HOFFA’S THIRD BEND CLOCK ONLY BETTERED BY TAYLOR
Ian Fortune
Coolavanny Hoffa’s third bend clock on Friday evening was sensational and left people questioning whether it was the fastest ever to that point.
Initially, having looked up Pestana’s track record breaking 28.99 run, we felt it might have been the best but there was a nagging feeling that something had gone faster.
It was late into Friday evening when I could confirm that Newinn Taylor had actually gone faster when he posted a scarcely believable 16.79 in the third round of the 2020 Derby. In hindsight, that was some display.
The subsequent Derby champion posted 16.79 off the back of a 3.32 sectional. Hoffa’s Friday night 16.80 was off the back of a 3.38. It also got me think what other greyhounds have gone exceptionally quick. Incredibly, Newinn Taylor also has a 16.80 on his card after posting that mark in the semi-finals of the 2020 Derby.
Of course, Pesatana and Susie Sapphire also came to mind and both are amongst the top five times recorded to the third turn since the clocking mechanism went in.
To save you the hassle of trying to piece together that fastest times, I thought I’d do the hard work for you. Below are the top ten third bend sectionals of the past three years.
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The Fastest of the Fast The Top 10 third bend sectionals for 550yds at Shelbourne Park |
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Greyhound |
When? |
Clock |
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1 |
Newinn Taylor |
Derby – 3rd Round 2020 |
16.79 |
|
=2 |
Newinn Taylor |
Derby – Semi-finals 2020 |
16.80 |
|
=2 |
Coolavanny Hoffa |
Derby – 2nd Round 2022 |
16.80 |
|
4 |
Pestana |
Derby – 2nd Round 2022 (Track Record run) |
16.83 |
|
=5 |
Susie Sapphire |
Derby – Final 2021 |
16.88 |
|
=5 |
Ballymac Ariel |
Derby – 3rd Round 2021 |
16.88 |
|
=7 |
Pestana |
Derby – 3rd Round 2020 |
16.90 |
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=7 |
Pestana |
Derby – Quarter Finals 2020 |
16.90 |
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9 |
Newinn Taylor |
Derby – Quarter Finals 2020 |
16.91 |
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10 |
Glengar Bale |
Derby – 2nd Round 2020 |
16.93 |