Star Sports & Orchestrate Ltd. English Greyhound Derby Heats 1-14

Friday's Tips 

The first 14 heats of the 2026 Star Sports & Orchestrate Ltd English Greyhound Derby are tonight at Towcester and we'll guide you through each of them! 

Heat 1 - 6.20

A fascinating start to the Derby where Liam Dowling's Ballymac Ralf is the favourite. His end time was smart in his first look here but he is going to have to improve on his sectional with some early pace either side of him. With four railers, Priceless Romeo should get plenty of room to operate and he is a better performer than his two runs at this track would suggest. 

5-2-3

Heat 2 - 6.38

The first chance to see Glengar Kane in action in 2026, blistering in a couple of sprint trials here but missing race acton since breaking the Enniscorthy track record last December. Whatever he does here, he is fully entitled to improve on next time out simply for getting back into race action. Ballymac Tibet and Getup The Boy are more than capable of keeping him honest.

1-6-2

Heat 3 - 6.58

This is a seriously warm heat for so early in the competition. Connections of Scooby The Lady would have hoped for an easier first round heat for their star bitch but even from an unsuitable draw in four, she can still have the beating of these. She had an even worse draw in the Time Juvenile and almost defied it. Droopys Bookem was a semi-finalist last year and can get his campaign off to a decent start to chase her home. 

4-2-6

Heat 4 - 7.18

Unassuming absolutely fell out on her first look at Towcester so it was to her credit that she managed to clock as smart a time as 29.06 calc given her split. She is not a blistering starter in any case which will make things tougher here as The Other Kodi is a smart trapper and will move across her from two. She has won three of her four starts when clad in red, however, and can overhaul this field late on. Singalong Polly has some very smart form to her credit and can beat kennelmate Grouchos Jack to the punch through the middle.

1-4-6

Heat 5 - 7.38

Droopys Aladdin is the favourite here and rightly so as he has emerged as an exceptional performer this year. He has Rapido Benny inside him who is not short of early pace, which leaves him with little room for any error. It was an unfortunate incident that saw Fayppint Harvey end up on the sand in a trial stake but he had paced up well in a strong field and clearly still has plenty of the old sparkle. 

2-4-5

Heat 6 - 7.58

Swords Style has been a revelation at Towcester, winning two of his three starts here, including the Time Greyhound Nutrition Juvenile. He has been a middle mover but his early pace has sent him clear, so he might not have too many issues moving a little to the right here. He is 4/8 in his career from the red jacket. His main danger is going to be Tiffield Tarquin who has been exceptional this year and looks set to have a clear run around the outside. 

1-6-3

Heat 7 - 8.18

Droopys Graph will be well fancied to get his Derby campaign off to a perfect start for the 2025 winning connections. He might need to be a little patient to challenge later on as Hackney Toast showed some decent pace to the turn when winning a recent trial stake. Carrick Scholsey beat a couple who re-oppose in a trial stake recently and he should have more than enough to get himself through.

2-3-1

Heat 8 - 8.38

Bundles of early pace on the outside here with Bockos Buster and Bockos Diamond both very slick in the early stages. The former doesn't really stay this far and the latter is entitled to need the run to blow away the cobwebs as he has not seen race action since September. Colouraregreen won the Tote Gold Cup but he has not taken to Towcester as well as Shelbourne but this could be the time he does. There was plenty to like about the Romford runs of Gav Nificnet and he could lead up the inside at a price. 

4-6-2

Heat 9 - 8.58

Lennies Eddie has been exceptional since arriving at Towcester, winning both of his trial stakes in smart times. The draw right on the inside in red is going to be a question for him, but he should have the answer. Unanimous Leo has not been at his peak since a run to the quarter-final stage of the Irish Derby last year but he is a class act. Bossman Buddy was third in the final of the Irish Laurels last autumn and it will be interesting to see if Craig Morris can bring him back to that sort of form.

1-3-6

Heat 10 - 9.18

An outstanding heat where all sets of connections will have had hopes of the second half of the competition before the draw was done. Glengar Silent was third in the Irish Derby final last year, and while he is without a competitive race since November, he can prove too good. If there are some cobwebs, it could be that Ballinabola Joe can take advantage of. He is an exceptional performer when he gets things right, though consistency is a concern with him. 

5-6-1

Heat 11 - 9.38

Liam Dowling has the favourite in Heat 11 in the form of Ballymac Malinas. A finalist in the Irish Juvenile Classic at Tralee behind his kennelmate Ballymac Deniro, he was knocked over in his second round heat in the Kirby. He has only had five starts, without being able to get his head in front. This could be his time but Slick Sentinel is a wily track specialist who will give him plenty to think about, and it will be interesting to see how the youngster gets on.

6-3-5

Heat 12 - 9.54

Things did not go right for Epic Ace in his final start of 2025, nor his 2026 debut, unable to beat a rival home on either occasion. He is a star on his day though, an Irish Sprint Cup finalist last year, he took the scalp of Bockos Diamond in the opening round of the Irish Derby. He fluffed the start in his trial and the red jacket probably isn't his favourite. Swift Magnison will be waiting on the outside if he makes any mistakes, with Kranky Drake set to power home late to qualify.

1-6-5

Heat 13 - 10.14

Loads of pace on through the middle here with Sole Focus, This Approach and Ballymac Stud all capable of burning to the opening bend. The first named has not got home a couple of times over 483m at Doncaster so he would need a couple of lengths on them turning in as the other pair are stronger. Ballymac Stud seems the likely winner but he is short enough given he has the pace inside him to clear. As long as he turns handy, he should be able to come home the strongest. 

5-4-3

Heat 14 - 10.30

There are plenty who like the chances of Ballymac Duffle going deep in this competition, kicking off his campaign in the final heat on day one. He could have been given a much tougher heat to start off in, so it would be a little bit disappointing if he were not able to turn his 28.59 trial into a winning race debut here. Teddie arrives off the back of the Brighton Belle final where she was runner-up. She looks the main danger with perhaps Malcolm Bosh running on for third.

1-4-5