2018 English Greyhound Derby
{{infobox sport event
|name = 2018 English Greyhound Derby
|image = The betting ring on 2018 Derby final night.jpg
|size =
|caption = The betting ring during the Derby final
|date_start = 3 May
|date_end = 2 June
|competitors =
|nations =
|prize_money = £175,000 (winner)
|other =
|venue =
|location = Towcester Greyhound Stadium
|prev = 2017
|next = 2019
}}
The 2018 Star Sports Greyhound Derby took place during May and June with the final being held on 2 June 2018 at Towcester Greyhound Stadium. The winner Dorotas Wildcat won £175,000 and was trained by Kevin Hutton, owned by Hutton and Dave Usher and bred by Jim Gurney.{{cite web|url=https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=338906&raceId=446789|title=Derby Final meeting|publisher=Greyhound Board of Great Britain|access-date=17 May 2021}}
It is the second time that the event was held at Towcester.{{cite web|url=https://towcester-racecourse.digitickets.co.uk/event/2737815?catID=11871|title=Star Sports English Greyhound Derby Final 2018|publisher=Towcester Racecourse|accessdate=2018-04-12|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413125143/https://towcester-racecourse.digitickets.co.uk/event/2737815?catID=11871|archivedate=2018-04-13|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.starsportsbet.co.uk/antepost-greyhound-derby/|title=LATEST BETTING: Star Sports Greyhound Derby|date=19 January 2018 |publisher=Star Sports}}
Final Result
{{cite web|url=http://greyhoundbet.racingpost.com/#news-story/story_id=2506816|title=Wallis pair get traps one and two in Derby draw|publisher=Racing Post}}
At Towcester (over 500 metres): Winner £175,000
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ |
| width=50|Pos
!width=180|Name of Greyhound !width=300|Breeding !width=50|Trap !width=50|Sectional !width=170|Race comment !width=50|SP !width=80|Time !width=250|Trainer |
|---|
| 1st
| Dorotas Wildcat || Ballymac Vic - Droopys Daneel || 3 || 5.15 || Early Pace, Soon Led || 2-1 || 28.85 || Kevin Hutton (Towcester) |
| 2nd
| Droopys Verve || Loughteen Blanco - Droopys Cyclone || 4 || 5.24 || SAw, EP, Ran On || 7-4f || 28.98 || Angela Harrison (Newcastle) |
| 3rd
| Dorotas Vic || Ballymac Vic - Droopys Daneel || 5 || 5.18 || Quick Away, Wide || 20-1||29.03 || Charlie Lister (Doncaster) |
| 4th
|Bruisers Bullet || Droopys Cain - Clover Bride || 2 || 5.23 || Ran On Late || 4-1||29.07 || Mark Wallis (Towcester) |
| 5th
| Bombers Bullet || Droopys Cain - Headford Hoe || 1 || 5.34 || Slow Away, Clear Run || 10-1||29.25 || Mark Wallis (Towcester) |
| 6th
| Whoops Jack || Jacksajem - Whoopsadaisy || 6 || 5.22 || Wide, Clear Run || 5-1 ||29.36 || Peter Cronin (Ireland) |
= Final Distances =
1½, ¾, ½, 2¼, 1¼ (lengths) 0.08 sec = one length
Quarter finals
{{col-begin}}
{{col-4}}
| class="wikitable" | ||
| colspan="6"|Heat 1 (May 22, £1,000) | ||
|---|---|---|
| width=20|Pos
!width=140|Name !width=40|SP !width=40|Time | ||
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!1st | Borna Gin | 5-2 | 29.32 |
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!2nd | Wildfire Legend | 10-1 | 29.38 |
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!3rd | Oi Oi Upenalty | 9-2 | 29.39 |
| 4th
| Crossfield Will | ||
| 5th
| Newinn Shadow | ||
| 6th
| Calico Brandy |
{{col-4}}
| class="wikitable" | ||
| colspan="6"|Heat 2 (May 22, £1,000) | ||
|---|---|---|
| width=20|Pos
!width=140|Name !width=40|SP !width=40|Time | ||
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!1st | Dorotas Wildcat | 4-7f | 29.17 |
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!2nd | Innocent Times | 4-1 | 29.21 |
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!3rd | Dorotas Vic | 10-1 | 29.32 |
| 4th
| Bubbly Bluebird | ||
| 5th
| Alfies Prince | ||
| 6th
| King Elvis |
{{col-4}}
| class="wikitable" | ||
| colspan="6"|Heat 3 (May 22, £1,000) | ||
|---|---|---|
| width=20|Pos
!width=140|Name !width=40|SP !width=40|Time | ||
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!1st | Droopys Verve | 1-1f | 28.88 |
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!2nd | Bruisers Bullet | 15-8 | 29.06 |
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!3rd | Saleen Ash | 16-1 | 29.19 |
| 4th
| Calico Ranger | ||
| 5th
| Droopys Dresden | ||
| 6th
| Karlow Scolar |
{{col-4}}
| class="wikitable" | ||
| colspan="6"|Heat 4 (May 22, £1,000) | ||
|---|---|---|
| width=20|Pos
!width=140|Name !width=40|SP !width=40|Time | ||
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!1st | Rising Brandy | 10-11f | 29.01 |
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!2nd | Whoops Jack | 3-1 | 29.32 |
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!3rd | Bombers Bullet | 9-4 | 29.37 |
| 4th
| Jelly Flood | ||
| 5th
| Salacres Vincent | ||
| 6th
| Noelles Phelpso |
{{col-end}}
Semi finals
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
| class="wikitable" | |||
| colspan="6"|First Semi-final (May 26, £5,000) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| width=30|Pos
!width=160|Name of Greyhound !width=50|SP !width=50|Time !width=120|Trainer | |||
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!1st | Droopys Verve | 4-5f | 28.91 | Angela Harrison |
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!2nd | Bombers Bullet | 9-2 | 29.25 | Mark Wallis |
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!3rd | Dorotas Vic | 16-1 | 29.49 | Charlie Lister |
| 4th
| Borna Gin || 8-1 || 29.75 || Pat Buckley | |||
| 5th
| Saleen Ash || 25-1 || 29.82 || Mark Wallis | |||
| 6th
| Rising Brandy || 9-4 ||30.30 ||Matt Dartnall |
