Logan scripting a Magical Derby story
There was no doubt that 2019 saw one of the strongest ever challenges from these shores ahead of Star Sports, Arc & LPS English Greyhound Derby at Nottingham and following a fiercely competitive campaign over the past month, Irish runners will now fill four of the six traps in this Saturday’s final showdown.
Of course, our local hopes will rest with Skywalker Logan (Tarsna Havana/Sizzling Sarah) who produced a brilliant display to qualify from his semi-final as trainer Pat Guilfoyle bids to add to a wonderful season while attempting to bring the English Derby title back to North Tipperary for the first time since the legendary Ger McKenna claimed his second success with Lartigue Note in 1989.
Housed in Trap 1 for the second semi-final, Logan was forced to battle while claiming second place at the first bend as a line of runners exchanged bumps behind Clonbrien Prince who had skipped clear following his fast start. All of five lengths in arrears when chasing that leader to the back-straight, the latent stamina of Skywalker Logan was certain to see him claim a qualifying place but closing with every stride thereafter, he only failed in a photo-finish to deny his fellow Irish challenger the victory.
It was a stunning performance and showed the Guilfoyle star be in rude health despite his extended campaign of late while confirming that he is ideally suited to the exacting demands of the Derby.
Claiming the opposing semi-final was Magical Bale and currently trained by Kevin Hutton in the UK, last year’s Irish Derby runner-up has been sensational while winning four heats on the spin but although officially running for the home team, Magical Bale adds yet further to this astounding Guilfoyle Derby story as he was in fact trained by Pat Guilfoyle when just denied in that Irish Derby Final having been bred and reared in Moneygall.
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