AN IRISH HAT TRICK AS JOE FASTEST AT TOWCESTER

Ian Fortune

Six of Ireland’s nine runners progressed from the opening session of second round heats in the Star Sports/ TRC English Greyhound Derby at Towcester on Friday evening. 

Amongst them, Ballinabola Joe, Dynamic Force and Faypoint Susie secured victories in their respective assignments with the first named posting a fastest of the night 28.80 on a track that was rated .20 slow. 

JOE DOMINATES TO GO FASTEST 

Ballinabola Joe proved that his superb opening round success was no fluke when showing massive early speed to get loose in Heat 2, a heat where De Lahdedah was a drifter. 

There was bad traffic at the tail of the field on the opening turn which saw Lennies Desire crash out of the classic. 

In contrast, the Pat Buckley trained Ballinabola Joe went up fast after a reasonable start to take a clear advantage into the bend. De Lahdedah also came away well but had to ride a bump or two into the bend before slipping around in second. 

There was six lengths between the pair down the back straight with De Lahdedah finishing fast to close on the leader. But Brendan Murphy’s Ballinabola Joe was imperious once again and never looked like getting caught as he held on to score by a length and a half in 28.80. 

A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH

Dynamic Force may have missed the kick a beat in Heat 3 but displayed fine pace and track craft to quickly put himself in contention before making a deceive move. 

Only third into the turn, he shot around the outside of the battling Scooby the Boss and That’s It Jack to lead the field into the back straight. 

Behind the front three, Hello Diego and Boylesports Blue were attempting to get into contention. Sadly, Boylesports Blue ran into congestion into the third turn. In contrast, Hello Diego stayed wide before launching a late challenge to grab third. 

Dynamic Force was not for catching out front, however. The Paul Hennessy trained star would go on to beat 

SUSIE MAKES IT TWO FROM TWO

Graham Holland was almost unstoppable last week and he made a great start to the second round with his only runner on the night, Faypoint Susie, coming home in front in Heat 8. 

This was a plucky display from the daughter of Out Of Range, who has a puppy at home, as she followed up her opening round success.  

Breaking smartly, she held a narrow advantage into the bend and continued to dig deep up front to contain the persistent challenge of Fabulous Sonique and Deliveroo by a half length in 29.13. 

TIBET GRABS THIRD TO KNOCK OUT HEIRESS

Ballymac Tibet would successfully make his way into the third round in Heat 6. 

Off the pace for much of the way after opening bend crowding, he stayed on strongly to take third, some eleven and a half lengths behind Romeo Tomcat. In doing so, he reeled in and knocked out the shortest priced of the UK based runners in the Derby, Proper Heiress. 

PEBB MAKES HIS EXIT

After running so well in the opening round, Ballymac Pebb sadly made his exit in Heat 4 behind March On Freddie. 

After mistiming the start, he found himself off the pace in the early yards and was left with little room to race around the opening two bends. He would eventually finish fifth of the five runners.