in the race. Unfortunately, he couldn’t recover to land a challenge on this occasion and the hopes of a nation were dashed at the semi-final stage.
As the dust settles, connections are to be applauded for giving it a go. It’s a long and hard campaign for any greyhound, especially as he’s still relatively young. He might now need a break, but will hopefully come back stronger. However, he’s given his all and we can be proud of his performances in the competition. It has certainly added more interest to the event from a British perspective, not forgetting Keefill Maverick and Arthur Cornflake who was unlucky not to reach round three.
The Final
Although we had four wides in the draw, it seems of less significance as far as Bockos Diamond is concerned. He has won from every trap apart from one (he’s never had to) in his short career, but well housed in six as it turned out. His acceleration gives him the edge no matter which box he comes out of! I never thought I would see bookmakers offering bets without the favourite in a Derby, but they have done this year. Nevertheless, it’s a final still to be won, and the opposition are there on merit. Although he doesn’t have an Achilles heel, if there was to be a shock on the cards, it would most likely come from his kennel mate, Cheap Sandwiches. He is capable of matching Bockos Diamond in a race to the bend, but could he sustain it if the favourite is firing on all cylinders? Both bitches Singalong Dolly and A Lucky Julie have excelled to reach the final, but coming from behind to win is difficult to imagine. The highly talented Boylesports Bob with a proven pedigree (runner-up in our English Derby this year) in five cannot be discounted. He is a renowned strong finisher but will surely need another 3.39 split to be in with a chance. That leaves Callaway Knegare in trap one who is arguably the best drawn finalist. He’s the youngest of the sextet and has improved timewise with every round. He is also the only one not to have won a round so far, but probably needs to ‘ping the lids’ and the wide runners get in each other’s way to gain any advantage on the inside. Good luck to connections and all come back home safe and sound.
Derby Plate
The precursor to the main event is the Plate final. Certainly, on paper, this is wide-open but expect the winner to come from the outside three traps. Carmac King won in style two weeks ago in 28.05 seconds but subsequently finished six lengths behind Knockeen Dazzler in the semi-final last week. Faypoint Harvey resumed his winning ways last Saturday, and obviously I’ll be cheering him on. In fact, you wouldn’t bet against a Graham Holland double, would you?
Ratings
The complete statistical analysis and figures are shown below. All the ratings point to a resounding win for Bockos Diamond (no surprise there then!) with a 6-3-1 forecast. I’ve also included some of the other race statistics where applicable to assist in finding value and a few winners on the night. If you’re going to the track, good luck and have a great time. I intend to be there next year, but that’s it from me for now.
