De Lahdedah makes a spectacular start to his Derby defence

Dowling's 2024 Derby winner returns with a stunning 28.50

Goosebumps. 

Night one saw the two at the top of the ante-post betting both in action, night two had the return of the defending champ. Sometimes it is hard to know what to expect of them. The effort to claw their way to the zenith once is monumental. To stand at the bottom for a second time is a task too great for the vast majority but De Lahdedah has no need of a sherpa. 

You can't win a Derby in the first round but you can lose one. Liam Dowling's son of Lenson Bocko made sure of his place in the hat within a couple of strides. His time was just six spots off the track record, It's fair to say that he came alive again in Northamptonshire. 

The Graham Holland team continued their strong start to the competition. Two runners on Friday produced a pair of winners in Faypoint Susie and Faypoint Harvey after a treble on Thursday. Both are strong over 500m and that extra stamina helped them score, the latter after a superb tussle with Romeo Steel in 28.99.

There was also a double for Patrick Janssens. Slick Sentinel is the biggest loser in the book of sponsors Star Sports, catapulting to a 4.01 split on his way to a 29.01 success. Romeo Empire was just three spots slower, powering home to get on top late on. The competition benefits overall from Romeo Command safely making the second round, finishing third to Slick Sentinel. 

Two further Irish winners on the night came from Peter Cronin's Sole Mio and Dynamic Force for Paul Hennessy. The former only had a sprint trial at Towcester after finishing runner-up in the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial but it was all he needed, getting far enough clear to hold off the charging March On Freddie in 29.02. The latter was the second quickest winner on the night in 28.86. A semi-finalist in the Irish Sprint Cup last summer, he used that early pace to great effect.

Keefill Goose was the fourth winner on the night to dip under the 29-second mark. Phil Milner's charge was quickly in control of what had looked a tricky heat on paper and although Singalong Molly closed him down late, he never looked like being picked up. 

Brian Fairbairn picked up the closing heat with Slingshot Sam, another to use good early pace to his benefit. Newinn Benni opened up the card with a win for Derek Knight while Esther Driver produced a one-two with her pair in heat two, No Better Feelin getting the better of Hopes Ompaloompa. 

Heat 11 - 1st Newinn Benni (t6) - 2nd Missile One (t2) - 3rd Rackethall Brute (t4) 

Heat 12 - 1st No Better Feelin (t4) - 2nd Hopes Ompaloompa (t3) - 3rd Gingers Shelby (t6) 

Heat 13 - 1st Faypoint Susie (t2) - 2nd Droopys Suprstar (t3) - 3rd Tricky Wiggles (t6) 

Heat 14 - 1st De Lahdedah (t1) - 2nd Clona Curly (t5) - 3rd Druids All Go (t4) 

Heat 15 - 1st Faypoint Harvey (t2) - 2nd Romeo Steel (t3) - 3rd Brinkleys Louis (t6) 

Heat 16 - 1st Keefill Goose (t3) - 2nd Singalong Molly (t6) - 3rd Boylesports Blue (t1)

Heat 17 - 1st Sole Mio (t1) - 2nd March On Freddie (t6) - 3rd Flashing Fender (t4)

Heat 18 - 1st Dynamic Force (t6) - 2nd Antigua Kestrel (t3) - 3rd Savana Merapi (t1)

Heat 19 - 1st Romeo Empire (t1) - 2nd Ballymac Lucia (t3) - 3rd Indian Bonnie (t4) 

Heat 20 - 1st Slick Sentinel (t6) - 2nd Scooby The Boss (t1) - 3rd Romeo Command (t3) 

Heat 21 - 1st Slingshot Sam (t4) - 2nd Burrows Eclipse (t6) - 3rd One Slick Jamie (t1)