The BoyleSports Irish Derby is about the glory, but it's also about the romance. Every dog makes the same journey through the qualifying heats to the starting paddock on the Derby final night. Only one greyhound will emerge victorious, but along the way, many heroic stories emerge.
We are twelve days away from knowing the name of the 2020 Irish Derby winner. 144 dogs began the pursuit of Derby glory back in August. Twelve remain. After Saturday evening, we'll know the names of the six finalists. One of the truly great stories of 2020 Irish Derby is that of Scooby Princess, who's one of just two bitches left in the running. Racing against bigger and stronger dogs, Scooby Princess has held her own and against the odds, her trainer Jennifer O'Donnell, who comes from Irish greyhound training royalty, is still dreaming of Derby glory.
Jennifer says she had huge hopes for Scooby Princess but a spot in the Derby final was just beyond her expectations.
"When we entered her, we thought she’d go a few rounds because she’s a strong stayer. In a way I’m surprised she’s made the semifinals, but in a way, I’m not, because she’s always had the ability to run well in the Derby."
Last Saturday, Scooby Princess was drawn in a blistering quarterfinal heat against two of the main contenders for the Derby - Pestana and Ballymac Cooper. Yet she stayed well and fought her way to third place and now finds herself just a race away from the biggest night in Irish greyhound racing.
"She had a very tough heat to qualify out of the last night and I was a bit surprised she qualified for the semifinal," Jennifer says.
She's been drawn in the third slot in Saturday's first semifinal heat with Newinn Taylor and Ballymac Cooper.
🚨 2020 BOYLESPORTS IRISH DERBY SEMI FINAL 1 🚨
1️⃣ Catchmeflying
2️⃣ Meenagh Miracle
3️⃣ Scooby Princess
4️⃣ Toolmaker Sydney
5️⃣ Ballymac Cooper
6️⃣ NEWINN TAYLOR pic.twitter.com/chCCGAG51E— 🆁🅸🆅🅴🆁🆂🅸🅳🅴 🅺🅴🅽🅽🅴🅻🆂 (@RiversideKenne) September 5, 2020
The O'Donnell's bred the two-year-old greyhound and could tell from an early stage she possessed that X factor. She confirmed that hunch earlier this year when she took the Shelley Fennelly memorial in Cork.
"We’ve had her here at home and from day dot she seemed like she was going to be something special. Even starting off her racing career, she started off in the top puppy bracket. She always looked like she was going to be something special but it took her a few races to put it all together."
While the 2020 Derby final will be unlike any other because of covid restrictions, the O'Donnell's know a lot about Derby success. Jennifer's father Matt O'Donnell was one of Ireland's greatest trainers, winning four Irish Derbies, including his first Derby in 1990 with the bitch The Other Toss. Greyhound racing is simply in Jennifer's DNA.
"I grew up surrounded by good dogs," Jennifer says. "Both my mam and dad won the Derby, plus my aunt Dolores was also a Derby winner."
It's a huge week for the O'Donnell family, and no doubt thoughts will be on Derby glory past and present. Jennifer had a family wedding yesterday and then has a spin up to Shelbourne Park on Saturday for the small matter of a Derby semifinal.
"Every subject of conversation at some stage of the day is around greyhounds. We’re all involved as a family in the greyhounds. I have the license and I am the trainer but it’s very much a family affair," Jennifer says.
While Jennifer remains optimistic about reaching the final, anything beyond the semifinals is bonus territory.
"She’s halfway there, she has a chance. She stays on very strong but we’ll just have to hope for the best. We’re delighted just to get this far with her. Anything extra is just a bonus. We’re very proud of how well she’s been running."
And who knows? Maybe a Derby final is on the cards for Scooby Princess. That's the romance of the Derby.
