Guilfoyle duo Can be Stars in Irish Derby

TRAPRISE

A favourite night of the season for many racegoers, the 2026 BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby was reduced to a single session of classic heats for the third round on Saturday, and further cementing realistic hopes for outright glory, trainer Pat Guilfoyle again claimed a brace of heat victories at Shelbourne Park, in truly stunning style!

First into action for the Moneygall kennels was Lars & Anita Wicander’s Wi Can James (Ballymac Cashout-Right Nicki) and having secured his first heat victory on the previous weekend, the progressive September 2024 whelp improved once again with a dominant fastest of the round performance.

Facing a tricky assignment from trap 3, with a host of respected rivals including Champion Stakes winner Ballymac Kamala ideally housed on the fence, the Guilfoyle star was under pressure to produce a swift start.

It was an adept break but crucially exiting on galloping stride, Wi Can James was quick to reach full flight and establishing a tight one length lead on the approach to the opening bend in advance of Glengar Phantom, reduced the heat to a personal race against the clock from that point. Extending to three and a half lengths at the third bend, Wi Can James powered his way along the home straight thereafter and striking the line with a facile eight lengths in hand of that latter rival, registered the joint fastest time of the Derby in a sublime 29.10 for the 550-yards!

The kennel Derby double arrived within the half-hour and completing a heat hat-trick, Sandra Guilfoyle’s Waitingforastar (Droopys Jet-Magical Poppy) is now one of only three unbeaten survivors following his stunning third round victory.

Sparking comparison with such illustrious past champions as College Causeway and the redoubtable Late Late Show, having registered thrilling opening round victories while swooping late in swashbuckling style, the June 2024 powerhouse gave notice of what he can do when more forward in the early stages; and the result was facile defeat of elite classic rivals!

Housed in trap 2, his draw appeared as treacherous as any before, especially when considering his tardy starts from previous heats. However, remaining open to improvement with just ten races prior to this Derby tilt, Waitingforastar did break better and despite almost a length behind Faypoint Harvey to his inside for the initial strides, revealed a sharp turn of early pace to advance beyond that rival nearing the corner.

Repelling Slippery Brian to his outer for command on the inside line while turning, the Guilfoyle powerhouse could be called a winner when two lengths to the good at the second turn. What followed was a virtual solo passage as Waitingforastar galloped imperiously clear along the backstraight and again seeing out the trip strongly, struck the line with ten lengths to spare in a brilliant 29.13.

Within a restructured betting market, the Guilfoyle duo are now next best in line behind justified favourite Bouncing Monarch. It must be conceded that the Michael O’Donovan superstar remains the Derby’s standout performer as the early season Kirby Memorial winner has dominated in three heat victories, posting 29.10, 29.11 and 29.13; with his blistering early pace carrying him to halfway leads which simply can’t be negated by even the strongest stayers.

However, both Guilfoyle challengers have progressive profiles with this kennel bid for a second Derby title appearing to have come at an optimum stage of their career development.

Thankfully, they have avoided each other in this Saturday’s quarter-finals with 5/1 outright shot Wi Can James contesting the opening heat from trap 5. He is widest of the inside seeds but is not draw dependant and with all evidence considered, will chart a true line in the early exchanges for hopeful clear passage.

Waitingforastar will contest the concluding quarter-final and is back in trap 4 while also widest of the inside seeded runners. Now just 6/1 for Derby victory and capable of doing it from the front or when headed in the early stages, he can progress at the very minimum if granted anything approaching clear passage. Unashamedly biased, both are fancied for victory in current form.

Lola leads way at Limerick

Away from the capital on Saturday, the Book Your Trials Online A2 525 provided a smart highlight for the weekend when the John Byrne trained Private Lola (King Sheeran-Diego Lola) advanced to a new career best in most game manner.

A sharp early pacer, the John Ryan owned August 2024 whelp harbours a thoroughly consistent profile with a “catch me if you can” racing style and again displaying the best early pace when much the quickest to reach full stride from trap 4, held a two-length advantage around the opening bends. Ably defending a lead to the closing turns, Lola would find a strong staying rival drawing ever closer in the home straight but gutsy out front, defended a shorthead winning margin.

Posting her new personal best of 28.78, Private Lola rises to A1 for her next outing, but such is her early pace, that level should hold little fear.