The line-up for next week’s Premier Greyhound Racing Puppy Derby Final is now known after Saturday’s semi-finals of the £20,000-to-the-winner competition over 480m.
Untold Dollar for Carol Weatherall was quickest on the clock as a fast start saw the blue-jacketed youngster, having just his second UK start, lead at the first bend before racing away for an easy win, crossing the line almost eight lengths clear of his rivals in 28.27sec.
Runner-up in this second semi was Belinda Green’s Getup Me Champ who just held the late surge of Bramble Tango.
The Tom Heilbron-trained Omuircheartaigh followed up his impressive heat effort with arguably an even better performance in the first semi as the Arc Northern Puppy Derby finalist produced a real show of all-round pace to claim victory.
Pacing up handily on the dash to the bend alongside the fast-starting Clona Kody, the Newcastle raider needed no second invitation when the latter took a bump from Droopys Eunice at the first bend, with Maxine Locke’s bitch turning second.
However, Omuircheartaigh was not for catching and came home strongly to win by two lengths from Droopys Eunice in a winning time of 28.41sec.
The third semi-final went to Patrick Janssens’ Barntick Bear (pictured) who finished well to reel in longtime leader Union Rebel and go on to score by almost three lengths from Diane Henry’s fast-finishing favourite Clona Curly, who grabbed a place in the final.
Trap draw for Saturday’s Premier Greyhound Racing Puppy Derby Final - Monmore, 480m: 1 Droopys Eunice (Maxine Locke), 2 Untold Dollar (Carol Weatherall), 3 Barntick Bear (Patrick Janssens), 4 Getup Me Champ (Belinda Green), 5 Omuircheartaigh (m) (Tom Heilbron) (m), 6 Clona Curly (m) (Diane Henry).