THEY say you never remember beaten semi-finalists, but such has been the quality of this year's BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby at Shelbourne Park that whoever bows out at this crucial stage will be recalled as playing their part in a Classic - literally!
With new track records over both 525yd and 550yd - albeit the former was in the Puppy Oaks courtesy of the exceptional Droopys Kathleen - Shelbourne has witnessed top-class action over the last month and same again tonight, live on SIS, looks the call with Bockos Diamond (9.06) set to maintain his unbeaten run in the first Derby semi.
He is, remarkably, eyeing a 14th straight win and takes on, among others, kennelmate Bombay Pat who is also unbeaten. The start will be crucial with so much speed on show, but Bockos Diamond has been a gem thus far and can strike gold again - perhaps at the chief expense of super-quick Carrick Aldo.
Boylesports Bob (9.24) gets the vote in the second semi-final, albeit hopes are still high that UK challenger March On Freddie can make next week's €125,000 final.
That would be some achievement - and still very possible - but as a one-off contest Paul Hennessy's ultra-consistent English Derby runner-up has the all-round pace and power to deny the likes of Singalong Dolly who looks well drawn against for fence.
Oaks champon Druids Say Go (9.21) is the star turn at Perry Barr and could celebrate her Time Greyhound Nutrition Greyhound of the Month award (see below) with victory for Patrick Janssens. Like Bockos Diamond, the Yarmouth Derby champion is on a winning roll and eyes a ninth straight win on the card.
Other Perry Barr fancies on a good card are Kevin Hutton's Coppice Ella (7.18) and kennelmate and recent Scurry Gold Cup champion Rioja Oisin (8.11).
Monmore also hosts of number of open-races tonight with votes in two of the sprint heats going to Mark Wallis's Pavilion Team (7.22) and Richie Taberner's Cree Jo Jo (7.56).
Other Monmore picks are Gemma Evans' Millbank Boiler (9.04), who looks to have a plum inside draw to lead into the bend over 480m, and the strong-running Mad For Sterling (9.23), another Wallis-trained runner, who has a decent Monmore record.
Oxford stages the semi-finals of the Betgoodwin Series Maiden Sprint Final with Chris Hamblin's Black Gent (7.51) and Sean White's Broadway Steel (8.09) the respective picks, while on the undercard the David Elcock-trained up-in-trip Urlee Star (9.01) is interesting.
*THE semi-finals of the Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse take place over 500m at Nottingham on Monday. The £20,000 final takes centre-stage on the next Gone To The Dogs - Live! broadcast from the East Midlands venue on Monday, November 25.
*DRUIDS SAY GO is the Time Greyhound Nutrition Greyhound of the Month for October.
Patrick Janssens' brilliant bitch, owned by the Value Racing Club, raced unbeaten through the Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks at Perry Barr, having also won the Yarmouth Derby, and remains a Greyhound of the Year contender.
