Col and Dane lead Monmore times while Diamond heads the Derby heats

Picture from Monmore X feed

Shock Monmore exits from the semi-finals

There were a few surprises at Monmore last night, the biggest seeing defending champion Vhagar exit the Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic by a short head. Droopys Bookem had taken the heat along, using the inside draw to his advantage for Tom Heilbron. He was claimed in the dying strides by Jimmy Fenwick's Zenith Pasha, who had got picked up late in the day last week in the heats.

The quickest of the three semi-final victories went to Kelly Wilton's Fortanach Col. The Time 3 Steps To Victory champion set out his stall early from the front, never looking like coming back to his rivals to land his place in another Category One decider. Diane Henry's Betgoodwin Tutts chased him home. Not long out of puppy stage, he is comfortably the youngest in the final.

Tooreen Rose could not cope with the middle gears of Rapido Benny in the other semi-final but she stuck to her guns for Kevin Hutton, proving the strongest coming home. She will be joined in the final by Droopys Deploy, who at this time last year was a week away from starting a campaign that saw him work his way through to the final of the BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby.  

Over four bends, the quickest of the Ladbrokes Gold Cup semis was won by Headford Dane. He is the defending champion, having just his 15th race since that success, absolutely bolting from trap three to grab the lead at the opening turn. He will sport red in the final. Nathan Hunt's Scooby Diamond also booked her place in another Cat One final. She was the only one who could live with the early pace of the winner, just getting outstayed from the third bend.

Woltemade continued his remarkable run of form to give Jimmy Fenwick a chance at the double next Saturday night. The striped jacket made no difference to his electric trapping, quickly in control of his rivals and never looking like he was anything other than the winner from very early on. Headford Cian stuck to his task well in second to make it a pair of finalists for Locke. 

The other semi-final went to Slingshot Poppy whose defeat last week was the most talked about race in the entire round. She missed the kick a fraction before pacing up best to go around in front. There was a brief moment when Magical Keith looked like he was going to go up her inside into the final bend like Goldcash Warrior did last week but he checked back out wide, collared on the line for second by Grouchos Gregor to give Kelly Wilton a runner in each final as well.  

Three heats of the Peter Billingham Memorial Trophy saw David Hunt's Sawpit Signature go quickest. The youngster paced up well to the turn to make it three wins in his first six career starts, adding to a pair of graded wins at the Valley.

Second quickest was Ballymac Dixie for David Page, despite having to come from out the back. She was cut off a couple of times on the way around by the runner-up and stopped to have a little whisper in that one's ear on the run to the line. As a pup, she was only marked as eased.

Aero Galactica took the opening heat for Richie Taberner, another who was marked as 'eased' near the line as he came with his winning challenge. That is going to make the final a difficult race to weigh up next week.

There were also sprint heats where Newinn Bachelor was the quickest winner for Kim Billingham-Hine. He got out in front, just doing enough to hold off Crafty Alejandro into the opening bend, then having to fend off the late thrust of Headford Fiona who was drawn outside him, which could have made the difference. 

Second fastest heat winner was Pavilion Team for Mark Wallis. He is only a couple of weeks away from hitting veteran status, but he still had more than enough brute speed to get himself to the front despite not coming away any better than level with the majority of his rivals.

Gary Griffiths had the other heat winner in Ruinthelonggame. He had enough pace to the turn to go around level with the leader and just managed to outstay that rival as the line came. 

Diamond shows the sparkle remains

Bockos Diamond was the jewel in the crown of Saturday's BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby second round heats. The 2024 Derby champion had won his opening heat in a solid 29.40, but he took a fair step forward this week, clocking 29.19 for Graham Holland. He will become a veteran at the start of next month, but is still performing at the top of his game.

It has been a decent first couple of rounds of the Derby for Michael O'Donovan, adding to his pair of Friday winners with another brace. Skywalker Bruno was the quicker of his pair, using the width of the track to his advantage to move off at the second bend to take the lead and then cutting back across his rivals and forcing them to check up at the third.

 O'Donovan was expected to win the next race as well, which he did. However, it would have been Ballycowen Frank that would've been the runner that punters expected to come out on top. He exited the competition with his kennelmate Hackney Dancer taking the plaudits after crossing the line in front.

Second fastest of the night behind Bockos Diamond was Wi Can James who won the four-runner closing heat for Patrick Guilfoyle. He was sent off the 1/5 market leader and scored in the fashion with which favourite backers would have expected. 

It. was a double on the night for Guilfoyle as Waitingforastar picked up the running late on in his heat and impressively powered clear by four lengths by the time they got to the line. That is now three straight wins over track and trip, with his strong-running finishes capable of keeping him in this competition in the latter stages.

Sleight Of Hand backed up a smart opening round win with another. The Laurence Jones-trained October pup looked his age around the opening couple of bends as he tried to figure a way past Harvard Square, but once he had that one picked off at the third bend, he came clear impressively. 

