A total of 120 names went into the hat for the first round heats of the ETS Irish Greyhound Derby and leading the charge from the Clare point of view is Pat Curtin who has three runners in the field.

 

Winner of the Classic with Shelboune Aston in 2008, he is represented this year by Kereight King and Johnny Star, who are dreawn in heat 12 on Saturday night and Whizzing Arouid in heat 15, on the same night.
A reserve for the first round heats on Thursday night is Shelbourne Jeff, also coming from the Pat Curtin kennels.

The West Clare man’s banker will be Kereight King, owned by Pat, Mullagh native Peter Montgomerie, jump jockey, Tony McCoy and two Galway natives. He was injured when qualifying for the third round of the English Derby but is coming back to his best and recorded a 28.15 trial in Shelbourne Park on August 1. He runs in a very competitive heat 12, which includes Johnny Star, which he trains for Johnny Lowe, Oldham Borna Gem, Farloe Trent and Holdem Spy. Johnny’s Star clocked 28.50 for his Shelbourne Park trial run.

Owned and trained by Pat Curtin, Whizzing Around runs from trap one, in heat 15, on Saturday night. In trap three, in the same heat, is Carrowgariff, owned in Gort by Eleanaor Mullins and Eimear Curtin.
Owners, Dave Buckey and Sean Meade, Annagh, Miltown Malbay will be hoping that their in-form Paradise Madison will feature prominently and will be involed in the final shake up. Winner of the Champion Stakes recently, he is one of the fancied runners at 10/1. He runs from trap two, in heat three, on Thursday nigtt with Sidaz Eagle (Westmead Hawk-Soviey Cheyenne) whose Englished based owners won the English Derby with Sidaz Jack, bred by Gerry Moloney (Ennis).

Another Clareman hoping for an extended run in the classic is Michael Casey with Mall Brandy, a litter brother of Paradise Madison. Trained by Martin Fahy, the Galway track record holder will have his outing on Thursday night from trap five, in heat two. Gort owners, Eleanaor Mullins and Master Mark Curtin, have Stone Boy King in heat four on Thursday night.

An interesting clash on Saturday night in heat 16 is that of old rivals and English Derby finalists Droopys Jet and Ballymmac Vic.
The Frances O’Donnell trained Skywalker Puma (heat eight on Thursday night) is the 9/1 favourite to defend his title.

Four will qualify from heats 4, 6, 14 and 17 for the second round with five qualifying from the remaining 16 heats.
Second round heats will be on August 15 and 17; the third round on August 24, quarter finals on August 31, semi-finals on September 7 with a September 14 date for the final. There is a totalof €240,00 in prizemoney with €125,000 going to the winner.

Bypass Joe exits

Ennis owners, Paddy and Kevin Darcy were out of luck in Dundalk last Saturday night when their Pat Guuillfoyle-trained Bypass Joe just failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the Bar One Racing Irish Sprint Cup open 400. He was beaten a head into fourth place in heat two of the quarter finals.