{{col-2}}
| class="wikitable" | |||
| colspan="6"|Second Semi-final (May 26, £5,000) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| width=30|Pos
!width=160|Name of Greyhound !width=50|SP !width=50|Time !width=120|Trainer | |||
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!1st | Whoops Jack | 6-1 | 29.18 | Peter Cronin |
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!2nd | Dorotas Wildcat | 11-10f | 29.19 | Kevin Hutton |
| style="background: #f4caf9;"
!3rd | Bruisers Bullet | 2-1 | 29.28 | Mark Wallis |
| 4th
| Wildfire Legend || 33-1 || 29.41 || Paul Young | |||
| 5th
| Innocent Times || 9-2 || 29.42 || Brendan Matthews | |||
| 6th
| Oi Oi Upenalty || 16-1 || 29.63 || Hayley Keightley |
{{col-end}}
Competition Review
The mandatory first round consisted of 26 heats, with only 35% of the field being eliminated, a percentage that included the 20-1 ante post favourite and All England Cup champion, Droopys Expert, Scottish Greyhound Derby champion The Other Reg and Irish star Clonbrien Hero. Whoops Jack impressed during the first set of heats winning in 29.33{{cite web|url=http://greyhoundstar.co.uk/derby-review-heats-1-9/|title=First Round Review 1-9|date=4 May 2018 |publisher=Greyhound Star}} and on the second night Droopys Verve (29.16) and Sporting Dave (29.29) stood out.{{cite web|url=http://greyhoundstar.co.uk/derby-review-heats-10-18/|title=First Round Review 10-18|date=5 May 2018 |publisher=Greyhound Star}} The final set of heats were the most impressive with wins for Bombers Bullet (29.08), Tyrur Harold (29.29) and Puppy Derby champion Magical Bale (29.07).{{cite web|url=http://greyhoundstar.co.uk/derby-review-heats-19-26/|title=First Round Review 19-26|date=6 May 2018 |publisher=Greyhound Star}}
Mark Wallis won four of the first eight heats of the second round with Bruisers Bullet going fastest in 29.05. Bombers Bullet, Whoops Jack and Sporting Dave all won well again but Magical Bale crashed out.{{cite web|url=http://www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsMeeting.aspx?id=159361|title=Second Round Results|publisher=Greyhound Board of Great Britain|access-date=2018-05-12|archive-date=2018-05-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513011258/http://www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsMeeting.aspx?id=159361|url-status=dead}} The remaining second round heats the following evening saw Dorotas Wildcat and Droopys Biker impress in times of 29.07 and 29.16 respectively. Tyrur Harold was eliminated.{{cite web|url=http://www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsMeeting.aspx?id=159366|title=Second Round Results|publisher=Greyhound Board of Great Britain|access-date=2018-05-12|archive-date=2018-05-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513081717/http://www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsMeeting.aspx?id=159366|url-status=dead}}
Bubbly Bluebird came to life on a fast track in the third round, becoming the first greyhound to break 29 seconds so far when defeating Bombers Bullet by a head in 28.94. This was followed by Irish hound Crossfield Will, Matt Dartnall's Rising Brandy and Dorotas Wildcat who all impressed winning in 28.81, 28.89 and 28.79 respectively. Sporting Dave and Droopys Biker were both eliminated before the final heat saw the youngster Droopys Verve win in 28.76 and maintain his record of finishing in the top two in every race that he had competed in so far.{{cite web|url=http://www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsMeeting.aspx?id=159520|title=Third Round Results|publisher=Greyhound Board of Great Britain|access-date=2018-05-20|archive-date=2018-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521104318/http://www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsMeeting.aspx?id=159520|url-status=dead}}
The real test during the Derby is the quick run from third round to quarter finals and Dorotas Wildcat passed the test with flying colours winning heat 2 in 29.17. This was then topped by Droopys Verve who won in a fast time of 28.88 defeating Bruisers Bullet by 2¼ lengths. Rising Brandy took heat 4 in 29.01.{{cite web|url=http://www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsMeeting.aspx?id=159684|title=Quarter-final Results|publisher=Greyhound Board of Great Britain|access-date=2018-05-25|archive-date=2018-05-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526041009/http://www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsMeeting.aspx?id=159684|url-status=dead}}
Droopys Verve impressed again in the semi-finals defeating Bombers Bullet in 28.91. The race saw first bend bumping which left Dorotas Vic to claim the final qualifying spot. In the second semi final the early pace of Whoopys Jack ensured an Irish runner made the final, Dorotas Wildcat and Bruisers Bullet took the remaining final slots.{{cite web|url=http://www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsMeeting.aspx?id=159740|title=Semi-final Results|publisher=Greyhound Board of Great Britain|access-date=2018-05-26|archive-date=2018-05-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527120755/http://www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsMeeting.aspx?id=159740|url-status=dead}}
In the final Dorotas Wildcat made a fast 5.15sec start, which saw him clear of the two greyhounds on his inside, he led all the way comfortably holding off the favourite Droopys Verve. In a clean final Dorotas Vic broke well and held on to third place, Bruisers Bullet ran on well for fourth, Bombers Bullet and Whoops Jack made poor starts and could not recover.