General / Editor / 01 April 2009 / Leave a Comment

Sponsors ready to pay out for any dog able to make history with Triple Crown, Shelbourne Aston eyes Wimbledon and Greyhound of the Year sparkles at Sittingbourne.

The Classic season kicks off this week (Tuesday/Saturday) with Shawfield staging the first and second rounds of the Scottish Derby.

The £25,000 race at the Glasgow track is seen as the first leg of greyhound racing's Triple Crown which takes in the Scottish, English and Irish Derbys.

Victory in all three has never been achieved but the likes of Toms The Best, Some Picture, Chart King and Farloe Verdict have won two of the three.

A £1m bonus has been put up by the sponsors of the Scottish Derby should any greyhound complete the clean sweep.

Ninja Jamie remains favourite for the Scottish Derby at 5.5, despite defeat in Tuesday's first round at Shawfield.

The springer in the market is Thurlesbeg Joker after his heat victory, the new Sheffield track record holder down to 9 after continuing his good run of form.

Irish raider Ardbeg Tunoco was quickest of the eight heat winner, Pat Buckley's dog racing to 28.75sec for the 480m

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Charlie Lister, with five Scottish Derby wins to his name, has a strong entry, likewise the Irish contingent led by Paul Hennessy, trainer of last year's winner Tyrur Kieran. Hennessy's compatriots Pat Buckley and Owen McKenna also field runners.

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With thoughts now turning to the Classics, the news from Ireland after Saturday's Easter Cup heats at Shelbourne Park is that last year's Irish Derby champion Shelbourne Aston might just be heading to Wimbledon.

Although at this stage plans are fluid, connections intimated after their dog picked up the award for Irish Dog of the Year that Wimbledon is still a possibility. However, the chance to defend the Champion Stakes and Irish Derby will take priority.

Meanwhile, latest betting on the English Derby at Wimbledon has Fear Zafonic at [10.0]. Interestingly, Charlie Lister has sidestepped the chance to send him to Shawfield, saving the Juvenile champion for Wimbledon.

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Lenson Joker, the Greyhound of the Year, gave the track record a shake with a sparkling trial at Sittingbourne.

Spiked in his last race at Hove, Tony Collett's dog has the Regency as his main aim, although connections are still weighing up the possibility of taking the dog back to Wimbledon.

Last year, Lenson Joker made the quarter-finals of the Derby, a campaign which kick-started a great year with victories following in the Cesarewitch, Champion Stakes and Sunderland Grand Prix.

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Boherna Best could be a contender for the Blue Riband at Hall Green as Barrie Draper sets his sights firmly on the Derby at Wimbledon.

Shawfield was considered for the dog who pushed Lenson Joker closest in the Greyhound of the Year vote, but the short run to the bend just swayed the Rotherham handler away from Shawfield.

Boherna Best last year won the All England Cup, Midland Gold Cup and Laurels, but it was his path to the final of the Gymcrack at Hall Green which showed his ability early on. A messy final saw him trail behind Mottos Star.

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Platinumlancelot is the new favourite for the Grand National which continues at Wimbledon on Friday.

Heading into the semis, Jason Foster's dog can be backed at [5.1] after impressing most in the heats last weekend, on a night when Hotdog Jack rolled back the years with a cracking win, while Irish Grand National winner Distant Legend gave a hint of good things to come with a solid second.

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Champion trainer Mark Wallis continues to set the pace in the race to defend his title and landed another major prize on Friday with Corrig Vieri claiming £5,000 for victory in Monmore's Spring Festival final.

The Arc winner is still a possible for the Derby, although the option of pursuing a career over six bends remains.

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College Causeway is reported to have returned to the kennels of Pat Buckley feeling sorry for himself, but otherwise okay.

It follows a nasty tumble taken by the defending champion in the heats of the Easter Cup at Shelbourne Park. Wimbledon and the English Derby remains a target for the dog.

Back to the Easter Cup and Irish Derby winner Shelbourne Aston and new track sensation Faypoint Man were among those who impressed on the night.

The second round, which features ex-English-trained Romeo Maldini and Ballymac Under, takes place on Saturday.

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Sheffield, which recently held a very successful Trainers' Championship meeting and plan to tender for the fixture again in 2010, will return to the TV screens in August.
The Steel City Cup final will be screened live on Sky on August 4 after a late switch of TV fixtures saw the Wimbledon Puppy Derby move to August 11.

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Draw for Saturday's Scottish Derby quarter-finals - First semi:
1 Ninja Jamie, 2 Farloe Reason, 3 Drive On Captain, 4 Windy Millar (m), 5 Ardkill Tunoco (m), 6 Thurlesbeg Joker (w).

Second quarter: 1 Glengar Alfred, 2 Drumna Classic, 3 Cabra Cool, 4 Daleys Buzz, 5 Ja Mann, 6 Unabashed (w).

Third quarter: 1 Da Attic, 2 Forest Master, 3 Must Be Keano, 4 Head Iton Ellis, 5 Dotland Hit Man (m), 6 Drumna Thistle (m).

Fourth quarter: 1 Mill Pinpoint, 2 Crown Rover, 3 East County, 4 Tyrur Laurel (m), 5 Greenwell Cool (m), 6 Slip The Lark (w).

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