Runner-by-runner guide for Saturday’s Greyhound Derby at Towcester
Published:
Droopys Verve is the favourite
The Greyhound Derby takes place at Towcester for just the second time on Saturday evening, with Droopys Verve the 13/8 favourite.
First run in 1927, the Derby is the richest greyhound race in the world with total prize money exceeding £350,000 last year.
It was originally run at White City but transferred to Wimbledon in 1985 and then Towcester last year following the demolition of the course in South London.
The Coral News Team have run the rule over this year’s contenders and provided a runner-by-runner guide to the 9:07pm showpiece…
It’s easy to see why Droopys Verve is so fancied for the Derby. Angela Harrison’s one-year-old loves it around Towcester. She’s won seven of her last eight starts at the Northamptonshire course and showed the best form in the quarter and semi-finals.
She’s clocked times of 28.76, 28.88 and 28.91 in her last three runs. None of her contenders on Saturday evening can match that consistency against the stopwatch. A perfect draw in gate four further enhances her claims.
Though only second in his semi-final, Dorotas Wildcat is widely considered the second-favourite for the race. However, his position in gate three dampens our enthusiasm.
Kevin Hutton’s charge has chalked up her last four victories out of gate one or two. Not since a narrow success in the final of the Eclipse Stakes last November has the raider triumphed from gates 3-6.
A time of 28.79 in his third round heat gives him some hope, but the Coral News Team think it might just be too big an ask at Towcester on Saturday.
Bruisers Bullet isn’t a regular in the winner’s enclosure, but he does trouble the places. Mark Wallis’ hopeful has finished runner-up or better on four of his last five runs around the course.
A third-place finish in the weaker heat last time out does little to inspire confidence, though. And it’s hard to see the three-year-old challenging here.
There’s plenty to like about Whoops Jack. The lightly raced two-year-old sprung a surprise in his semi-final when coming home first at 6/1 ahead of fancied pair Dorotas Wildcat and Bruisers Bullet.
He showed a big improvement from his run in the heats. And having clocked a time of 29.04 around the Towcester track in mid-May, there’s reason to suggest he could trouble the places at enticing odds.
Bombers Bullet nudged inside the late 28s mark in the first heat but has failed to impress since. A difficult draw in the final for the two-year-old doesn’t help his cause.
Trainer Charlie Lister has won the Derby a record-breaking seven times but stands little hope with outsider Dorotas Vic. The two-year-old could only finish third in both his quarter and semi-finals. He has plenty to make up on the favourites if he wants to cause what would be a huge shock on Saturday.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
