Track record falls to Ballymac Duffle on the opening night of the Derby

Picture from Star Sports X feed

Duffle hands Dowling a double and the track record

There was some thrilling racing to kick off the Star Sports & Orchestrate Ltd English Greyhound Derby as night one ended with seven winners each for Ireland and the UK, and a new track record for those who waited around for the last of the 14 heats. 

Ballymac Duffle had caught the eye on more than one occasion, looking a strong stayer over four bends. Once he had bounced out right on the speed, there was always going to be a decent clock coming. There will be much stiffer tests ahead for him but it was a stunning start to his Derby campaign, and it feels unlikely to be the only time that we see the clock fall during the competition. 28.37 is now the target to aim at.

It was a quickfire double at the end of the card for Dowling as Ballymac Stud had impressed in the race prior, stoping the clock in 28.70. Although the time was slower, the pace that he had to clear inside of him means that this is a performance that needs to be marked up a little bit heading into next week.

Three other trainers picked up a double on the opening night, including Pat Buckley. One of the most anticipated runners in the Derby this year is Glengar Kane and he opened up his campaign with a 28.60 success. He was not the quickest into stride so there is time to come off that, even more so when you consider that he had not seen race action since December. It was no surprise to see him made second favourite with the sponsors behind Ballymac Duffle after last night.

Singalong Polly picked up the other Buckley success, although it came in the same contest where their Grouchos Jack was knocked out. Jack has all the pace in the world but lacks a bit of nous at present, he'll be back. The winner showed an excellent attitude to get herself back to the front late on after showing the best pace to the split.

Patrick Janssens kicked off his double with a success for Slick Skylark. She was arguably helped by Faypoint Harvey and Droopys Aladdin getting in the way of one another one more than one occasion but credit to her for getting herself into a position to take advantage of that. 28.92 was her winning time, hitting the line strongly. 

Slick Sentinel made it a double for Janssens and owner Keith Allsop, his experience around this track proving a big plus for him. Ballymac Malinas was sent off as favourite but he suffered a similar fate to Grouchos Jack earlier on in the night, undone by inexperience after showing serious pace. Slick Sentinel was a semi-finalist in this competition last year and made an excellent 28.79 start. 

One final trainer to pick up a double on the night was Paul Young. His first would have been a bit of a surprise to some but having been 20/1 in the morning, Gav Nificent was sent off at less than half those odds, leading up the inside runners which allowed him to slip up the inside of Bockos Buster and Bockos Diamond, with both of those ending up out of the competition. 29.19 was his winning time.

There have been some very smart efforts at Hove of late from Droopys Alldeway and he brought that form over to Towcester to pick up his opening round heat in 28.85. He had to be a little bit patient to wait for the right time but once the opportunity was presented to him, he took it with aplomb. 

A winner on the night was expected for Mike Burton, though many would have believed it would be Droopys Aladdin rather than Carrick Scholsey. A strong stayer, he has won over six bends for his current handler, and once he popped out in front, things were over for his rivals. Third in the Irish Derby Plate last year, he has taken to Towcester well, breaking the beam in 28.68. 

No bigger noise was made on the night than by the team accompanying the John Kennedy-trained Epic Ace. He fluffed the start but showed really decent middle gears to force himself to the front at the third bend. Capable of a much quicker exit, he can build on this 28.71 success.

Arguably the most impressive performance from a visual standpoint was that of Richard Rees's Texas Jack. Once Scooby The Lady had gone around in front, most believed it to be all over but her kennelmate loomed up as they exited the back to grab her late on. To her credit she battled on well behind the 28.68 winner but he proved too strong. He is a multiple Category One finalist himself and is now a 40/1 shot with Star Sports.

The opening heat of the night went to Paul Hennessy and Priceless Romeo. He took the lead from Silverhill Adam at the end of the backstraight and then had to dig really deep to hold off the late challenge of Dowling's Ballymac Ralf who took a while to find his feet but powered home in taking fashion. 28.79 was the winning time.  

It would not have felt like the English Derby without a winner for Graham Holland. Swords Style was the one to provide it, producing a 28.86 win. The Time Greyhound Nutrition Juvenile winner was chased home by his kennelmate Donishall Sam, always just doing enough to hold off the challenge.

The shortest-priced one turned over on the night was Lennies Eddie. He had been impressive in a pair of trial stake wins but he had no answer to the early pace of Salacres Lock Up. Peter Harnden's winner has been coming on leaps and bounds in recent starts, stopping the clock at 28.84.

Young, Locke and Burr all with trebles at Romford

Away from Towcester, there were three winners each for Paul Young, Maxine Locke and Paul Burr at Romford as the first pair continue to pull clear at the top of the table for most open race winners this year. 

Young's came from Miami Sapphire in a sprint, Bubbly Crusader over four bends and Bubbly Flame over six. The middle of those was winning for the fourth straight time, and his consistency is spectacular. He stopped the clock in 23.80 last night after wins of 23.81, 23.79 and 23.83! 

Mystical Batman made is 2/2 since being stepped up to six bends for Locke. Headford Sarah was the biggest priced winner on the card when she scored at 12/1. She also produced the quickest 400m time on the night with a 23.78. Droopys Rarity was the final leg of the treble. 

The Burr treble began in the opening race on the night with Zinedine Zedog, concluded in the final race of the night with Swift Fly and added Bacon Frazzles in the middle for good measure. 

Three other open races on the card went to Katie O'Flaherty's Velvet Rolo, Unmistakable for Martyn Wiley and False Strap for Tony Dean.

 Sheeran flies around Sunderland

Three opens at Sunderland last night were over three different distances. The sprint went to Bower Sheeran who clocked the third quickest time of the year. It. was more impressive from Tom Heilbron's dog as he did not come away in the fashion that he is capable of and had to force his way up the inside at the bend, yet was only five spots off his quickest of 2026.

Carl Jackson took the 450m contest with Frankies Lion. He produced a very taking debut win in a puppy contest, showing all-around pace. His 27.34 was a rock-solid run for a first start, and could well be one to follow around the north for the rest of the year.

The other open was a staying contest which was won by Jeimmy Fenwick's Zenith Magic. He was a winner in the opening round of the Arena Racing Company Grand Prix over track and trip back in early April but was allowed to go off at 7/1, grabbing the lead at the third bend and never looking back.