Dominant Derby pair ready to take control
Tuesday August 21 2007
Trainers Paul Hennessy and Owen McKenna enter Saturday's quarter-finals of the Paddypower.com Irish Greyhound Derby in a dominant position.
Between them they account for nine of the 24 survivors in the classic, with just three runs to go.
Hennessy, who has been the leading trainer in the country for some years, has never previously won the Irish Derby, although he won a Scottish Derby with Priceless Rebel.
But he has five strong contenders headed by 10-3 outright favourite Ardkill Jamie, and the well-regarded 12-1 chance Tyrur Gold.
The Gowran handler reports his representatives to be in top order, and anticipates further improvement from both Jamie and Gold.
McKenna, on the other hand, has already won an Irish Derby courtesy of Like A Shot back in 2004, while his father Ger won it on three occasions. Top-ranked of the McKenna challengers is Si Senor, and he is well drawn in trap six on Saturday. But the other three McKenna runners Youllhavetogo, Express Ego and Lughill Jo, have been drawn together in the third heat and Owen said yesterday: "The three of them can go to the bend together, but hopefully they won't get in each others' way and a few of them will make it through."
Next in Paddy Power's betting behind Ardkill Jamie and Si Senor is Farloe Black, also bidding to give trainer Fraser Black a first Irish Derby victory. Like Hennessy, Black has won the Scottish Derby with Droopys Marco.
Meanwhile, one of the greatest sponsorships in Irish greyhound racing has been announced. The O'Connell Drylining Golden Jacket is to be run at Galway over five weekends between November 16 and December 15, and the new classic 575-yard event will have a prize fund of e100,000.
Sponsors Dennis and Marie O'Connell have guaranteed the event for five years in a e500,000 deal that makes this one of the greatest deals ever in the sport. The new event is second only behind the Irish Derby in value, and will be by far the richest event ever staged on the western circuit.
Paddy Power's Derby Betting
10-3 Ardkill Jamie; 11-2 Si Senor; 7 Farloe Black; 8 Goldstar Lee; 12 Tyrur Gold, Ciaras Castle; 14 Express Ego; 16 Groovy Stan; 18 Micks Savings; 20 Youllhavetogo; 25 Jaxerback, Graigues Toss, Nawhobberthadda; 33 bar.
