TOWCESTER COUNTDOWN

Ian Fortune

It’s that time of year when the Irish start to eye up the biggest prize in UK greyhound racing, the Star Sports & Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby.

Preparations are well underway at Towcester and it has been announced that the first series of trial stakes will be held at the Northamptonshire venuefrom March 15.

As detailed in a piece by Matt Newman on greyhoundnewsuk.com, there will be a total of six weeks of trial stakes, running every Sunday from March 15^th to April 19th.

The classic actually begins on Thursday, April 30, and entries close on Monday, April 20 with the draw to take place four days later at Towcester Friday, April 24. As always, the opening round will run across three nights Thursday, Friday and Saturday (April 30^th - May 2^nd).

Of course, the Irish have been dominant in the competition in recent years, winning five of the last seven renewals although it was the Patrick Janssens trained Droopys Plunge that upset the odds to win for the home team last year.

Have no doubt, the Irish will be on a mission to recapture the title this year with many of our top kennels again likely to target the classic.

DERBY DATES

Star Sports & Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby

Entries Close –April 20^th

Opening round draw – April 24^th

Opening round –April 30^th-May 2^nd

Second round – May8^th and 9^th

Third round– May 16^th

Quarter-finals– May 23^rd

Semi-finals– May 30^th

Final– June 6^th