For the first time in this year’s Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby, each of the remaining competitors will be action on the same night as the third round dominates tomorrow night’s card at Shelbourne Park.
After another stunning performance in the second round, Coolavanny Hoffa is now an even hotter favourite for outright glory and he has been rewarded with another straightforward task on Saturday. Michael O’Donovan has long been plotting a Derby challenge for his superstar and, at present, it is working out better than he could have hoped.
Certainly, as a wide seed, he will be given a kind draw most nights but on current form it doesn’t seem to matter. With devastating speed to the opening corner, huge back straight pace and the stamina to see out the 550yds trip, he looks bullet proof.
Of those likely to offer the most resistance in the coming weeks, Clona Duke, the Select Stakes and Juvenile Derby champion, is his closest rival in the betting. He also reached the final of the English Derby earlier in the summer and continues to run with real purpose.
He faces a far tougher third round test than Coolavanny Hoffa, however, and will need to be at his sharpest at trap rise, which isn’t always his strength. Flanked by Ballyhimkin Rex and The Other Kobe on Saturday, Clona Duke could find himself short of room in the opening yards which is a major concern.
De Lahdedah and Scaglietti are next in market and both have been handed an ideal draw on the fence for their respective assignments. De Lahdedah had to work hard to qualify last week but a return to the inside should suit in Heat 2 where he faces some hugely talented rivals including Bens Teddy, Undisputed and Another Holiday.
Scaglietti also faces some notable rivals including the Juvenile Classic winner Ballymac Marino. Throw in Undulation and Jetara and there is no room for error.
Elsewhere, Raha Mofo, Trinity Junior and Clonbrien Treaty will be favourite to win their respective heats, while there is a fascinating clash in the opening heat with both Sober Glory and Bobsleigh Dream set to do battle both in the ring and on the track itself.
One suspects, Sober Glory may actually start favourite as he is drawn inside his rival but this could go right down to the wire with Bobsleigh Dream capable of picking up any greyhound in training.
By the end of Saturday’s action just twenty-four greyhounds will remain in the hunt for the €125,000 winner’s purse. It also means there will be just seven races remaining in the classic after tomorrow’s final heat. That may not seem like an awful lot of racing but there are so many twists and plenty of drama to come. Have no doubt, predicting the final six is no easy task and we wish the best of luck to each and every owner, breeder and trainer with a greyhound left in the classic. Each are dreaming of having something on the line on Saturday, September 2nd.
Of course, Dundalk will also host classic racing over the coming days with the Bar One Racing Irish Sprint Cup coming to a conclusion on Tuesday evening. This year’s competition has been packed with tremendous action and the final should provide a fitting winner.
The big two in the market are Rathdown Molly and Who Have I. The former was an impressive semi-final scorer and has been wonderful through the prelims but Who Have I seems to be ready to go very fast indeed.
He suffered his first defeat of the classic in the semis but displayed all sorts of pace in defeat. With a better start from a kinder draw in four, he may have too much dash for his rivals and is chosen to come home in front for Michael O’Donovan. Rathdown Mollie is the obvious danger but don’t ignore the claims of the rapidly progressive Carrick Aldo.
