GREYHOUND DERBY 2026: Kaan Hughes’ First Round Betting Report

Our Head of On-Course, Kaan Hughes, reflects on all the betting action from the first round of the Greyhound Derby…

 GREYHOUND DERBY ANTE-POST 

 GREYHOUND DERBY SPECIALS  

 STARSPORTS.BET GREYHOUND BETTING 

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FRIDAY

So here we are, another year has passed, and the sun is shining just in time for the opening heat of the 2026 Star Sports Greyhound Derby. What will this year bring? That we are about to find out.

We arrive a day early, no we didn’t get the wrong date thinking the first batch of heats still started on Thursday, but we had new kit courtesy of Track Gear, who provide on course betting equipment. We had our betting joint newly sprayed and had arrived in anticipation to set everything up for the next six weeks of action and to ensure everything was tickety-boo!

Heat 1 was a little slow to get going, and a couple of gremlins (that’s why we turned up yesterday…) were in the system but thankfully we got the bets that were floating around. Ballymac Ralf was a small loser, Priceless Romeo half the amount, not anything to have us ducking this early, but when Priceless Romeo beat home Ballymac Ralf we did think that this may be a repeat of last year. Roll up, roll up, who wants any money we are here to provide!

Heat 2 provided us with our first shorty of the night, Glengar Kane in a five-dog heat bet into 1/2, hopefully things would pick up, as we held £2525, and £2420 was on the former, who obliged. Some may say why would we want it to pick up if the dogs being bet are winning, well we want to field money on all the dogs and hopefully get a result.

Heat 3 Scooby The Lady was well backed all week, but this race was friendless, Deliah come back, where are you? Let’s be having you! A grand total of 8 bets, 8! £400 fielded. Now as you may know if attending the track, we bet without too, we did 10 slips there and took £400 in that market. Texas Jack won with only £20 struck on him at 6/1 all in. A winning race but this has to pick up!

Heat 4 and things look like they are about to pick up. Grouchos Jack opens odds against and is well supported, throughout the parade and by post time we have him as a £4390 loser, we also hold £1180 at 9/4 Unassuming in T1 who will be a small winner but if we can find something elsewhere this will get things going. I bet without the front two here and Singalong Polly attracted £350 at 11/8 across some bets. Polly went ping, and was never in any danger, a small loser behind but a strong winning race for the book.

Heat 5 seems to be quiet, are punters licking their wounds, or can they not make their mind up with Droopys Aladdin moving in the market. Will we get him in, the short answer is no we took a grand total of £687 on the race and only £200 on him, we had Faypoint Harvey and Longacres Daddy at a price as losers, Slick Skylark winning was a £500 welcome addition across the books.

Heat 6 Swords Style recent big race winner was strongly bet from 4/6 into 1/2 and saw us have him losing around £1000 as a spread of bets were seen for Teejays Buddy. A decent start saw the former race away, but there were a few moments late which gave favourite backers a worry but he held on and we gave just over £1000 back to the punters basking in the sunshine.

Heat 7 Droopys Graph was chalked up with a solid reputation, but there was money for one dog, and one dog only and that was Carrick Scholsey around 3/1 and closing at 9/4, field money of £2522, it was one way traffic and the stands erupted as he exploded from the cans and never looked in a moments worry and £5395 was being counted out by yours truly, at least it’s sunny echoed around.

Heat 8 the talking dog, last year’s favourite, the Irish Derby Champion, Bockos Diamond, unsighted since last year and bet into 4/9. Coloursaregreen second in also saw good money around 7/2. We fielded £4041 and needed a bit of luck. Bockos Diamond missed his break, but showed his explosive speed into the corner, trying forcefully to get around the field, Coloursaregreen was edging across to the rails but with a troublesome race, Gav Nificent took charge and saw us pocket £3838.

