Tank blow for Craze but Eddie still in Derby hunt

LENNIES TANK, who is trained by Paul Hennessy for owner Lee Craze, was withdrawn from Saturday’s Star Sports & Orchestrate English Derby final yesterday morning after pulling up lame on a gallop at home.

The injury blow leaves connections with just Lennies Eddie in the £125,000 decider after the pair had both qualified through last week’s semi-finals at Towcester.

Craze, whose history in greyhound racing dates back 42 years – with his grandfather bookmaking on-course at White City – was philosophical yet disappointed when speaking after the news as he said: “That’s dog racing. I’m gutted, but that’s the highs and the lows of this sport.

“If you’d asked me at the start of the Derby if I would take getting one to the final, then I’d have bitten your hand off. We’re still there, but I am gutted for the dog and everyone at the kennel. Tank’s a cracking dog who puts everything into his races and we’re proud of him.”

Craze, who runs a T-shirt merchandise business, owned his first greyhound at the age of 15 and recalls encountering Derby sponsor Ben Keith, who was 12 at the time while working for legendary track bookmaker Tony Morris.

He said: “Tony took Ben under his wing at a young age, Ben even did a school project on Tony. So, I’ve known him for years and it would obviously be nice to see him on the podium again on Saturday night. But it’s a great race.

“We’re happy with the draw for Lennies Eddie. He’ll need to start well from the boxes but down the middle is the place to be for a decent break and I prefer him there rather than in trap one.

“He did well to qualify from his semi-final – that race could have been the final itself.”

Craze is involved in 12 dogs, all with Hennessy, as well as 12 horses, mainly with Hennessy, but also with Fergal O’Brien. He only returned to greyhound ownership in recent years after teaming up with leading owner John Turner with Maiden Derby winner Jaytee Craze and Jaytee Etienne.

On his return and his passion for the sport, Craze added: “I’ve always been a fan of greyhound racing and going racing, but I took a break away from owning for 20 years before returning with John [Turner] after we met through owning horses with Fergal O’Brien.

“I now have the bug again for it and nights like Saturday are the dream. I spend most weekends over in Ireland and Paul, Kevin and all of the Hennessy family are great people and superb with a dog or a horse – we have a great team behind our runners.

“Good luck to everyone else involved in what will be a special occasion and a cracking race. We’ll have plenty of family and friends at Towcester, including my seven-year-old grandson Lennie, after whom the dogs are named, while my other grandson Eddie, who is only 18 months old will be at home.”

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