GREYHOUND DERBY 2026: Kaan’s Semi-Final Betting Report

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

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As I said just over a month ago, the greatest rounds were then. They have now been and gone, there was so many races, so many dogs all dreaming of Derby glory, yet here we are with only twelve left in the hat to book their ticket to the final, writes KAAN HUGHES.

It’s a little sombre in the car on the way as I think about the week after next when the Greyhound Derby will be done and dusted for another year, so what better way to cheer things up. Let’s get some tunes on the radio.

Just a note, I did remember my shoes this week, they are tucked away in the back of the car whilst I drive up in some slip-ons in this glorious weather.

First up, one of my all-time favs, Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver, ‘Driving down the road, I get a feeling that I should have been home yesterday, yesterday’. I should actually play this on the way home when I get home the ‘next’ morning.

We then follow it with Beautiful Day by U2, remember when the opening credits of England football matches played this, pure nostalgia.

I Don’t Like Mondays soon followed by The Boomtown Rats, the live version from Live Aid in 1985, I play this song more than most.

It’s very sad when you see the old Greyhound track around the outside, what a venue, pure glory days and the best line is when Bob Geldof said, “I’ve just realized that today is the best day of my life. Now I’m going home to sleep”, I’m sure one set of connections will say the same on the 6th June at Towcester.

As we roll into the track, what better way to drive into Walk Of Life, by Dire Straits. If things don’t go to plan, maybe I’ll take up being a DJ.

I even prepared a healthy lunch to bring along this evening, as we are now approaching the big one, I need to be in fine shape.

I must apologise also, for the delay in getting this out, but Saturday, or should I say Sunday when I get home after the meetings, which roll into Sunday where if I’m not racing I try to do family things.

Monday we had the Derby lunch where all the finalist connections are in attendance to celebrate their spot in the final.

Well that’s enough of the round up, let’s get into the nitty gritty of the action in what was hopefully a night to tee us up for the big one and stretch out a few of our limbs.

We anticipated action to be very busy and as myself and Lofty have been betting all in, without the favourite, and anything else that comes our way, we needed extra hands as the gaps between races and the business we take just doesn’t give us time to do anything, so Ged joined us on the night.

I haven’t got the time to go through every race from the weekend just gone, but needless to say it was a tennis match early, with punters back and forth.

But we must move on to the best action on the night.

Race nine was the opening semi-final of the Derby Plate and only four runners went to post as two were withdrawn during the week.

Romeo Ability had been favourite all week, and Singalong Polly was as big as 4/1 days before, but an inspired gamble saw the 9/4 on track where we’d only laid one bet of £400 was quickly chopped into 6/4, we then laid another hedge bet of £1200 at 6/4, just about every bet in the book was Polly and even down to 5/4, until wallop a few monster bets saw us lay Romeo Ability at 11/10.

We took pennies on the other two and at the off, the two rags saw us winning £12k, Polly £6k and Romeo Ability losing £8k.

Lids rose and Ability raced clear but with only three other rivals, opposition had room to manoeuvre.

Polly had sight on the leader and took off from the second bend and took her time, but got up to win by a neck, a roar went up in the stands, and we somehow managed to join in for once.

We follow that with the opening semi-final of the Greyhound Derby.

What a race, the outright favourite would open up 6/4 and immediately see us lay £2000 at the price twice, a few other bets passed by and £4000 at 3/1 Ballymac Deniro flew into the hod, this is shaping up nicely.

Then a host of £400/600 bets landed on Deniro before a stampede rushed into us and suddenly Epic Ace was 5/4 and losing up £12,000 in the book.

Deniro wins us £600 and the rest all £17k and upwards.

Scores a plenty and Ben has even joined us on the pitch for the big one, shouting out the prices, telling us to be top price, and we keep fielding more money.

When they loaded the boxes we were staring down at the one dog who was our outright winner with a hefty loss on the evening.

Away they go, well Deniro does, whoosh, he’s exploded the cans and races into the bend and Epic Ace has completely left it in the boxes, he then finds plenty of trouble at the bend, finds himself last and is out as the dogs in front of him are not short runners.

At this point, Deniro is into the Towcester sunset claiming the first semi-final glory where we have dodged a bullet and copped a round of applause.

Lennies Eddie had turned handy and was always second, but Duffle after trying to get himself across to the rails from the boxes, and trouble early performed a feat to stay on and qualify.

The favourite is out, and we don’t have a very good outright book, but let’s think about the moment, we’ve got a result, I suppose.

The final three spots are up for grabs in semi-final two.

Scooby The Lady opens up 6/4 and she is immediately backed.

Our first sizable bet was £400 at 11/4 Proper Heiress.

Then a host of smaller business followed.

£1400 hedge bet Ballymac Ralf at 5/2 turned up next, and then a lumpy £4000 at 9/4 Ballymac Ralf who had shortened, all while Scooby The Lady was drifting, but they still wanted to be on.

She was now out to 2/1 and then from nowhere a £7000/1000 Hackney Corner.

Sole Focus we never took a bean, Lennies Tank we took £35.

As was the business on the race we had one loser, and that was Ballymac Ralf.

Lids went up and Ralf dived to the inside, Hackney Corner has took off into the bend, yes he’s a winner here, even laying such a decent bet, but he loses us a fortune outright, and just for making the final.

Proper Heiress is second trying to keep tabs, Scooby The Lady has missed it when it mattered most, Sole Focus as well.

Lennies Tank slow to go, he will stay on, but too far behind to challenge, and Hackney Corner is blazing a trail in front.

Ballymac Ralf has stayed on well in second but Hackney Corner has turned up when it really did matter most, followed home by Ralf and Tank to book the most prestigious spots in Greyhound racing.

We cop a couple quid on the race, but stare into the backstraight licking wounds of the big antepost bet laid and think where has that run just come from.

The final race of the evening was the second semi-final of the plate, a wide open race and I was still sorting tickets, payouts and scanning from earlier as has been the business this evening, so we thought it may slow down as is normally the case following the big races.

If I told you going to the boxes we had all dogs winning around £5500 yet No Better Feeling was losing us £19,000 in a wild book, it will show you that it’s never over until the fat lady sings (please insert what you feel appropriate here).

It was an interesting last race to watch but after about three strides, we were never in any trouble as the bogey completely walked out and left us in a good position.

So that is it, the final six booked their tickets into the Greyhound Derby Final which has now been drawn.

Ballymac Duffle

Ballymac Ralf

Lennies Eddie

Hackney Corner

Ballymac Deniro

Lennies Tank

Destiny awaits in around twenty-eight seconds next Saturday evening, when one dog will come out on top to forever more have their name etched on the famous trophy and in the history books.

It’s an all Irish final, the flags were already on the Towcester stadium prior to the opening round, maybe they knew? (no conspiracy theories please, I just couldn’t see the British flag).

This is what every breeder, owner, trainer lives and breathes for within this sport and hopes to achieve.

For the three trainers represented, Liam Dowling, Pat Buckley & Paul Hennessy, they have all achieved English and Irish Derby success, but the owners may be different, but one thing that won’t be any different is their hunger and desire to lift that trophy high above their head and beaming with every emotion running through their body.

I wish everyone connected the very best of luck, and hope that anyone who can make it turns up to support not only the best dog, but the track and our boss, Ben Keith who continually goes above and beyond to keep the Greyhound family spirits high, when the sport is in challenging times.

Stand tall, be proud, and enjoy what is going to be a sensational Saturday evening, but most importantly, may all dogs come home safe and sound, and the best rise to the top.

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