Irish Greyhound Derby…

…It is notoriously difficult to compare performances of greyhounds running over different distances, but I enjoy the challenge using my own methods of evaluation measuring greyhounds performance over 1 metre as explained earlier in my blog.

It’s particularly more difficult in the Irish Greyhound Derby as their races are measured in yards! There aren’t many English racers involved but what there is, I like to compare their performances against the Irish; and as I am more familiar with speeds over metres I have converted the Irish racing times to metric.

It is quite easy; just multiply the yards by 0.9144. For example: 550yds x 0.9144 = 502.92mtrs. After doing that I divide the result (502.92) into the time recorded in seconds; this gives me a category I can relate to that equates to English times.

The Irish Greyhound Derby is not until Sunday 15th Oct so that gives us plenty of time to identify a short list of potential winners and to take a good price.

The short listed dogs I have identified are:-

Catunda Francie (58/15) 40/1; Westmead Eagle (58/72) 66/1; Goldstar Premier (58/93) 40/1; Quick Shift (58/94) ; Tyrur Ted (59/05) 8/1 Jt Fav; Tyrur Kitten (59/10) 40/1; Group Rooster (59/05) 100/1+ ; Bubbly Tojo (59/45) 66/1; Winetavern Oscar (59/47) 33/1; Droops Electric (60/31) 20/1.
Note: Group Rooster is owned by Kieren Fallon. Could it be the K. Fallon the champion jockey?...!

The list could change over time as heats take place etc. Here is the whole list I have compiled (the lower the number on the scale the speedier the dog) ; see what you think about it and make your own selections.

Come racing!!

Catunda Francie 40
58/15 (over 400yds; over 525yds it is 60/30)
Westmead Eagle 66
58/72
He Said So
58/73
Early Talent 50 (bitch)
58/91
Goldstar Premier 40
58/93
Quick Shift 100
58/94
Digital
58/95
Dead Set 50

59/04
Coolboy George 50
59/03
Tyrur Paddy 25
59/03
Dead Set 50
59/04
Droopys Marco
59/05
Astronomic 33
59/05
Tyrur Ted 8/1 Jt F
59/05
Fear Me 33
59/06
Droopys Learoy
59/07
Charity Jack
59/07(current)

Tyrur Kitten 50
59/10
Dustin Fox 50
59/15

Group Rooster
59/21
Yeah Man 8/1 Jt F
59/22
Tallinin 66
59/24

Blue Majestic 66
59/31
Trey United 33
59/34

Roisins Dessie 50
59/41
Large Mac 66
59/43
Superhods Hero 50
59/45
Eskimo Jack 50
59/45
Bubbly Tojo 66
59/45
Ardkill Jamie 25
59/47
WinetavernOscar 25
59/47

Droopys Blanco 100
59/51
Agamemnan 100
59/52
Baliff Diesel
59/53
Campaign Trail
59/55
Great Display 50
59/57
Blackstone Gold 20
59/58
Climates Lisa
59/59

Goldstar Lee 66
59/61
Killough Billy
59/63
Westmead Joe 16
59/64
Ballymac Pires
59/65
Eye King 33
59/68
Farloe Eoin
59/68

Tullow Rumble 100
59/70
Ahane Lad
59/71
Razldazl Billy 16
59/71
Stow Alert 100
59/72
Droopys Mourinho
59/72
Mineola Zeus 25
59/73
Dark Davy 66
59/73
Farloe Roony 100
59/78

Razldazl Pearl 50
59/82
Distant Sparky
59/84
Droopys Wells 20
59/87

Catunda Deano 50
59/93
Mango Tango 50
59/93
Billy Payback
59/96
Holborn Concorde 100
59/97
----------------
Greenwell storm 50
60/02
Hondo Dubh 100
60/02
-----------------
60/10
Shelbourn Becky 50 (this bitch has run a fast time recently; adjust rating)60/12

Benjo
60/20
Droopys Sella 100
60/21
Good Dog Jack 20
60/26

Dalcash Valley 100
60/30
Droopys Electric 20
60/31
Droopys Sabatini
60/36
Tyrur Fracas 50
60/38

Droopys Leah
60/61
Martinston Lass 50
60/65

Brickfield Gypsy
60/83
Borna Magic 50
60/84

Jeffs Star 50
61/12

-------------------------
Redwood Miner 50
61/81
---------------------
Unable to find records of the following:
Adfert Billy 50
Bunboggin Lane 50

Practical use of my Greyhound Derby graph...

I made a graph before the Greyhound Derby to illustrate what is possible to put on it; and to give me a graphical picture of the six dogs' previous runs and also to asses how near Amarillo Slim's form was to Westmead Hawk's.
It revealed, looking at the peaks and troughs, that dog No 1 and dog 6 could be eliminated from calculations as having little or no chance of winning.

If you have read my previous blogs you will understand the markings I have made on the graph but to refresh your memory :

The best time of each dog is written at the top of each column and I have marked each graph with the letters: BT (best time).

I have marked the dog with the best of the best times with a red circle;
the next best time with a red square; and the third best time with a red diamond ( in this case case dogs 3 and 4 are equal times).

The black numbers in each column 4.89; 4.24, 5.04 , etc are the split times which indicate which dogs have the best time trapping and I have marked them in red using Roman Numerals I, II, and III.

The characters at the bottom of the graph in red are to indicate how good the dog is at negotiating the bends. Each time I put 'B' meaning Bend and follow with a remark such as: VG; very good; or B Ex! meaning excellent!; Bx meaning Bends-not good etc. or QG = Quite good.

The bends performance is obtained by examining the race cards.



That's all for now... but you can download a blank graph if you go into the archives on this website and make a graph yourself on any race where dogs have run predominately over the same distance.If you print one off don't forget to laminate it so that you can use it time and time again.

You will notice that the whole numbers (Integers)on the vertical axis are inserted after you have laminated the graph!

Come racing!!  

Amarillo Slim 3rd in the Greyhound Derby…

…the big day came for Amarillo and he ran a great race from trap 5 into third place behind the great Westmead Hawk in trap 4 and Mineola Farloe in trap 2.

I thought the writing was on the wall for Amarillo when he drifted from odds of 7/2 to 6/1 before the off. I figured that there must have been something wrong when the bookies lengthened the odds. Even so, he ran a really good race in a great time of 28.56 sec (by my classification a: 59/50 dog. The Hawk covered the ground in a fantastic 28.44 sec (a 59/25 dog).

I always had Amarillo (he is named after a famous poker player, so I’m told) in mind as 1,2,3,4, place bet and a win would have been a huge bonus at double figure odds. I made a profit with my each-way bets so my objective (each-way thieving bets; as the bookies call them) was made… Mission accomplished; and it looks like this dog is one to follow - perhaps he will run in the Irish derby? Look out for him (his breeding is Knockeven Star – Lemon Sugar).

As a matter of interest my blog post advocating that Amarillo should be bet each-way at decent odds was re-produced on two websites: www.inside-edge-mag.co.uk and www.toalgambler.com - so quite a few people could have bet it; and perhaps made a few bob. The thought of that is very pleasant…It is in the website archives of those mags now.

If you won on it–let me know by commenting on space at the bottom of this blog.

Come racing !!