IT’S ALRIGHT FOR JACK
WHOOPS JACK (9.07) can win the £175,000 Star Sports English Greyhound Derby – the world’s greatest and richest greyhound race – for Ireland at Towcester tonight.
The Peter Cronin-trained racer, 6-1 with the sponsors after the draw on Wednesday in London which saw Dublin publican Larry O’Shea’s dog pull out the striped jacket, is blessed with a fantastic early turn of foot.
So far in the six-round Greyhound Derby, Whoops Jack is joint-fastest to the sectional mark (5.09sec).
Last year – the first running in the event’s 90-year history staged at Towcester – 28-1 chance Astute Missile landed a
surprise, and another shock cannot be ruled out given that outsider Dorotas Vic is trained by legendary trainer Charlie Lister , who holds the record of seven Greyhound Derby wins.
Champion trainer Mark Wallis runs a couple of powerhouse performers in Bombers Bullet and Bruisers Bullet, who carry the hopes of the owning syndicate known as The Bruiser Boyz. Either can win if things fall into place.
The same applies to the pride of the North East in Angela Harrison’s Droopys Verve, who lines up the youngest runner in the Derby and has been fastest at Towcester this year, getting close to the track record in a third-round demolition of his rivals. He has been faultless.
Victory for Dorotas Wildcat will spark some emotional scenes, given his trainer Kevin Hutton suffered a break-in at his kennels a fortnight ago and one of the five greyhounds stolen is still missing.
Watch the Wildcat go as soon as his paws touch the sand – he’s amazing.
It really is a final where a case can be made for all six. However, the value could lie with the Irish representative whose trainer Cronin has gone close to English Derby glory before with Crokers Champ third in 2014 and Tynwald Bish second in 2015, both at
Wimbledon. 6.29 6.48 7.08 7.26 7.47 8.05