DE LAHDEDAH led home an Irish one-two as Liam Dowling realised a longheld ambition to win the English Greyhound Derby with a track record-equalling performance in the £175,000 Star Sports & TRC-sponsored Classic final on a sensational night at Towcester.

A huge crowd packed into the Northamptonshire racecourse to see history being made as De Lahdedah crossed the line clear of compatriot Boylesports Bob to keep the famous trophy in Ireland for a third year running with the cheers ringing out at Towcester so loud they could be heard in Co. Kerry!

Watching the race unfold from the infield in front of the grandstands, it was clear to see what the victory meant to Liam Dowling. The legendary owner, breeder and trainer has been a regular visitor to the UK for the English Derby and, after a number of finalists in previous years, the Kerryman probably thought his time would never come.

However, it did – and some!

The man from Tralee had two runners in the final – De Lahdedah and Ballymac Gizmo – having once again travelled over from his Ballymacelligott base – hence the Ballymac prefix, one of the best known in the business – for the duration of competition, basing himself at Peter Harnden’s. He now watched as the 2024 running of the Classic unfolded.

King Memphis (Liz McNair) went off a hot favourite but missed the break, his chance gone in the blink of an eye. Conversely, De Lahdedah had trapped well from his midfield pitch as he done previously in the event and, while Churchfield Syd (Richard Rees) again showed that trademark burst of pace, the eventual winner was in a good position into the turn.

Racing upsides Churchfield Syd heading into the bend, De Lahdedah crucially had the inside line and the October 2021 son of Lenson Bocko and Ballymac Sarahjo now forged ahead for Classic glory, with the eye of his supporters now switching to where the powerful Boylesports Bob (Paul Hennessy) had turned – and whether he was close enough.

Not that De Lahdedah was stopping!

Last year’s Irish Derby semi-finalist – he will aim to create history by landing a famous Derby double in the Irish version at Shelbourne Park later this year – was in full flow and had his breeder Dowling with arms aloft and in full flow himself as the newest English Greyhound Derby champion powered to the line!

De Lahdedah, owned by The Garsuns Syndicate, crossed the line two and a half lengths clear of the staying-on Boylesports Bob with the always-handy Whyaye Man (Mark Wallis) following up last year’s Derby Plate success by finishing third in the main event 12 months later. Churchfield Syd was fourth, Ballymac Gizmo fifth and King Memphis sixth.

The winning time was exceptional – 28.58sec for the 500m – equalling a now three-way held track record for the trip shared by King Memphis and Droopys Clue. De Lahdedah now joins those two equally outstanding greyhounds on an incredible list.

Dowling, joined at the presentation by wife Helen, was naturally a proud and delighted man afterwards, commenting: “I always said we’d keep on trying and thankfully it’s come right. He’s always had something about him this dog, right from an early age, and I’m delighted for the lads who own him. Of course, we’ll be giving Shelbourne a go now!”

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=412808&raceId=1049097