Heat 9 a five runner affair saw Lennies Eddie open up odds on and if I described a swarm of bees around a honey pot, you get the picture of our pitch on this heat and relentless money whilst trying to keep up with the prices and customers saw us take £5490 on the jolly who went off 2/5. We won’t start asking for ‘one-times’ this early, but do us a favour. Salacres Lock Up with some eye catching trials was over looked in the market and a smash break saw him race into the bend and never looked under any pressure. A welcome result with good field money saw us keep most of it. £92 was struck across the winner around 7/1.

Heat 10, it’s just past 9pm, the sun has lowered in the distance, lofty is considering taking photos of the sunset, but it’s not to his taste, apparently ‘got a better on in the week’. We will see, 6 weeks to go! Right a good heat with plenty of opinion here, we really want to get Glengar Silent in the book, we think Ballinabola Joe is a tad too big, but the aim is to fill the hod with as much as we can around 4/6 Glengar. A little tinker of bets across the field with a warm £700 at 10/1 Trap 2 Shudacudawouda, bits and pieces elsewhere, but relentless at the price for the jolly of £6235. Lids rise and the market principals have walked out, chances! Into the bend and the bogeys are all at the rear, but this is greyhound racing, but far too much to do and Droopys Alldeway took charge at the third bend and won well and we copped it in both books.

Heat 11 and get this on record, we got something right. That won’t last. Ballymac Malinas we both looked at each other and after seeing some good money Ante Post, we couldn’t believe the prices people wanted to back this dog at so we didn’t need to force the price. A queue was forming, lofty was tapping and I was throwing money into the hod by the second, to the point we looked and had the favourite losing over £7000 in the book. We then saw a spread of more money for Slick Sentinel who we wanted on side at 7/4, we need something in some of these heats. Last years biggest Ante Post bogey Slick Sentinel never had a moments worry when he made a great start from the boxes as he is very strong over this trip, and the big loser made what was politely known as a poor start and never had any chance of picking up the leader, right this is unprecedented, we are winning on the opening round of the Greyhound Derby. I’m going to lean on the rail and have a sip of my drink, Loftys had a sip of his Pepsi and we are admiring what a great venue this is for atmosphere when the suns out and the stands are full. Enough now, we can soon be sat back down moaning how bad it is when one gets up and does us on the line.

Heat 12 was upon us. Now, I spend more time on horse tracks than I do dog tracks these days, so become very selective if I do have a bet, but Epic Ace for me was far too big, and I obliged to have a bit myself at the prices earlier in the week. Myself and Lofty agreed, this isn’t always the norm, is there a doctor in the house to check temperatures? We agreed to let the book do the talking, not go after anything but try not to give this all back down the stretch, hoping here the money would be for Swift Magnison in the stripes. Thankfully that seemed to be the case as we saw a couple bigger bets that stood us losing £5000 on the mentioned Swift Magnison, (so much for not giving it all back) and everything else a nice winner. Swift Magnison broke very well out wide and showed good zip, but Epic Ace ran the most incredible bend and took off from the second bend too lead off the third. Kranky Drake gave me a personal worry and was very eye catching late on, but the book was looking in very good shape, that is not often the case in the early rounds.

Heat 13, the penultimate, the last but one, whatever you want to call it, but it’s been a marathon tonight and the temperature has begun to drop, in fact in Towcester’s on climate as we know it, friend of the industry Liz has had to vacate the premises as she was starting catch frost bite! A quieter betting ring around us, maybe the temperature had got to all. In fairness I think they were keeping warm inside, but we didn’t field a £1000 in this heat. Ballymac Stud was sent off 2/5 and This approach was a small loser at 5/2. But a £1000 loser betting without at 4/6. Ballymac Stud won the race comfortably, and was a pleasure to watch. A losing race, but not too much damage.

Heat 14, the lucky last and Ballymac Duffle a warm 2/7 shot what would it bring, how busy would we be betting without, not very was the answer but we took a couple of bigger bets at the prices on the jolly at held just under £5000, managing to cap the night off by knocking out £1500.

A solid nights work, and a rare winning opening night. Normally at this point we’d exit the stage left and stick on D:Ream things can only get better, not tonight ladies and gentleman, this is rare territory and we are going to live off of it. Crank up the volume Kenny Rogers is on, The Gambler is playing, and as he once sang ‘There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealing’s done’.

