Clona Curly, the champion of the Northern Puppy Derby, has set his sights on the Star Sports English Greyhound Derby at Towcester, owned by his trainer. The victory in the Arena Racing Company Northern Puppy Derby Final at Newcastle on Thursday marked a significant step towards this ultimate goal.
Trained by Diane Henry on behalf of Towcester promoter Kevin Boothby, Clona Curly, a robust 37-kilo greyhound born in April 2022 and sired by Droopys Sydney and Newinn Cuckoo, outpaced Romford's Droopys Eunice to secure the £12,500 prize. This triumph marked his second victory in the 480m competition, with his first occurring in 2010 when Ten Large Down, another greyhound owned by Henry, won at Sunderland.
Despite finishing as a staying-on second in both the heat and semi-final, Clona Curly delivered his best performance when it mattered most in the final. Starting strongly, he trailed behind the leading Droopys Eunice, who had set a good pace on the inside. In the end, Clona Curly proved stronger, challenging for the lead at the third bend and ultimately winning by three-and-a-quarter lengths.
Droopys Eunice secured the runner-up position, while Coppice Ella (Kevin Hutton) finished third. The winning time was a speedy 28.23 seconds (+10) for the greyhound, known for its 28.25-second victory in Cork. Clona Curly's previous setback occurred in the semi-final stage of the National Puppy Stake at Shelbourne Park in November, where he missed a place in the final due to interference from a loose runner.
Diane Henry expressed her delight with the victory, highlighting the significance of the win and the impressive performance of Clona Curly. She shared her excitement about the greyhound's development and change of pace, especially during the crucial third to fourth bend stretch. Henry also acknowledged the sentimental value of the win, especially considering the success of Ten Large Down in the same event years ago.
Henry recounted how she came to acquire Clona Curly, giving credit to a friend in Ireland, Davy Sutton, who informed her about the greyhound potentially being for sale. She praised Clona Curly's improvement over time and acknowledged the excitement he brings as a young greyhound. Looking ahead, Henry mentioned the Monmore Puppy Derby as the next target and thanked everyone involved, expressing her gratitude for the warm welcome at Newcastle and acknowledging the support of local trainers.
In conclusion, Henry congratulated Kevin Boothby and hoped the victory would boost his spirits for the upcoming year.