"Another great success" for the Star Sports Derby Preview night

Picture from Star Sports X feed

Preview night a great success ahead of the Derby

Kim Sanzone, head of greyhound racing operations at Star Sports, hailed the firm's special English Derby preview evening in London on Tuesday as "another great success". 

Hosted by Kaan Hughes, the former RPGTV pundit now head of on-course at the Derby sponsors, a panel of champion trainer Mark Wallis, Irish expert and commentator Ian Fortune, and Star Sports's own Martin 'Lofty' Chapman discussed their ante-post and heat fancies ahead of Friday and Saturday's first round of the Star Sports & Orchestrate Ltd. English Greyhound Derby. 

The evening, attended by invited guests including owners, media and industry figures, was held at Star Sports's flagship betting shop in Mayfair. 

Welcoming everyone, Star Sports boss Ben Keith said he was looking forward to the next six weeks of top-class action at Towcester for what will be the tenth year of Star Sports sponsorship of the world's greatest greyhound race. 

"It is when the greyhound family truly comes together and is just great. I can't wait," he said beforehand. 

Emily Wallis filmed the panel and interviewed guests for Star's social media feed on the night and will be putting Derby blogs together throughout the event as well as posting post-race interviews with trainers and connections. 

Liam Dowling's Ballymac Setanta was the main choice of Ian Fortune, albeit he reserved special mention for Bockos Diamond and Cheap Sandwiches. 

"They are two of the best greyhounds we've seen in 20 years and it wouldn't be a great surprise to see them go deep in the competition, along with Proper Heiress. Three fantastic older greyhounds."

Mark Wallis said Proper Heiress's preparation had been deliberately low key as opposed to 12 months previously. 

"If he can get through the first couple of rounds, it could be game-on for him, he should be getting better through the Derby," said of the reigning GBGB Greyhound of the Year.

Wallis also revealed he would have considered the Derby for Mongys Wild had the TV Trophy not been saved and run during the rounds of the Classic. "He'd have definitely been the type to keep on qualifying, but going back-to-back in the TV Trophy has to be the priority," he said. 

Martin Chapman praised the work of the team at Towcester. "The place looks almost unrecognisable, so fair play to them," he said. "I thought last year was the best Derby they've had at Towcester. This could be even better."

*TOWCESTER has confirmed that doors on Friday and Saturday will open at 4.30pm ahead of the split first round of the Star Sports & Orchestrate Ltd. English Greyhound Derby.