The biggest race of the 2019 U.K greyhound racing calendar starts this weekend at Nottingham, the Greyhound Derby. We’re still licking our wounds from our 80/1 antepost tip for the Scottish Derby making the final as the quickest qualifier before finishing out the frame but ready to get stuck into this phenomenal competition.
Our greyhound tipsters, David Mitchell and Matt Newman, are back with their greyhound tips for the Derby which starts on Friday evening, including a 500/1 selection for the six-round contest.
DM – Dorotas Wildcat 12/1 – I’ve watched this dog in every one of his races and I just can’t get away from him in this year’s Derby. I’ve looked for an alternative but I just keep coming back to the reigning champ.
He’s arguably improved since he demolished the field in last years Derby final at Towcester and if anything Nottingham is going to suit his strengths more. He’s sent out an early warning sign with a superb 29.52 trial.
Considering his last competitive race was at the end of March he’s certainly going to grow into this competition. This dog has it all and I truly believe he’ll go down as the best greyhound we’ve seen in the last decade.
MN – Skywalker Logan 25/1 – This Irish raider has the look of a machine about him, an exceptional blend of speed and stamina which lends itself perfectly to this track. He dipped under the magic 28-second barrier at Shelbourne in the Irish Juvenile Derby last September before exiting in the Semis.
He arrives off the back of a victory in the Irish Cesarewitch, before stopping the clock at 29.27 on his first ever look at Nottingham. Just a length and a half off the track record, he holds strong claims to this prize.
DM – Droopys Expert 50/1 – He seems to have been around for an age but in that time he’s landed an All England Cup, and finished runner-up in a Laurels, Puppy Classic, Puppy Plate and Steel City Cup.
More importantly, he seems to run his best races at Nottingham and that was evident in his recent 29.59 spin around here. Connections will have him bang on for this competition and if he was to go deep he could outrun his odds.
MN – Roxholme Jim 80/1 – All about the early pace here, a Steel City Cup finalist on just his ninth career start. Those are the only races he has under his belt so there is a strong likelihood of better to come from this February 2017 whelp. He can be away and gone from any trouble which will make him hard to catch through the rounds.
DM – Blue East 150/1 – Heads into this competition as an unknown entity from the emerald isle. He was last seen at Waterford winning the Gain Greyhound Nutrition Select Final beating Slippy Cian comfortably.
Given that Slippy Cian (33/1 top price) is fancied to go far for the Irish this year, Blue East looks to have slipped under the radar and with a recent run here, he should come on a lot for his shrewd connections.
MN – Dower Rory 500/1 – 2019 has not gone the way that connections will have wanted thus far. He made the final of the Eclipse over this C&D in November, however, where the first two home – Dorotas Wildcat and Droopys Verve – are the favourite and second favourite for the Derby!
He needs to step up on his form this year but this strong running hound is the type to keep sneaking into third and ticking off the rounds, avoiding early trouble with his slow-starting style. On his best form, he’s monstrously overpriced.