Same time tomorrow, ladies and gentleman!

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SATURDAY

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, Saturday night’s alright…Well, have you seen the forecast I’m not so sure it is going to be alright. I arrived with enough time to organise myself, and take a good mooch around. I managed to bump into, literally ‘Strike It Skye’ on her arrival as she was being walked around and then launched herself at me and gave me the best dog cuddle, what a beautiful lady she is.

The sun was still out at this stage, but the air had changed, you just knew what was on it’s way when I got a message to say the rest of the Goodwood card had been abandoned due to water lying on the track.

Heat 15 the opening race on night 2 of the first round was a six runner affair where Ello Ello had been a drifter all week, Slippery Brian was well supported and if things were going to proceed for the rest of this card how the opener started this is going to an interesting night, and couple of big hitters stepped up very quickly and bet 11/8, 5/4, Evens, 4/5, 8/11 relentless. How’s the book looking, oh we have the jolly for the sum of over £10k. Anybody want to bet anything else? Ello Ello? A total sum of £1720 on the selection, what a book…A winner but only one loser, and a big loser at that. Start as you mean to go on? Let’s hope not, lids rise, bingo the bogey has raced clear into the bend and looked to be running away. Ballymac Kobe who also saw bits and pieces of money gave us a late carrot dangled but failed to get up and was beaten a head. On the back foot, the derby opening rounds as we know it!

Heat 16 one of the Ante Post favourites Ballymac Setanta who had not had a look round due to going all the way in the Kirby in Ireland was lining up here and was 2/5, but within minutes of the first race finishing, storm Towcester as I’m going to name it completely opened up on us and customers were running for cover. Money already soaked, rain lashing sideways, brilliant, just what we need after that start. It’s not all rosy, and remember when we were singing in the sunshine yesterday? 24 hours is a longtime in politics as they say? Same cane be said for this sport. 7 bets taken here due to the weather, not great, even worse when the jolly has exited the competition and we’ve not taken any bet of note because everyone was still ducking the rain.

Heat 17 much can be said the same. Another short one, Cheap Sandwiches who we want to lay, and I’m genuinely thinking about carrying the betting board on my back into the stands and standing on the bar offering prices. 11 bets taken, one bet of £1000 on Lennies Desire. Droopys Berries wins the race, Cheap Sandwiches only just qualifies after completely messing the start up and we’re starting to think it’s just going to be one of those nights. As we so often say, the results will not always tell a story of how we’ve done. You can’t choose what they bet, but you also cannot do much when the weather is like a tropical rain storm!

Heat 18 and I was sweet on Soap Suds, I think she has plenty of speed. A good business heat, as the rain calmed down slightly, but Zenith Jimbombom was the loser where a host of bets totalled just over £2k at 7/4 before taking a drift, and then late money from Gaytime Clyde who was still a small winner but earning a cup of tea. Gaytime Clyde got the job done when he led Soapy Suds into the bend and it was that way they finished.

Heat 19 a five runner race which looked a near match with Garfiney Warrior and Droopys Deploy, but the former with stronger claims. Business had picked up again with only a fine mist of rain, Lofty now in his waterproofs after claiming to me he had to get rid of his trousers due to how wet they’d become, I hope the sun doesn’t come out, or he’ll be in his undies, and we don’t need that in the opening round! Garfiney proved the popular selection and we held just over £3k of money and had him the only loser. Was this the come back? When Kellies Emerald obliged we had hopes!

Heat 20 the race I was looking forward to, Strike It Skye v Hackney Corner amongst others, but they set the bar in this race. The market favoured Hackney Corner who was there to be bet at 5/6 and 4/5 when the weight of money came in. We also laid the former at 6/4 which we can now describe as a good book because of damage limitation, but a great result if something else could do us a turn was. It wasn’t to be, Hackney Corner came out well and after a small bump got away, but the little pocket rocket Strike It Skye gave her all in behind trying to find the right line, but couldn’t get past and we lost around £1000 on the race.

