Good run continues for Romford’s Maxine Locke as Ballymac Kobe sails into Sunday’s English Puppy Derby semi-finals
BALLYMAC KOBE heads into Sunday’s semi-finals of the English Puppy Derby at Towcester as the fastest heat winner with Maxine Locke’s youngster looking to continue a good year for the Romford handler.
Having recently landed the Premier Greyhound Racing Derby with Droopys Display, Locke’s team is setting its sights on another Category One prize with no less than five semi-finalists set for the weekends semi-finals, including Ballymac Kobe.
The May 2023 son of Ballymac Cashout and Ballymac Merkle, who is related to a host of staying stars – Garfiney Blaze, Ballymac Taylor, Hopiehopie and Haka Carlo – showed equal measures of speed and stamina in heat five.
Leading up on his way to posting a joint fastest-of-the-session 4.08sec sectional, Ballymac Kobe was never headed for a runaway five and three-quarter length success over Bombay Bingo (Con Condon) and Savana Woody (Jason Ray) in 28.88sec (+10).
Next quickest was the Paul Young-trained Bombay Birch who dominated from the get-go in heat six as the February 2023 son of Broadstrand Bono and Change Me stretched out for a two and a half length success over Ballymac Lucia (Maxine Locke), a littermate of Ballymac Kobe’s, and Do Gooder (Kim Billingham-Hine) in 28.92sec (+10).
Ballymac Blanco had earlier initiated a double for winning trainer Locke in heat two as the May 2023 son of Ballymac Vic and Ballymac Wisdom was also quickly into stride and soon in command on his way to success over Skeard Josie (Jimmy Fenwick) and Bombay Nutty (Mark Wallis). The winning time was a slick 28.99sec (+10) for the 500m trip.
The event kicked off with success for Roy Peckham’s Winscale Wonder who made all in heat one from Farneys Maisie (Kevin Boon) and Ballymac Florie (Maxine Locke) in 29.10sec (+10), while the Mark Wallis-trained Newinn Cloud was another trap-to-line winner in heat four, winning easily by over seven lengths from Droopys Mikado (Heather Dimmock) and Ballymac Mist (Maxine Locke). The winning time was 29.02sec (+10).
Heat three had been declared void when the hare was stopped in the interests of safety, with Farneys Mate (Kevin Boon), Thor Odinson (Chris Fereday) and King Jackson (Liz McNair) the three runners from this heat into the semi-finals.
James Chalkley, director of racing at Towcester, said: “It is shaping up as a very competitive English Puppy Derby with plenty of chances, albeit our thoughts on Sunday were very much with Phil Barlow and his team.
“It willl be another bust Sunday here for the semi-finals with a host of open races supporting those as we build up to a busy period next month.
“Our Christmas Bonanza on Saturday, December 21, is shaping up to be one of the best meetings of the year with a whole host of valuable one-off races – a Night of Stars, if you like – and we were delighted to hear the Gone To The Dogs – Live! team have chosen the night to feature on the programme, their last of the year.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming them and everyone else. It will be free entry on the night, albeit we will have various offers and deals in the restaurant. It’s going to be our Christmas party – with a host of stars on the track, both top open-racers and some of our graded stars who will have the chance to land big prizes in kennel sweepstakes.”
Trap draw for Sunday’s semi-finals: https://towcester-racecourse.co.uk/racecards-results/