A Kent-based greyhound trainer has two shots at the sport’s biggest prize at Towcester on Saturday – chasing a £175,000 first prize.
Seamus Cahill, who is based at Keston, trains Droopys Acrobat and Astute Missile in the final of the Star Sports English Greyhound Derby at the Northamptonshire racecourse, which took over the running the canine Classic from Wimbledon.
Cahill, originally from Co. Tipperary in Ireland but who moved to the UK over 20 years ago, said: “We made the final at Wimbledon back in 2002 with a bitch by the name of Call Me Baby. She was an outsider but ran a great race to finish second.
“We’ve had chances before but luck has run out – we had two in the semi-finals last year – but this year things worked out well for two of my greyhounds, although they’ll have to be at their best to beat some top-class greyhounds on the night.”
Irish superstar greyhound Clares Rocket lines up as favourite for the Greyhound Derby. He was the greyhound involved in a Shergar-style kidnapping saga last year, but was returned to his trainer’s kennels unharmed and now looks to complete a fairytale victory.
“He’s a fantastic greyhound, trained by an Englishman in Graham Holland, who has travelled over from his kennels in Ireland. His dog is unbeaten, but we are hopeful Acrobat and Missile can give him a race. Our dogs are capable of doing that if they get it right on the night,” added Cahill.
Cahill runs his greyhounds mainly at Brighton & Hove Stadium, but travels the length and breadth of the country in a bid to pick up the sport’s major prizes. He is a former champion trainer in the sport and still dines at the top table of the sport as his achievements at Towcester have proved.
Cahill can be contacted via Twitter @Cahillkennels. Their website is http://www.cahillracing.com
Star Sports English Derby trap draw: 1 Hiya Butt, 2 Droopys Acrobat, 3 Clares Rocket, 4 Astute Missile, 5 Tyrur Shay (m), 6 Murrys Ace (w).
Latest betting: 10-11 Clares Rocket, 6-4 Tyrur Shay, 4 Hiya Butt, 14 Droopys Acrobat, 25 Astute Missile, 33 Murrys Act.
Saturday’s English Greyhound Derby Final is staged at Towcester (towcester-racecourse.co.uk)