The 2014 Irish Greyhound Derby is now well under way, and the semi finals are set to take place this Saturday at Shelbourne Park. Laughil Blake has arguably been the most impressive greyhound in the competition thus far and was quite simply devastating in round three when winning by a full eight lengths from Vulturi in a time of 29.43. Michael O’Donovan has been draw in trap six in the first semi final on Saturday evening and as the sole wide runner in the race, should have every chance of making it through to this year’s final. Betfred are the only bookmaker to have priced up these races early and they make Laughil a 6/5 chance to progress as the winner, but I feel the one dog Tyrur Sugar Ray may be a touch of value at 2/1. The veteran actually clocked a better time than the favourite this past weekend and while Laughil Blake should continue to improve, it could well be Sugar Ray that gets the better of the argument in this particular heat. Both these greyhounds should make it through and do battle once more in the Irish Greyhound Derby Final on September 13th.
The second semi final appears to be a more open affair, with the only likely no hoper being 25/1 chance Ivy Hill Prince. This year’s Derby really is all about the older dogs and we have another experienced greyhound as favourite for this race, as Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Vic heads the betting at odds of 2/1. Ballymac led from pillar to post in the quarter finals to beat the fast finishing Borneo by three parts of a length and should go well once again this weekend. Dowling’s other runner in this contest is Vulturi and he was visually very impressive when beating Emers Superstar by six and a half lengths last time. I think this exciting young greyhound can pounce late and just pip his kennel mate in the closing stages, but I expect the pair of them to make it through.
Betfred’s outright market sees Laughil Blake as the 5/2 favourite, with Tyrur Sugar Ray next in the betting at 4/1. Ballymac Vic can be backed at 5/1, Vulturi is on offer at 6’s, and it’s 8/1 bar those four. I personally have a sneaky feeling for Vulturi, and he looks a value play at this stage against the market principles.
2014 Irish Greyhound Derby Semi Final Draw
Heat 1
Trap 1 Tyrur Sugar Ray
Trap 2 Barefoot Agent
Trap 3 Emers Superstar
Trap 4 Droopys Ward
Trap 5 Homeless Boy
Trap 6 Laughil Blake (w)
Heat 2
Trap 1 Ballymac Vic
Trap 2 Deanridge Pennys
Trap 3 Ivy Hill Prince
Trap 4 Vulturi
Trap 5 Borneo (m)
Trap 6 Skywalker Farloe (w)