DIAMOND DAZZLES AT TOWCESTER AS IRELAND TAKE 6 HEATS
Ian Fortune
Ireland tightened their grip on the Star Sports/ TRC English Greyhound Derby at Towcester on Saturday night, accounting for six of the eight heat winners as the second round of the classic came to a conclusion.
The headlines belonged to Bockos Diamond as he produced a stunning run to justify his position at the head of the market, although his kennel companions Bombay Pat and Cheap Sandwiches were also hugely impressive in their respective assignments.
A SPARKLING RUN FROM THE DERBY CHAMP
Bockos Diamond is a step closer to creating history after he produced a scintillating display to win Heat 5 in the style of a greyhound that is going to be very hard to stop in around Towcester.
It was all very easy for the stunning Boylesports Derby champion.
Showing his trademark early speed, he was a mile clear by the corner and continued to stretch clear of his rivals into the third turn. It was little more than a procession for the incredible son of Dorotas Wildcat and he would eventually come home over five lengths clear of Rackethall Brute in a second fastest of the competition 28.51.
PAT GOES FAST
Bombay Pat was away faster than seven days earlier and it allowed him take charge into the turn.
Prince Naseem broke fastest to lead in the early yards but Bombay Pat shot past him into the turn to assert at the head of affairs.
It was all very straightforward thereafter. Prince Naseem ran an incredible race in second for Kim Bergin but Bombay Pat would emerge a comfortable three and a quarter length winner in a sizzling 28.53.
MIO COMES HOME SOLO
Sole Mio made light work of his task in Heat 9, the first of the evening.
The Peter Cronin trained Kirby Memorial runner-up broke smartly and soon blasted his way to the front. Slingshot Sam gave chase but Sole Mio broke his heart down the back straight.
Instead, Wrighty stayed on well to take second but Sole Mio was in a league of his own, emerging a near seven length scorer in 28.91.
BUBBLY IS TURBO CHARGED
After the successes of Sole Mio and Bombay Pat in the opening two heats, Bubbly Charger made it three from three for the Irish in Heat 11 when dominating after a flying start from four.
The Brendan Matthews trained star was third in the Kirby Memorial and that sort of quality was evident as he stetched clear of his pursuers to emerge a comfortable near two length winner over No Better Feelin in 28.93.
Barefoot On Fire was a good third after finding a little traffic, just another length further back. There was an Irish runner eliminated in this contest with Crokers Planet failing to land a blow before finishing at the tail of the field.
SANDWICHES HITS THE SPOT
Cheap Sandwiches ended the night on a high for the Irish, showing all his class to better his kennel companion Faypoint Harvey and the Paul Hennessy trained Jaytee Craze.
Sadly, 2024 runner-up Boylepsorts Bob found all sorts of traffic before finishing at the tail of the field.
Faypoint Harvey rocketed from the inside box but couldn’t match Cheap Sandwiches for brute early speed. Charging into the turn, the Irish Derby runner-up rounded Faypoint Harvey to enter the back straight in front.
In doing so, he put the result beyond doubt. He would eventually go on to score by a length and a half from Faypoint Harvey in 28.65. Jaytee Craze was another length and a half further back in third.