Jet Ready For Take Off In English Derby

Ireland are responsible for 66% of this year’s English Derby, this has to be our year!

Jaytee Ready For Take Off
Loyal Honcho was the last Irish trained winner in 2008 (trained by the late great Seamus Graham). Since then we have given it a fair rattle with the likes of Ballymac Vic, Mind The Net and Farloe Blitz last year but barring an accident I can see it coming across the Irish Sea.

Even though Hiya Butt is trained by Hayley Keightley, he is owned by Paul Ellis and well known Shelbourne Park bookmakers Greg and Trevor O’Donnell, so realistically we can claim him too! The only person who can upset the party is Charlie Lister OBE. Here is a quick look at the six finalists:

1 Lenson Rocky. Trainer – Pat Buckley
This June 14 son of Droopys Scolari and Momentinnewyork had only eight races ran before heading over for this year’s Derby.

Started off his career in the GMHD unraced stake in Tralee where he went unbeaten to the final where he finished third in the final to Escapism. Has taken to Wimbledon like a duck to water and has yet to finish outside the first two in this year’s competition.

His best run for me so far was in the quarter final where he was just chinned on the line by fellow finalist Cloran Paddy in a very fast 28.02. Rocky is fairly consistent with his sectionals which gives him a good chance of leading up the inside runners. Trap one isn’t exactly ideal for him but he can make it work. Expect him to move slightly right out of the traps.

2 Cloran Paddy. Trainer – Charlie Lister OBE
Trained by the Derby King Charlie Lister. Paddy was sold unraced after two very good trials over here in Ireland (17.89 Longford and 28.60 Shelbourne Park).

Started off his career in the UK in a maiden 500m race at Nottingham where he won going away. He won his next two starts in January before being put away for a few weeks. He is only a March 14 dog so the future looks bright! He was thrown into the deep end in his two Derby Trial stakes in Wimbledon but did gain valuable experience.

His sole win in this year’s Derby came in the quarter final where he came from well off the pace to beat Lenson Rocky. Of what we have seen of him so far he lacks a length to the bend but he makes up for it with his pace down the far side. He could be better off missing the kick on Saturday night and tucking in behind the early pacers. Paddy is a son of Weatmead Hawk and Martinstown Rose!

3 Droopys Roddick. Trainer – Pat Buckley
A second finalist for Pat Buckley. Already a winner of the UK Puppy Derby and the Con Kirby Puppy Stake at Limerick.

Has two wins on his way to the final (second round and semi-final). Roddick had his best break so far last week which put him in a nice position off the second turn. Pat has been bringing along this dog nicely since the Derby started so will be primed for action come Saturday night.

This lad’s strike rate in finals is impressive and he has been at the head of the ante-post market since last November.

The draw has worked out tricky for him if he doesn’t break smartly as Peregrine Falcon next door will be turning left. If he is not in contention on the run to the corner don’t worry, he has a great sat nav and is well capable of coming from off the pace. Roddick is a son of Droopys Jet and Droopys Start.

4 Peregrine Falcon. Trainer – Pat Curtain
His trainer has performed miracles with this dog to get to the final, he has been plagued with injuries since the third round.

Falcon is one of the most consistent dogs in training over the past eighteen months reaching the final of every competition he has ever been entered in. A very consistent trapper so he has to have a chance of getting to the front early, only worry is his tendency to look for the rails.

Falcon recorded his fastest time to date in last week’s semi-final. The week off will do this lad the world of good, it will allow Curtain to patch up any niggles which he may still have. He is a son of Ace Hi Rumble and Minefield. Ex-Ireland striker Niall Quinn holds a share in this runner.

5 Hiya Butt. Trainer – Hayley Keightley
This lad was bought soon after the Red Mills unraced stake in Clonmel. He is now owned by Paul Ellis and the O’Donnell brothers Greg and Trevor and trained by the one and only Hayley Keightley.

This son of Hondo Black oozes early pace and does boast a 4.63 sectional from the opening round. His first race for his new connections was in a maiden sprint at Nottingham where he rattled the clock with a 17.50 run.

He is a winner of four of his five runs in the Derby so far and he is almost a certain leader in the decider.

Having run from trap one in his last couple of starts it’s hard to know what he will do from five. If he dives straight left he makes the race for Jaytee Jet!

I can see him going up fairly straight and edge inwards on the run to the bend. The more trouble in behind him the better! He is a son of Hondo Black out of Hather For Pat.

6 Jaytee Jet. Trainer – Paul Hennessey
The sole seeded runner in the line up! If you asked connections to make the draw themselves they wouldn’t have done it any different.

His run back in the second round was unbelievable after almost getting knocked over, how he managed to get through is beyond me! Jet is without doubt the fastest in the line-up with a clear run but he cannot afford to break badly in the final. His best run to date came in the third round where he led all to record 28.01. Connections say they couldn’t be happier with the dog. Already a winner of the Easter Cup this year Jet looks to be the dog to beat.

If he can turn within three or four of the early leaders off the second bend watch out! He is a son of Droopys Scolari and Chin Gach Gook.

Jet The Bet
Taking everything into consideration I’m going to give Jaytee Jet a huge chance on the draw. Trap five is going to be gone on him on the run to the corner which will give him a solo on the outside.

I think he wins the Derby if he avoids any trouble around bends one and two.

Lenson Rockey can lead the inside runners and follow Hiya Butt around. Jaytee Jet can stalk them down the far side and make his move between the last two bends. The value dog of the race could be Hiya Butt at 8/1 for each way backers.

The Oaks
The undoubted queen of the track burst back on the scene on Saturday night with a fantastic 27.98 run in the quarter final of the Oaks.

Ballydoyle Honey went off at a massive price of 7/4 in her heat after two below par runs in the opening two rounds due to the fact she is only out of her pupping time! The scary thing is she can only improve over the next few weeks. She led home a kennel 1-2-3 for her trainer Graham Holland, Sidarian Pearl finished runner-up two lengths off the mighty honey while Rural Maui was a gallant third.

Next best on the clock was Leezie Lindsay trained by Francie Murry in 28.53. Lindsay made her move between the final two corners before stretching on up the home straight, this lady is a powerful finisher so will be hard to keep out of the first three in the semi-final.

Witches Belle is starting to come back into a nice bit of form after a few rough weeks and we said last week that her win in the second round would do her confidence the world of good.

She didn’t get it all her own way in this tricky heat but battled hard from the second corner to go on and win comfortably in 28.70.

Leamaneigh Mags took the remaining quarter final for her in-form trainer Owen McKenna. Sent off a red hot favourite at ½, she made hard work of her victory just edging out Orlando Dazl by the smallest of margins in 28.76.

Bets
The two semi-finals look straight forward enough next week! A Graham Holland double. Ballydoyle Honey and Sidarian Pearl are both drawn to perfection so a short priced double is expected.

Betting is available for the aforementioned competitions on www.Boylesports.com or in any of our shops nationwide. The Barrys Tea 750 final takes place in Cork this Saturday night, we make Tradition favorite over her arch rival Ballymac Bonnie. A great race is expected!

All that is left to say is best of luck to all the Irish involved in the final of the English Derby, I look forward to meeting up with all the travelling party over in the Don. We are not going over to take part, we are going to take over! #BetOnBoyle