Lenson Bocko New BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Favourite

What a night it was at HQ on Saturday as 48 became 24 in the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby in dramatic fashion.

Lenson Bocko
There is a new favourite in town in the ante post market for the fourth time and it’s super pup Lenson Bocko that heads the betting.

Graham Holland’s magnificent powerhouse is now 5/1 from 14/1 to win the derby following his flawless performance in the opening round clocking 29.27.

This two-year old is now eight times a winner from ten starts and is fast becoming a big loser in the book.

At the start of this classic competition, Lenson was 16/1 and he was never any bigger as he recorded 29.47 around Shelbourne Park on just his seventh start, so his talent was obvious. There are plenty of things to like about this dog with his slick early pace and savvy running style.

Holland has five dogs left in this derby but Lenson could be the one to win him his second title.

Killmacdonagh to create history?
Killmacdonagh can break the long wait for a bitch to win the derby as it has been twenty years since Spring Time claimed the prize for Gerald Watson. Kieran Lynch can be that trainer to burst onto the history pages with his flying machine that is Killmacdonagh.

She has won her last eight races but on Saturday night in the 3rd round she produced a stunning display of determination to land the spoils in front of the tiring Ballymac Cooper in 29.61.

She is now 6/1 from 8/1 following her cool display as she stole the show yet again coming from fifth place to first.

Magical by name and magical by nature
What a win from the super talented Magical Bale to land heat seven for Patrick Guilfoyle in 29.46; his fastest of the competition so far. He proved how much he loves the red jacket by bursting from the traps and making all by an impressive five lengths to Knight Rocker.

Magical has been cut into 6/1 from 10/1 and shares joint second favouritism with Killmacdonagh. That’s seventeen wins and over €33,000 in prize money for the wonderful servant who turns four years of age in January. He knows all about derby finals having made the 2018 Irish final and 2019 English final. This year could be his year before he heads off to become a stud dog.

Mucky Brae the dark horse
Michael ‘Curly’ O’Donovan is one of the best greyhound trainers in the country and has been for many years. Michael won the Irish derby twice with Judicial Pride in 2000 and Laughil Blake in 2014. He trains Mucky Brae who was born on the 28th of March 2017 and is relatively lightly raced.

He reached the Produce Stakes final this year that was won by the fast Grangeview Ten (who is 8/1 from 12/1). He arrived at HQ in July and produced two blistering back-to-back wins in 28.16 and 28.09 respectively before his derby campaign started.

Mucky was second in the first round but cleaned up his act to win his last two heats, improving with each run. He is a dark horse with his odds now at 16/1 from 20/1 following his lovely victory at the weekend in 29.59, putting him right into the mix for the talented trainer.

BoyleSports King
Another ante post mover in the book is BoyleSports King who is now 25/1 from 33/1 and a huge contender with his brilliant pace. King has finished second in all three rounds so far with just one win on his card around the Dublin circuit in 29.69 for this trip. He is very slow away from the traps and that is what his kryptonite is.

If he can improve at the boxes and get in front early some night, it would be a massive clock. It’s only a matter of time before it all clicks together for him but if it’s going to be in this derby, then 25/1 looks nice value in what would be sponsor John Boyle’s first ever derby win.

Other movers are Slippy Cian (8/1 from 16/1), Lenson Blinder (10/1 from 14/1), Droopys Pension (16/1 from 20/1) and Music Toour Ears (40/1 from 66/1).

*Prices correct at time of publication