Heat 21 very much the same as the last you have the front two and not much help in behind based on market prices. We knew we’d be busy here as the big hitters were ready to pounce and so they did we opened up 4/6 which didn’t last long with the size of bets coming in. By the time we managed to change the price, we stood Goldcash Warrior for £7k, we were struggling to lay the others, and we needed a bit of luck from the lids as the biggest danger hadn’t shown much early pace of late. He got a better start, but the well supported jolly drove the bend and raced clear and never looked in any doubt to our disappointment and it was case of me trying to put together all this money in bundles that was absolutely soaked, I mean from an on course bookmakers point of view, it’s arguably the worst thing to deal with, wet money, this new stuff they made is awful. Friendly bit of advice from the bank lady I dealt with the other day, don’t microwave it, needless to say we hadn’t tried it, we shrink our float enough without the need of a microwave!

Heat 22 Ballymac Deniro would open up favourite here, but to our surprise all the money came from Low Profile in the blue of two, and we had a friendly book winning or losing £2k. Arguably the best performance of the night, Ballymac Deniro after having a sleep in the boxes, circled the field and won going away. Mouthwatering stuff, that’s what gets the juices flowing.

Heat 23 the leading UK hope, Proper Heiress steps up to the stage here and we managed to lay a bit of 4/6 in the ring to the tune of £1670, we then laid more business to Lennies Dynamic around a host of customers at an average of 5/2 to the sum of £2530, then a £300 bet at 25/1 Down To the Wire, what a book we both muttered whilst moaning about the weather, how hungry we were and how we were clawing it back to knock it back out again. It’s not often from a bookmakers point of view we get to cheer Proper Heiress on so to see him win and cop £1836 on the race was a nice moment.

Heat 24 and these races just keep delivering, next up Underground Gold v Romeo Tomcat who is one of our biggest Ante Post losers and sits heavily in the red for over £60k. We just want to lay them both and let someone do the talking for us. At the off we had Tomcat losing £1100, Gold winning £1300 and the rest winning just over £4k, that’s also described as a good book. The latter winning was a nice result and Lofty got it in the ear from one of the owners about the panel dissing his dog at the preview evening, we’d even given him top price and still gave Lofty both barrels!

Heat 25 the rain has now fizzled off, so has most of our profit from the opening round, but this is the Derby you just have to smile and get on with it, it’s the greatest six weeks in the British greyhound racing calendar, if you can’t then step aside. Yorkie Ollie was opened up favourite here and one we wanted to lay as he absolutely does not want to be in red, and hopefully we could claw some back. We did field a bit of money for him, but not to the size of some earlier bets and when Rebel Alaska won we managed to cop around £1000.

Heat 26 and another of those ‘matches’ this time in a five runner race, where Romeo Empire would take favouritism over Lennies Tank in the stripes. Laying them both happened but the latter was the loser in the book for just over £1000. He missed the start but showed good speed and put in a good performance to take the victory. What’s the saying? Giveth one hand, taketh the other? Flip it around and it’s how we are rolling.

Heat 27 and a race marred with trouble. Credit to the winner Dereks Legend, who took his chance very well and ran very well for connections who wasn’t unbacked.

Heat 28 people had started to filter out as the rain had come lashing down again as is the norm when we are on course when the weather is bad and you know you are going to be trying to pack away shortly. The Other Chief was bet to the sum of a couple grand. Ballymac Iroko was bet without and levelled the book when Iroko won the race and The Chief was beaten.

So that’s it for the opening round of the 2026 Star Sports Greyhound Derby, and we are still trying to relish the fact we actually won on the opening round, even though night two hit us where it hurts, we would have taken the position at the start of the week given the chance, but after Fridays business, it just made us a feel a little deflated. We left the track just after 11pm, and for those who did see Lofty trying to leave the car park on Friday heading around the old horses parade ring like a kid on one of those battery operated cars, he managed to get out Saturday with ease, I followed him down the M40 for a good few miles! The draw will have now been done for round two, and we cannot wait to see you all again next week, but before then it’s Windsor and a lot more in between.

Take care one and all.

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