Wallis hopeful Heiress will come alive from five in semi

PROPER HEIRESS, looking to give his UK connections a first runner in the Irish Derby final, is rated 4-1 outright with the sponsors for the BoyleSports-backed Classic ahead of Saturday’s semi-finals.

The Mark Wallis-trained star maintained his unbeaten run through the 550-yard Shelbourne Park Classic with a hard-fought victory in last weekend’s quarter-finals, and will meet 2024 runner-up and clear Derby favourite Cheap Sandwiches for the second time in the competition in a red-hot first semi-final.

Multiple big-race winner Proper Heiress, who runs for the MWD Partnership of Wallis and owner Mike Davis, will also be sporting the orange vest of trap five for the first time in his career, although Wallis is hopeful his kennel star will take it all in his stride.

He said: “Trap five isn’t ideal but he has shown many times that he’s not a dog who is draw-dependent. He has won big races for us from trap four and is an intelligent greyhound.

“Of course it means there is little margin for error and it would be nice to see him come away as he can and get to the front.

“He’s a very jealous dog when he leads and never wants to get beat.”

That statement is borne out by the fact that Proper Heiress has won every race he has led in, which is some statistic given the quality of the opposition he regularly faces.

“He’s the first dog we’ve run for the kennel in the Irish Derby,” Wallis added. “We had Kinda Ready in there a few years ago but he went back to his breeder who trained him for the competition.

“We felt Proper Heiress was a dog we could go over with and compete and he has proved us right. Daniel [son and assistant trainer] and Sid [Huett, head kennelhand] have been alternating in staying with him at the Matthews’ kennels in Ireland and it has all gone really well.

“Whatever happens on Saturday he has given us all an incredible few weeks and lines up as the only unbeaten runner left in the competition.

“We’re proud of what he’s achieved and I’d say he has definitely flown the flag for the UK. I’ve had plenty of people not connected to the kennel come up to me when we’re racing over here and telling me how much they’ve enjoyed watching him.

“We’d love to make the final, I think it would be great for the occasion to have an English-trained runner in the race, and as I said at the start, we went into this looking to win it, not just to take part.”

BoyleSports rate Proper Heiress a 3-1 chance to claim a second victory over the Graham Holland-trained Cheap Sandwiches when they meet again on Saturday night, while Pat Guilfoyle’s flying bitch Magical Mags heads the betting for the second semi-final at 5-4.

Guilfoyle also fields the favourite for the supporting Michael Fortune Memorial Plate in the shape of rising star Magical Major, who heads the betting at 7-4. Semi-finals of that competition also feature on Saturday’s card.

Betting

BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby 2025 (sponsor prices): 5-4 Cheap Sandwiches, 4 Proper Heiress, 6 Ballymac Stud, 7 Magical Mag, 8 Glengar Silent, 25 Droopys Deploy, Singalong Curly, 33 Callaway Five, Ballyhooly Bruno, Happy Jet, 40 Barefoot On Song, Oreo Ollie (e-w 1/4 1st three).

First semi-final: 1 Oreo Ollie 25, 2 Barefoot On Song 25, 3 Ballymac Stud 4, 4 Singalong Curly 10, 5 Proper Heiress 3, 6 Cheap Sandwiches 4-6.
Second semi-final: 1 Happy Jet 12, 2 Ballyhooly Bruno 8, 3 Magical Mag 5-4, 4 Callaway Five 10, 5 Glengar Silent 2, 6 Droopys Deploy 6.

Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate (BoyleSports): 7-4 Magical Major, 4 Sunshine Sioux, Carrick Scholsey, 6 Ballymac Axel, 10 Hopes Teddy, 20 Grouchos Hoffa, 25 Ventry Faith, Cagey Billy, 33 Boylesports Blue, Southwood Stan, 40 De Bono Lad, 50 Harlequin Gee Up (e-w 1/4 1st three).

First semi-final: 1 Ventry Faith 16, 2 Hopes Teddy 11-4, 3 Boylesports Blue 10, 4 De Bono Lad 25, 5 Carrick Scholsey 10-11, 6 Grouchos Hoffa 3.
Second semi-final: 1 Southwood Stan 14, 2 Magical Major 8-11, 3 Harlequin Gee Up 20, 4 Sunshine Sioux 3, 5 Cagey Billy 10, 6 Ballymac Axel 4.

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