Greyhound News: Derby update, an open race round-up and news on Walthamstow

General / Editor / 23 March 2009 / Leave a Comment

Our top newshound has sniffed out all the big stories from the sport.

Monmore continues its impressive schedule of open races today [Monday} with the start of the Spring Festival.
Following on from the Midland Puppy Derby, which concluded last week, heats of competitions over 264m, 416m, 480m and 630m take place on the Bags/SIS service with the first two in each (first three in the sprint) head for Friday's finals.
The showpiece event is over 630m and is worth £5,000 to the winner. Among the favourites are Arc champion Corrig Vieri, stepping back up to six bends, and Coronation Cup winner Drooopys Carvalho.
The field for the six-bend contest also includes the Mark Wallis-trained Genesis Dream who has won similar heat and final afternoon events at the Wolverhampton venue.

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Sky's cameras visit the Cowley track in Oxford this week for he final of the Pall Mall on Tuesday.
The 450m event is traditionally a stepping-stone to the Derby for the speedsters who the face the stamina test of the Derby at Wimbledon.
In recent years Ballymac Charley (2007 winner) and Tims Crow (2004) have upheld the Oxford form, the latter finishing third in the Derby in 2004 behind Droopys Scholes.

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Efforts to re-start racing at Walthamstow are continuing behind the scenes.
In a story that refuses to go away, it is expected that an official bid from an American gaming company for the site will be made imminently.

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Bandicoot Tipoki, winner of the Midland Puppy Derby at Monmore on Thursday, is now likely to be aimed at the Derby.
Trainer Charlie Lister had suggested that his newest star performer might just lack experience, but the dog's performances at Monmore are now set to see the youngster head for Wimbledon.
He is owned by Ray White, the Kent businessman who enjoyed back-to-back Derby victories with Rapid Ranger a few years back.
Bandicoot Tipoki can be backed at [27.0] having been laid at [100.0] and [65.0] just a matter of weeks ago. Favourite at [16.0] is Ninja Jamie, a kennelmate of Bandicoot Tipoki's at Lister's Newark kennels.

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Capel Wilson was the big winner on a huge Mother's Day of open racing on Sunday.
A number of track stages opens, with the most valuable race of the day, the £3,000-to-the-winner Queen Mother Cup at Sheffield going the way of Tony Gifkins's dog.
In other performances of note, Derby contenders Ballymac Ruso and Shaneboy Luke both won easily at Hove. However, another leading Classic contender Wise Thought was beaten into second on his reappearance at Coventry.

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Paul Hennessy, the leading Irish trainer, has set his sights on defending the Scottish Derby title he won last year by the PJ Fahy-owned Tyrur Kieran.
Hennessy trialled a number of dogs at the Glasgow track at the weekend and the 'Tyrur' name will be carried in the event by the likes of last year's runner-up Laurel and Tyrur Jay.
Irish interest in the Classic could also be provided by Pat Buckley, although the clash of the Easter Cup 'at home' at Shelbourne Park could deny Scotland the appearance of one of Ireland's star tracker.

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Still with Ireland, legendary trainer Seamus Graham will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in Ireland on Sunday at the annual IGB Awards in Naas. Three times a winner of the Irish Derby, Graham finally landed the English Derby last year with Loyal Honcho.