2008 English Greyhound Derby

The 2008 Blue Square Greyhound Derby took place during May with the final held on 31 May 2008 at Wimbledon Stadium. The winner Loyal Honcho received £100,000.^[1]

2008 English Greyhound Derby
Location	Wimbledon Stadium
Start date	2 May
End date	31 May
Total prize money	£100,000 (winner)
← 2007 2009 →

Final result

At Wimbledon (over 480 metres):^[2]

Position	Name of Greyhound	Breeding	Trap	Sectional	SP	Time	Trainer
1st	Loyal Honcho	Top Honcho – Midway Crystal	4	4.85	5-2jf	28.60	Seamus Graham (Ireland)
2nd	Tyrur Kieran	Honcho Classic – Tyrur Dee	3	4.90	11-4	28.88	Paul Hennessy (Ireland)
3rd	Blonde Dino	Daves Mentor – Charquest	6	4.92	10-1	29.00	John Mullins (Yarmouth)
4th	Tyrur Laurel	Top Honcho – Tyrur Fiona	5	4.93	5-2jf	29.45	Paul Hennessy (Ireland)
5th	Kryptonite	Top Honcho – Three Star Girl	1	4.92	4-1	29.58	Charlie Lister (Private)
6th	Lenson Express	Top Honcho – Gold Seacrest	2	5.07	20-1	00.00	Tony Collett (Sittingbourne)

Distances

3½, 1½, 5½, 1¾, Dis (lengths)
The distances between the greyhounds are in finishing order and shown in lengths. One length is equal to 0.08 of one second.^[3]

Race Report

It took five rounds of action to narrow down the field to the final six greyhounds that would for the final of the competition race over 480 m in a chance to win the 2008 English Greyhound Derby. After finishing second to Westmead Lord in 2007, Loyal Honcho won the 2008 title in his second attempt, dominating the final. Seamus Graham's runner, who was sent as the 5–2 joint-favourite along with fellow Irish raider Tyrur Laurel, took control of the race from the traps and pulled clear to beat Tyrur Kieran (11–4) and winner of the Scottish Greyhound Derby, by three and a half lengths in a respectable 28.60 sec (480 metres). A messy race saw five of the six contenders encounter trouble with Lenson Express falling and finishing last.

It was the first Irish trained success in the Derby since Ian Reilly's Droopys Scholes took the honours in 2004.

Quarter finals

^[4]

Heat 1 (20 May) Pos Name SP Time 1st Tyrur Laurel 9-2 28.67 2nd Barnfield On Air 6-4f 28.76 3rd Blonde Dino 11-4 28.81 4th Boherna On Air 7-2 28.88 5th Cats Whiskers 50-1 29.06 6th Splanc 12-1 29.17

Heat 2 (20 May) Pos Name SP Time 1st Loyal Honcho 3-1 28.83 2nd Lenson Express 25-1 29.02 3rd Droopys Obafemi 6-1 29.06 4th Lenson Joker 8-1 29.17 5th Melodys Pat 7-4f 29.30 6th Barnfield Woody 7-2 00.00

Heat 3 (20 May) Pos Name SP Time 1st Toosey Blue 4-1 28.63 2nd Tyrur Kieran 1-2f 28.69 3rd Salacres Chief 25-1 28.75 4th Bubbly Totti 7-1 28.77 5th Kilkenny Lonjack 12-1 28.78 6th Barnfield Slippy 12-1 28.95

Heat 4 (20 May) Pos Name SP Time 1st Kryptonite 6-4f 28.80 2nd Seanis Lad 16-1 28.94 3rd Express Ego 5-2 28.95 4th Dilemmas Flight 5-1 29.08 5th Love Mac 20-1 29.09 6th Rio Quando 11-4 29.10

Semi finals

^[5]

First Semi Final (24 May) Pos Name of Greyhound SP Time Trainer 1st Tyrur Laurel 4-1 28.55 Hennessy 2nd Kryptonite 7-4jf 28.63 Lister 3rd Lenson Express 33-1 28.64 Collett 4th Toosey Blue 7-4jf 28.71 Mullins 5th Express Ego 8-1 28.76 McKenna 6th Droopys Obafemi 7-1 29.07 Grey

Second Semi Final (24 May) Pos Name of Greyhound SP Time Trainer 1st Loyal Honcho 4-1 28.77 Graham 2nd Blonde Dino 6-1 28.90 Mullins 3rd Tyrur Kieran 1-1f 28.97 Hennessy 4th Salacres Chief 20-1 28.98 Harnden 5th Barnfield On Air 5-2 29.08 Poots 6th Seanis Lad 20-1 29.15 Jones

See also

2008 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year