Joe's Quarter-Final Tips for the Star Sports & TRC English Greyhound Derby

Joe Conneely's Derby quarter-final tips

QF1

This is all about Cheap Sandwiches for me who ran a monster race behind Bockos Diamond in the third round to be beaten a short head when not leading. He should clear March On Freddie and Singalong Molly who he is sandwiched between and the way he glides around the bends can see him in front of Sole Mio coming out the second bend who can chase Cheap Sandwiches home with Droopys Bookem plugging on from trap one to take third.

1st - Cheap Sandwiches
2nd - Sole Mio
3rd - Droopys Bookem

QF2

De Lahdedah will head into this a worthy favourite but I am going to be with Churchfield Syd in trap four who can lead and make all with the strong challengers in behind. He didn't manage to clear Dynamic Force in round three allowing Sole Mio to steal a march but he stayed on well in third to qualify comfortably. Another clean exit from Chruchfield Syd can see him make the semi-finals with the strong-running Romeo Empire and Tiffield Tarquin qualifying behind the winner. No Better Feelin needs to take a flyer to get competitive with Hello Diego having to lead Tiffield Tarquin to give himself a chance.

1st - Churchfield Syd
2nd - Romeo Empire
3rd - Tiffield Tarquin

QF3

Bombay Pat was beaten for the first time in round three but ran with real credit behind an impressive Bubbly Charger. He did not trap as well as he can but qualified comfortably in second. If he gets his trapping boots back he will be tough to beat. However, I am with Faypoint Harvey on the inside to continue his consistent breaking from trap one. It was a surprise to most to see him caught on Saturday by Singalong Molly but if he leads in this quarter-final he should not be for catching with Bombay Pat and Dynamic Force chasing him home, losing One Slick Jamie, Prince Naseem and Newinn Benni from the competition.

1st - Faypoint Harvey
2nd - Bombay Pat
3rd - Dynamic Force

QF4

Ante-post favourite Bockos Diamond lines up from trap five in the fourth quarter-final. He has found himself drawn inside Slick Sentinel who loves the stripes and if coming away how he has been from trap six, he can cause Bockos Diamond enough problems early to play into the hands of something else. That could pave the way for Keefill Maverick at a big price to run well. He is showing the consistency required to keep making it through so with Bubbly Charger moving off from one and Droopys Trade edging in from three, Keefill Maverick can take advantage of what could be a scrappy race with Slick Sentinel and Bockos Diamond finding a way to make it through behind Phil Milner’s charge.

1st - Keefill Maverick
2nd - Slick Sentinel
3rd - Bockos Diamond