Gold goes on trial for Derby

UNDERGROUND GOLD, who disputes favouritism for the Star Sports & Orchestrate Greyhound Derby, has his first look at Towcester’s 500m course in a solo workout on £Wednesday.

Paul Young’s rising star, who ran unbeaten through Monmore’s Ladbrokes Puppy Derby, is one of ten the trainer is putting through their paces, with Towcester racing manager Danny Rayment saying: “Paul looks to have a really strong team and having been at Monmore to watch the Puppy Derby final I’m really looking forward to seeing Underground Gold go round here, he looks a special dog.

“Also among his trialists is Teejays Buddy, formerly called Droopys Painting, who was one of the top lots at the recent pre-Derby sales here, while Gold Collar winner Noellie and Gav Nificent, who has been flying over 400m at Romford, are others on the sheet.”

Irish trainer Brendan Matthews has four runners pencilled in for workouts including Unassuming and Ello Ello, while John Kennedy’s Irish Sprint Cup finalist Epic Ace also travels over.

Underground Gold is a best-priced 16-1 for the Classic crown along with Mark Wallis’s 2025 Greyhound of the Year Proper Heiress and Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Setanta, who runs in Saturday’s €80,000 Kirby Memorial final at Limerick.

Former Crayford RM Rayment added: “We’re only just over two weeks away from the start of the Derby and interest is picking up. We saw some fantastic performances on Sunday, both in trials and on the card itself, and it was great to see Bockos Diamond back at Towcester.

“We had to cancel this week’s Monday session due to a much-needed new inside running rail being installed, but I’m sure we’ll have plenty of trial requests over the next few days. Our last pre-Derby session will be next Monday.

“All entries must be completed online, the form and payment link are on the website [towcester-racecourse.co.uk/derby-2026-entry-form/] and the competition closes at 7pm on Monday. We have our final batch of trial stakes this Sunday, which I’m expecting to be split into several divisions.

“The Irish entry looks strong again. Graham Holland had a great day on Sunday, and I know Liam Dowling has been in touch with the GBGB to sort his paperwork out. I’m certainly looking forward to my first Derby as a racing manager and from what we’ve seen so far it looks set to be another top-class affair.”

One dog still sitting high in the ante-post lists but who is not expected to travel is Pat Guilfoyle’s brilliant Magical Luka, who made his return from a lengthy layoff to win over Dundalk’s 400-yard course on Saturday, to take his record to 12 wins from 13 starts.

That run was his first since picking up an injury during his sole career defeat in Romford’s Puppy Cup final in September and Guilfoyle recently told the GRI’s Talking Dogs website: “He’ll probably start back in the Select Stakes at Waterford and possibly take in the Open Sprint at Limerick beforehand.

“I’d have loved to have sent him back to Kevin [Hutton] for the Laurels at Dunstall Park but time was against us.”

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