Syd still on course to repeat last year’s Derby heroics as retirement looms
Churchfield Syd, who finished fourth in the Final of last year's StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby behind De Lahdedah, is still on course repeat last year’s heroics and reach this year’s final despite the prospect of retirement on the horizon
Syd still on course to repeat last year’s Derby heroics as retirement looms
Churchfield Syd, who finished fourth in the final of last year's StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby behind De Lahdedah, is still on course repeat last year’s heroics and reach this year’s final despite the prospect of retirement on the horizon, but trainer Richard Rees has been happy with how his star has fared in reaching the quarter-finals and is hopeful of more to come yet.
“Syd is Syd" he said. The first two rounds he did what he had to do, he showed his early pace and was able to make all the running as he does. The other night, everything went wrong for him but he still qualified."
"He relies on his fast start doesn’t he, but it didn’t go his way last week and I thought blimey he’s in a bit of trouble, but he stuck to it well to qualify and he’s just a fantastic dog for us"
Saturday night sees Churchfield Syd, (pictured above making all in the 2nd Round) in trap four which is something of a rarity. Of his previous 44 starts, only two of those have seen him run from trap four, the last of which was back in September 2023 when he finished last in the M Lambe Birmingham Cup Final at Perry Barr behind Brookside Richie. He did however win from trap four on the previous occasion in the heats of that competition, and it’s something that Rees isn’t too worried by.
“He drew four in the final at Perry Barr but it was a scrappy race, there were dogs going left and right and he never got the run of the race. Personally, I think he would ideally like to be in six, but four is ok as he often edges in anyway. With Syd he just has to trap, and if he doesn’t then he’s up against it anyway regardless of what trap he is in. It could have been a lot worse but we are just delighted to be in the quarter-finals”.
“Hopefully, he can come out level with them and his pace can take him round the first bend in front. We’ve never beaten De Lahdedah but he’s a champion anyway, he’s a fantastic greyhound and he’s a bit of a nemesis for us”! Tiffield Tarquin out in six is running out of his skin as well, but it’s the quarter-finals now, they are all good dogs to have reached this stage”
He continued, “If someone had said to us at the start of the competition that you’ll get trap four in the quarter-finals, you’d take that wouldn’t you. He’s in great order so fingers crossed that he can do himself proud again, but I think he can reach the final again. He’s not the fastest dog in the country by any means and he’s not a track record breaker, but we’ve found that the better the class of dog he runs against and can lead, he seems to pull out a bit more".
"If they all go to the bend together and he leads, he can be tough to peg back, but if De Lahdedah get’s a clear run behind him, he beats us and that’s been proven. If he get through to the semis then fantastic, but just to get where we are is unreal”
Having spoken to Rees before the start of the Derby, he said that Churchfield Syd’s last race would be on Derby Final night, whether it be in the final of the Derby itself, or a one off race and he confirmed that this will still be the case.
“Yes, Derby Final night will be his lot. Hopefully it will be in the final itself, that will be the dream ending for him”
