It’s the Irish Derby final night on Saturday and what a race we have in store on a packed card at Shelbourne Park. All the undercard tips are in the video above, but we’ve focused on the three big races of the night in the preview below.
9.05pm: Michael Fortune Memorial Final
We highlighted Kildare’s fantastic pace down the back straight last week and he’s already finished second in the English Greyhound Derby. He’s unbeaten in this series and the make up of this race should suit him. The big danger, Well Met, is probably going to move inside from trap four and Garryvoe Joe will try to come across from trap one.
It all points to Kildare and hopefully we get a race to savour.
Selection: 1. Kildare 2. Well Met 3. Garryvoe Joe
9.24pm: Irish Greyhound Derby Final
The build-up and anticipation will be incredible and the six runners are all 2020 pups so the young brigade are really coming through. There’s three bitches in the line-up also and I’m not sure we’ve ever seen that in an Irish Derby final before even if the ladies did fill the first two places last year.
We’ve also two dogs from the same litter in Ballymac Finn and Maries Wedding to add to the intrigue.
The more I look at it, the more I favour Callaway Pro Am from trap one, who is unbeaten in the heats from that draw. Ballymac Finn will try to move in from trap four while Maries Wedding is improving with each run and should hold her line from trap three, so it’s all to play for.
Crafty Kokora put in a magical run last weekend when getting into trouble early, but still came home really well. That second semi-final form looks the stronger to me and I’m hoping it’s a 1-2-3.
Selection: 1. Callaway Pro Am 2. Crafty Kokora 3. Maries Wedding
9.44pm: Irish Derby Final Consolation race
This is a good consolation race but Coolavany Hoffa got no luck last weekend when getting mullered at the third bends and can make amends now. He looks to be my bet of the night and hopefully he can clock a time worthy of the Derby Final itself.
Selection: Coolavany Hoffa
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
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