Nail-bitingly close to the greatest week of them all
YOU felt for the connections of dozen who didn’t make it – especially as most of them really had little to shout about  just a few yards into each race.

Williamhill.com Derby quarter-final night proved clinical, and disappointing, racing. Nothing came off the back; what led, or was second up, won. Would even the mighty Westmead Hawk have survived the deliberately modern day looser track? I doubt it.

It must have particularly disheartening for Colin Callow, who saw his Longwood Hawk bowled over at the bend, and then Longwood Days two races later clobbered at the same point. 

Getting more pacier types, rather than stronger ones, qualify from the early rounds means the racing was always going to be scrappy. A good start is essential, a slow one effectively curtains. Only Bubbly Phoenix recoveredfrom missing it, aided by severe first bend trouble, but also underlining that he is an exceptional greyhound.

It was very much Ireland’s night with a treble, including two winners for Dolores Ruth, and five Irish-trained qualifiers through to the last 12. There  are seven British-based trainers in the semis, therefore all with single representatives. Charlie is down to just the defending champ. Taylors Sky. After failing to lead on Tuesday, his dog still ran well and remains lucky in the draw, coming out with red in the easier of the two semis.

But after the disappointment of last year, when her JFK got bundled out of the event, Dolores Ruth will gone home best pleased of everyone. She has a quarter of the field left, JFK was the fastest on the night, Rioga showed exceptional all round speed and Bugatti clocked the quickest sectional. Rather a good night’s work.

Let’s take a look at Saturday’s semis ahead:

1^st semi
1 Razldazl Rioga
Cork Laurels champ, loves red, gets his box in the hottest of the two semis, faces a real battle on the inside against Bert

2 Coolavanny Bert
Improving and with a break looks capable of leading up anything – has staggering pace from the line to half-way. A joy to watch being such abeautifully balanced greyhound; is second youngest of the survivors.

3 Farloe Ironman
Is trapping consistently well, but was the last greyhound out of the drum to enter this semi, an honourhis connections would preferred to have escaped
 
4 Judicial Ruling (m)
He has that 28.18sec on his card from the second round, but has failed to break as fast since.  Hasnevertheless has showed real courage to battle through each time.

5 Bubbly Phoenix (w)
Fantastic effort to recover from a disastrous start on Tuesday. Surely he can never break as poorly again. Remember he is the youngest, an April 10 whelp, and his owners can hope for improvement.

6 Razldazl Jayfkay (w)
Quarter-finals Tuesday proved a nightmare last year, this time he bounced out clear. Trap six is a vital edge for the  dog with such extraordinary power to the turn.

My fancies: 6-5 . . . photo 1 / 2

2nd semi
1 Taylors Sky
A bit  like last year, Charlie Lister OBE came home from the quarter finals with just one survivor – and that’s what his dog is, a born winner too. He gets the draw again when it matters

2 Westmead Adonis
What a cracking run from a horrible quarter-final draw. This is a far better slot, and if he leads on the inside (yes, one of those ifs), will take holding.

3 Razldazl Bugatti
Has shown stunning pace throughout, seems to handle the draw perfectly, could prove a spoiler for those drawn around him?

4 Droopys Jet
Running the track better with every run, coped with this draw magnificently Tuesday. Does face more pace on his inside this time, but now he’s won here, might it become a winning habit?

5 Droopys Loner
Ouch, you get to the semi-finals of the world’s greatest race with a railing bitch, and she gets handed trap five. I’ve been waiting to see her break, this would be the perfect time – and nobody can say she can’t as she has never run from the box before

6 Blonde Snapper (m)
A third quick run has always been seen as a challenge for him, but he is starting to trap slickly and it doesn’t take enormous imagination for him to race clear of possible bunching among the non-seeds

My fancies: 4-6-1

So half a dozen sets of connections, and the punters up and down the land who have bought into the event through ante-post bets, will be jumping up and down come Saturday night – with the Derby lunch ahead on Monday. Getting to the Derby final is fulfilment, missing out, by contrast, such disappointment.  This is what makes this so compelling, that very harshness and element of luck involved. It mirrors life in general.

Saturday is going to be a major occasion for Chelsea fans with one, Hobbsy, on the missing list as he travels to Munich. That in football, as what’s ahead at Wimbledon for greyhounds, is the ultimate challenge. You can watch the Champions League final on the track’s TVs, and the Racing Post will be running the voucher that offers free admission for four, racecards and a free pint – so do come and join us.

After Robbie Savage on Tuesday learning to make a book and then making the semi-final draw, on Saturday Hillshave asked Rick Edwards, the music and athletics  TV presenter, to do the Derby final draw on Saturday night. The girls reckon he’s hot. But will he be plucking hot favourite JFK out of the drum – I believe so.

Hills go 5-2 JFK, 5 Phoenix, 6 Taylors Sky, 8 Bert, Droopys Jet, Rioga, 12 Bugatti, 14 Judicial Ruling, 20 Blonde Snapper, Adonis, 25  Ironman, 50 Droopys Loner

You’d have to say onthe draw, it all looks about right – if you haven’t had a bet, best advice would be to stick with a quarter-final winner. Hills 5-2 JFK is reasonable; if preferring something at a price, then shop around for better than the 8-1 offer around Razldazl Rioga, Coolavanny Bert and Droopys Jet. Of the outsiders, 20-1 Blonde Snapper makes most appeal.

Will it be joy or despair come five mornings time? Nobody knows, least of all Chelsea fans!  See you atWimbledon.

William Hill Media Challenge - the leaders
scores courtesy of John Johnson
1 Muttley +25.62
2 Michael Fortune  +15.72
3 Dave Clark  (RFO) +15.03
4 Admiral Benbow + 6.17
5 Kevin Riddle (Racing Post) +3.61
6 Graham McLennan (Bags) +3.45
7 Richard Birch +1.82
8 Kate Miller (Hills) -0.25
9 Jonathan Kay -1.66
10 Dave Johnston  -4.13