There was a bold front-running win from Richard Brown's Razldazl Loreal who looked more comfortable from his starting position in the striped jacket than when he had sported red last week. His other career win came from trap five which is where he will begin his third round heat. 

Last but not least was a win for Pat Buckley's Glengar Phantom. He came forward 16 spots on his sectional time from a week ago which was enough to see him lead up. He was closed right down by a couple of pursuers as they hit the third turn where he could easily have been swallowed up, so it was a credit to him that he put his head down and just kept on finding. 

Central Park doubles for Locke and Janssens

As well as having an excellent night at Monmore, Maxine Locke continued to pile on the pressure in the trainer's championship with a Central Park double. They were led by Headford Lily who was scoring at her home track for the third straight time. Her early gears quickly put her in control once more to go on to score. 

Locke's other winner was Finally Matched who overcame plenty of trouble at the opening bend to get her head in front down the back. She has not been a regular winner elsewhere so far in her career, but the move to this big, galloping four bends looks to have been a big plus for her.

Patrick Janssens also picked up a pair of winners on the card. Romeo Tomcat didn't require his absolute best to get his head in front in a 491m contest, having to work his way through after an early bump saw him on the back foot.

Slick Senator had picked up the first win for Janssens in a sprint contest. This was only his fifth start, getting off the mark here but he has regularly gone off at prices that suggest more is thought of him. If this helps his confidence, it will be interesting to see what he can do on his next start.

There were two other sprint opens on the night, the quickest of the bunch won by Dan Brabon's Martindale Lad. He is a natural trapper and once more he showed up first on the outside, to keep himself away from his rivals. 

Afzal Ali took the other sprint with Hansford Hero. He was another on the night to get himself off the mark at the fifth time of asking, missing the break before pacing up best to the turn. The speed he was carrying saw him move off a little bit which gave him the winning advantage. 

There was one staying contest on the card which went to Rossa Vita for Sharon Saberton. She had been picked up last week having hit the front but she timed her challenge to get to the lead at the perfect time last night to grab the win. 

Carl Gardiner was responsible for the other open race winner on the card, with Unlock The Ace coming home in front over four bends. He had produced the best split in the field and being able to go around in front helped him clear away from his rivals.  

Magical double at Doncaster for Parker

Perhaps the most notable winner on the Doncaster card last night was Sean Parker's Magical Supreme who stepped up to six bends for the first time. He set the 13th quickest time of the year so far for the 661m trip on just his 15th career start, running his rivals into the ground from the front. 

Parker had kicked off a double with a win for Magical Harper who landed a 483m contest. She had to work a little harder to get on the front than she had a week back when hugely impressive, but she will have learnt more from this, and can continue to improve. 

Aghaburren Luna got herself back to winning ways for Barry Denby, just able to get herself far enough clear to hold off Naochra who came within a short head of her at the line. She has not been successful in four of her last six starts here. 

John Flaherty was out of luck with Naochra but his staying star Greenwell Gypsy was on hand to give the kennel a winner in a six-bend contest. She needs every inch of this 661m trip but for the second week on the bounce, she timed her run to perfection.

Fastest of the night over 450m was Jimmy Gaskin's Deerjet Rocket. He had last week to get his eye back in here after coming back off his run to the final of the Time Northern Flat, making a nice step up on that effort.

Esther Driver got on the scoresheet with Ballymac Panzara, making it three months in a row that the pup has won an open over this 450m trip. Hazelhill Nifty landed a race over the same distance for David Fradgley, smashing out in front and never seeing another rival. A sprint to open the night went to Nicola Langley's Coonough Scobie, another to make all the running. 

Foot lands Star Pelaw treble

Witton Gucci, Dunquin Rory and Hackeny Tier made it a decent night for Glenn Foot at Star Pelaw.The first of those especially produced a notable run, improving on the best of the year over 590m which she had set herself last week. There have only been four runs quicker in the last two years combined. 

It was a first outing for Dunquin Rory in his new surroundings having joined from Kevin Hutton. He was last in race action back in March, so there is every chance he can take a step up for this return. Hackney Tier was never really troubled having popped out in front. 

There was a double on the card for Ricky Holloway who keeps putting in the miles. Punk Rock Legend continued his dominantion of the hurdles scene in the absence of his kennelmate Mickeys Tribute, while Punk Rock Rose shrugged off her recently acquired veteran status to land a sprint contest. 

Sunnyside Gurkha continued his winning run for Cheryl Ingham, making it seven in a row. He had to work a touch harder on the run to the opening turn after a slightly missed break but once he hit the front, there was no stopping the red-hot favourite. 

There was an impressive sprint win from John Watson's Illnotbedown who produced the fourth quickest run of the year over the 245m distance. It was just her second run for the kennel. Another sprint contest went to Vixons Cocktail who sprung a little bit of a surprise for George Walker. Jean Liles rounded out the open race winners on the card with a 435m success from Westwood Jack.