Major is Magical on Cheap Derby Final card

TRAPRISE

The Flagship event of every greyhound racing season, the 2025 BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby concluded at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night with the coronation of a truly deserving champion as Cheap Sandwiches galloped his way to €125,000.

A hot favourite following stunning heat wins in the previous two rounds, the Graham Holland superstar went one better than when runner-up in the 2024 renewal.

His exceptional early pace was a standout feature of the Derby and although only moderately to stride from trap 5 in the final, he ranged up on the outside of the fast starting Barefoot On Song before seizing command of the race enter the backstraight.

By this point, our local hope Magical Mag already had her fate sealed when despite breaking adeptly, she failed to secure command of the rails versus Proper Heiress and when that rival offered the Pat Guilfoyle girl a heavy shoulder at the corner, Mag suffered a tumble with all aspirations dashed.

Magical Mag gratefully completed the final in sixth place, and all connected will be delighted with her campaign having added so substantially to a stellar classic renewal. However, having completed victory with three lengths to spare over Barefoot On Song in 29.37 for the 550-yards, Cheap Sandwiches will be remembered amongst the most impressive of all Derby winners as he provides a fifth title in ten years for his Golden based trainer.

Chief support to every Derby is the Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate for greyhounds eliminated from the opening rounds and providing significant compensation for Pat Guilfoyle, his prodigious young talent Magical Major (King Sheeran-Magical Mary) produced a stunning final winning performance.

A luckless outing with traffic at near every turn in the opening round of the Derby, the October 2023 whelp was next seen in sprint victory at Limerick while in preparation for his tilt at the Plate. Commencing the event with a brace of impressive victories in the opening rounds, another bumpy passage was to follow at semi stage when made to settle for a qualifying third.

However, Major had again displayed exceptional pace when free to gallop in that semi and remained a warm favourite for final victory before going to trap 2 for the €7500 showdown on Saturday.

Breaking is not quite his forte at this early stage of his career and again led in the early exchanges, Major raced in a dispute of fourth place to the opening bend but crucially, avoided any contact within tight quarters and reached the backstraight within a length of the lead despite having rivals in his eye-line.

Spying a gap on the run to halfway, the Moneygall pup joined a line of five in contention for the lead and in a display of supreme power, settled what had looked a highly competitive affair in a matter of strides! Outpacing elite racers, Magical Major galloped to a one length lead at the third bend before doubling that advantage on the run to the home straight. Completing victory over Sunshine Sioux with two lengths to spare at the line, he posted 29.53 for the 550-yards.

Such has been the impact of Magical Major in his fledgling career which is now just eleven races old with seven victories, expect to see him at the summit of all betting markets for the 2026 Irish Derby when the dust settles on this year’s renewal.

Pickles is perfect at 600

A wonderful night of action at Shelbourne had one further thrill in store for our travelling local support when the concluding BOYLE Casino 600 brought another victory in the brilliant career of Clement Ryan’s Coosane Pickles (Droopys Sydney-Droopys Pickles).

Without an ideal preparation for the Derby, the Michael O’Donovan trained October 2022 whelp had just a solitary outing since March and despite progressing to second-round victory in the classic, exited at quarterfinal stage following bumping.

However, a powerful strong runner at four bends, the Birdhill darling took her first step beyond 550-yards on Saturday of last week when relishing the demands of Shelbourne Park’s 600-yard test. Running down Westway Rossa for victory in 32.37 then, Pickles was back last weekend to further confirm her star prowess with another thrilling score.Breaking well from trap 4, she was predictably bested for early dash on the run to the corner but negotiated a pleasing path to fourth place while turning within three lengths of the lead.

That appeared close enough to strike on the evidence of her victory on the previous weekend and she duly converted her opportunity having reduced arrears to just a length at the third bend. Briefly held up within tight quarters while turning, Coosane Pickles showed narrowly in front off the final turn and although she offered renewed hope to Look And Lep when wide into the straight, she would never surrender a lead once in front. Striking the line with a half length to spare in a classy 32.31, she will have a host of options over extended distances in what should be a very exciting finish to the season for a wonderfully likeable and entertaining elite racer.