TRAPRISE - Explosive start to local Derby challenge

The 2021 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby commenced at Shelbourne Park in Dublin last weekend and a local challenge in Ireland’s premier classic could not have gotten off to a more exciting beginning as trainer Pat Guilfoyle’s search for a second title saw Explosive Boy go fastest of twelve Friday heats.

Contesting the second of 25 opening round heats in total, the Produce Stakes and Race Of Champions hero was as short as 7-1 for outright glory and went some way towards justifying those prohibitive odds when swift to stride from trap 4. Made to battle for a one-length early lead by the sharp Stefans Rocket to his inside approaching the bend, Explosive Boy (Good News-Delightful Girl) just avoided a touch to his hind quarters before fully asserting at the top of the back-straight. Doubling his lead to the closing turns, the Guilfoyle star impressed when seeing out the 550-yard Derby trip with great aplomb and stopping the clock in a wonderful 29.47, the Derby favourite commenced his campaign with a highly pleasing and very professional performance.

Just thirty minutes later, Magical Jasper (Head Bound-Laughil Lass) went to trap 2 as favourite for Heat 4 but a poor break saw the wonderful Alice Guilfoyle owned veteran in last position throughout the early exchanges. However, his brave effort to fill fourth behind Triangle Hugo in 29.82 despite third bend crowding would see him advanced as a fastest fourth place finisher, bolstering the Guilfoyle challenge. Staying with the Friday action, Heat 12 saw Sean Kenny’s Gunboat Showman (Laughil Blake-Dynamic Trend) make his debut in the top grade and connections will be greatly pleased following what was a most brave qualifying performance.

Unbalanced for his first strides having reacted well at trap rise, the Borrisoleigh charge was tight for room between runners when in pursuit of the leaders approaching the opening bend. Shuffled back to a share of last place with win hopes dashed, Gunboat Showman rescued his Derby hopes with a powerful gallop along the back-straight.

Still three lengths adrift of a qualifying third at halfway, a sustained effort to the home stretch saw the Kenny stalwart overhaul Callaway Mort for that spot close home before losing out on second by just a neck. With Pennylane Sheba leading throughout a six-length verdict in 29.53, the performance of Gunboat Showman was full of promise and left big scope for improvement this week.

Saturday brought the remaining thirteen heats of the Derby first round and further pleasing performances from our local challengers with firstly, Michael Mackey’s Salmic Sunset (Good News-Mystical Moll) chasing home Swords Maestro in Heat 18.

Gratefully avoiding first bend bumping following a ponderous start from trap 6, the Pat Guilfoyle prospect filled second position from the top of the back-straight for a four and a half-length defeat in 29.51 and remains a largely unexposed Derby contender who could well progress markedly through the event.

Saturday’s Heat 21 delivered the fastest performance of the entire opening round when the Graham Holland trained Jackslittlething posted a blistering 29.10 while clearly primed for his first Derby experience. The heat proved somewhat of a baptism of fire for Karen Murphy’s Trap Joey (Droopys Jet-Mt Heaton Daisy) in what was his Shelbourne Park debut, but the Roscrea charge was unphased as he progressed with great aplomb in third position.

Taking a bump when exiting trap 1, Trap Joey battled brilliantly to defend his position on the rail while tracking Jackslittlething and Athlaccazette around the opening bends. Beaten a total of nine lengths, he was already that margin adrift by halfway and connections will have been very encouraged by his ability to see out the trip in his first excursion over 550 yards.

In a first race outing since scoring on English Derby final night, William Rigney & Richard Brown’s All About Ted (Kinloch Brae-Enable) also made a pleasing start in Heat 23 as the Rathcabbin star recovered from a poor start in trap 6 while advancing to a six length second behind Owen McKenna’s Oaks heroine Susie Sapphire in 29.59, and he can be confidently expected to progress for the outing.

Closing out the Saturday action, there was a further boost to our Derby challenge when Michael Hogan’s Grangeview Mac (Ballymac Best-Portumna West) was a late inclusion as a reserve for Heat 24 and the exciting October 2019 whelp made a bold show in his 550-yard debut.

Breaking just off the pace from trap 3, the Pat Guilfoyle trained pup showed powerful early pace to overhaul favourite Mallogs Marley on the run to the bend. Extending to three lengths at halfway, stamina at the distance would be tested late on and although Grangeview Mac was caught by that rival close home, the big young talent remains open to as much progress as any following his neck defeat in 29.71.

Slippy makes winning debut

The week returned a host of local winners across many venues but unveiling a brace of promising pups, the Slippy Cian @ Stud ON3 525 Stake at Limerick on Saturday saw Daryl O’Lone’s September 2019 pup Dripdropsnackbox (Candlelight King-Balance Sheet) make a winning debut when leading throughout a pleasing first race experience.

Breaking well from trap 1, he comfortably retained command of the rails before extending clear around the opening bends. Completing a two-length victory with the minimum of fuss, the Roscrea prospect posted 29.30 ahead of this week’s semi-finals.

Joining him in the final twelve, Pat Guilfoyle guided Oh Oh Rapido (Ballymac Bolger-Killinan Baby) to a hugely impressive debut score for owners Eoin Flynn & Colin O’Connor. Displaying smart early dash to lead throughout, the January 2020 pup saw out the trip stoutly when posting 28.79 and she looks another smart recruit.