Trial clues for the Star Sports Derby before entries close

With the opening round of the 2025 Star Sports Greyhound Derby starting on May 8, there will still be time later on this week for finishing touches to be made to preparations. Patrick Janssens has already said that he is taking advantage of some more trial time ahead of the first round but these are the trials ahead of the Derby closing to entries. 

Tuesday, April 22

Plenty of interest on Tuesday with Patrick Janssens, Maxine Locke and Nathan Hunt all with big guns in action. Janssens had the track record holder Barntick Bear in action as well as the 2023 Derby runner-up Romeo Command amongst others.

Locke had a semi-finalist in the Derby last year with Droopys Pivotel, missing out on a spot in the decider by a length. Cooliogold was another who had a solid run though the competition for the Bonville team last year, producing a solid run in his trial. Ballymac Axel has some shrewd fans in his corner ahead of the Derby and they will have been delighted with his sprint trial. 

It was Hunt's Scooby The Boss who was quickest, backing up his final appearance in the Kent Plate. Icemans Girl was also in action for Hunt and while her trial wasn't a flyer on the clock, she has not raced since January and it was her first look at the track since before Christmas.

Thursday, April 24

With the track running slow on Thursday there were no flashy times on show but Glory Lord went close to 29-dead on his calculated time. A 28.23 winner on his final start at Shelbourne earlier this month, he showed plenty in 500m action.

Druids All Go was a Derby Plate finalist last year after exiting the main event in the third round. He looked in good nick with a smart sprint trial. He was five spots quicker than Flashing Fender who has to be one of the smartest maidens out there at the moment. 

Friday, April 25

The 2024 English Puppy Derby winner Bombay Birch was in trial action again on Friday. He was unable to reel in Le Pur Sang but he has not been seen in race action since February 1 so he is going to be building back up to full fitness. 

Teejays Chelms was again a hugely impressive winner of a sprint trial, 17 spots off Aero Sacundai's track record. A big money purchase from the recent Derby sales at Towcester, he only had eight starts in Ireland at the backend of last year.

Mark Wallis had Kilmore Dancer and Table Toppers show up well in sprint trials. The latter won the Blue Riband back in January and has shown plenty of his best form at the track. Oaks finalist Chamberlain Kate was also in action as she works her way back from seasonal rest. 

Saturday, April 26

A busy Saturday session with Jaytee Craze setting the standard. Given his stamina, anything within three lengths of what he is producing in trials can see him go a long way. Thats It Jack was the only other to dip under 29 seconds. Limerick's 575y track record holder has recently joined the kennel of Dean Blackbird.

Droopys Extragud has shown himself to be a solid competition dog over the past year, including making the Juvenile Classic Final over the 500m distance at Towcester last July. He was in sprint action. 

Sunday, April 27

Just four solo trials on Sunday but they included the first appearance on an English track of Bubbly Charger. Third in the recent Con & Annie Kirby Memorial at Limerick, he was quickest to the split on a slightly slow track. He was joined by his kennelmate Pain Barrier who was fifth in that same final. The other two triallists were for Graham Holland with Riverside Pingu inching out Bubbly Charger for the fastest of the session.