Greyhound News UK Editorial Staff provide Ante-Post selections for the StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby

Greyhound News UK Editorial Staff provide Ante-Post selections for the StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby

With the 2025 StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby kicking off at Towcester on Thursday Evening, the Editorial Staff here at Greyhound News UK have come up with a couple of Ante Post selections, one who is their main fancy and another which could prove to be a bit of value 

 Joe Conneely: Cheap Sandwiches- Best Price Available 14/1 AK Bets

My main selection for this year’s Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby is Cheap Sandwiches. He was around a 20/1 chance not too long ago that has been cut into 12/1 and he looks the ideal derby dog who finished second to Bockos Diamond in the Irish Derby in November. A wide seed who is going to continue getting his ideal draw into the later rounds he has handled the track extremely well in his trials and races, so I expect him to get better throughout the competition and be there or thereabouts come the final.

Romeo Empire- Best Price Available 66/1 Bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair, AK Bets

My main outsider for this year’s Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby is Romeo Empire at around 66/1. An extremely strong running type for Patrick Janssens he has everything in his locker to keep qualifying. A dog who looks destined for great things over six bends after the derby, Romeo Empire can keep going about his business quietly with second and third place finishes to keep progressing and looks a solid each way bet.

Jonathan Hobbs: Bockos Diamond- Best Price Available 5/1 AK Bets, Generally 9/2

 “As a main selection for outright success in this year’s StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby, I’m going to have to go with Bockos Diamond. Yes, it may seem unoriginal and he’s only a 5/1 shot, but he knows how to win a Derby having won it in Ireland last year. I think he’s sure to improve on his run in the Juvenile a few weeks back and I think by the 3rd round, he will be showing us exactly what he is capable of, and Graham Holland’s sensation looks the one they have to beat”

Romeo Empire- Best Price Available 66/1 Bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair, AK Bets

“One at a bigger price I like, and is available to back 66/1 still, is Romeo Empire. Patrick Janssens has plenty of these strong running types in this year’s Derby and for me, he may go under the radar a little. He is the type that will keep on qualifying round by round when staying on in the later stages and with the each way terms meaning you get a pay out if you reach the Final, it works out that he is around the 16/1 mark just to make the Final which looks to be a cracking bet”.

Matt Newman: Proper Heiress- Best Price Available 11/1 AK Bets, Generally 8/1

 On paper, this could be a Derby for the ages in 2025.For a main selection I’m torn between Proper Heiress and Bombay Pat. The latter is going to be suited so much more by Towcester than Shelbourne but I have graded runners at the track and can’t bring myself to back a wide runner here. Proper Heiress has carried all before him so far this year, isn’t draw dependant and has shown no signs of slowing down so he gets the nod.

Ballymac Rapid- Best Price Available 200/1 Bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair

From an outsider point of view, I really liked Ballymac Rapid until his first-round heat turned into a potential nightmare. His 28.25 at Tralee in the Juvenile Classic second round was a huge run. He’s been turned over twice since he was withdrawn from the semis of that competition but if he can sneak through the first round, he can keep progressing and 200/1 could look silly in a few weeks.

Chris Oliver: Bombay Pat – Best Price Available 12/1 Generally

Graham Holland won the Derby in 2022 and 2023, and the pick of his strong team this year looks to be Bombay Pat. The September 2022 son of Pestana created a big impression in Irish equivalent last year, scoring in the opening four rounds before fluffing the start in a red-hot semi-final. On his first start since December, he raced clear of March On Freddie for an impressive trial stakes success recently and there should be plenty more to come from him.

Jaytee Craze - Best Price Available 66/1 Bet365, Ladbrokes, Corals

Jaytee Craze looks just the type to outrun his odds for Paul Hennessy, who has won the top prize with Jaytee Jet (2016) and Priceless Blake (2019). He was knocked out in the second round here last year but ended the season in fine form and should be a different dog this time around. An easy winner over 750 yards at Shelbourne’s Winter Festival, this strong runner should be hard to keep out of the frame and his recent trials have been pleasing

Graham Banks: Barntick Bear- Best Price Available 40/1 PricedUp.bet AK Bets

My main selection for this year’s StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby is Barntick Bear. I’ve always been a big fan of this strong running type from the Patrick Janssens kennel. I love his style of running, Towcester is a track that he runs well at as his track record run of 28.44 shows, and he has finished in the first three in 38 of his 43 starts in the UK so he looks to be the ideal Derby dog as he can keep on qualifying. At 40/1 each way, I fancy him to make the Final at the very least, and at a quarter of the odds, it’s essentially 10/1 to make that Final.

Ballymac Axel- Best Price Available 80/1 Generally

At a bigger price, I’ve backed Maxine Locke’s Ballymac Axel at 160/1 with Ladbrokes, (was 125/1 but the price was boosted!) but he is still available to back at 80/1. He first caught my eye at Central Park in January and has ran well since in the Northern Puppy Derby at Newcaslte and won a heat of the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial at Limerick. He’s just turned two years old, he stays on well, and I think he is the type to keep on improving over the next few weeks