Derby winner O'Dwyer hooked on Towcester action

Rural Hawaii owner has Derby fever again

Michael O'Dwyer may be based in Hawaii now but that hasn’t stopped him enjoying every second of this year’s Star Sports/TRC Greyhound Derby at Towcester.

O’Dwyer owned and bred Rural Hawaii, who won the Irish Derby in 2016, says being able to watch this year’s Classic at Towcester on Gone To The Dogs – Live! has brought the memories of those glory days flooding back.

Now based in Maui, the Irish owner has been able to stream the racing for the first time and he has been fully caught up in Derby fever.

“I love Gone To The Dogs – Live! I think it’s the best thing to happen to greyhound racing for a long time. It’s amazing, and it’s growing all the time.

“I was able to send it to my Mum, who is 79, and she’s watching it at home in Clonmel. Every weekend I send the link to her and she’s loving every minute of it.

“It’s newsworthy, light-hearted and entertaining as well. Even someone with no interest in greyhound racing could watch and enjoy it.

And it isn’t just his family who he is keeping up to speed on the Derby, O’Dwyer has also converted his colleagues into greyhound racing fans and they are enjoying the action just as much as him. 

“I have a restaurant out here called Fabiani's, where I cook breakfast on the weekends and I put the TV on in the kitchen, so anyone else around me has to watch the greyhound racing too! And now all the team are wanting to watch it again.

“One year soon, hopefully we’ll be over there at Towcester for the Derby.”

When asked about the final, O’Dwyer nailed his colours firmly to the mast of Bockos Diamond.

“Honestly, I’m a Bockos Diamond fan and I have been from the start. I know Graham (Holland) will have him ready to pop out when it matters.

“Everybody is saying he might not stay and could get tired with the long run to the pick up, but there isn’t another dog like him.”

O’Dwyer gave Holland his maiden Derby winner courtesy of Rural Hawaii, whose success was very much a family affair and he remains very proud of that famous victory.

“It was fantastic, and to give Graham his first ever Derby winner was amazing, 

“The dog was bred at home in our little back yard and Graham reared him three months old, so it was a whole family thing. We’ve been good friends with the Hollands forever and ever.

“My Dad passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic and the Derby win was the highlight of our lives.

“My Mum and Dad have been in greyhound racing probably 60 or 70 years, and if they got a dog that won an A4 or A5 around Clonmel, then they were over the moon.”

The story of that Derby triumph goes all the way back to the 2007 Cheltenham Festival, when O’Dwyer had a windfall and the road to Shelbourne Park nine years later began from there.

“I had a great win at Cheltenham in the 2007 Champion Hurdle with a horse called Sublimity, who was ridden by a friend of mine - Paul Carberry. 

“I wanted to give some money to my Mum but she wouldn’t take it, so I gave her a puppy. Unfortunately, the puppy got injured before his first trial, so my Mum gave me this bitch called Duck Fat and that’s how it all started.

“And then this dog came out of the blue after I started naming some of the dogs after where I live. My Mum bred Rural Hawaii”

The Hawaii resident remains an owner in his native land, and he still has the bug for racing.

“I had my first winner that I owned by myself when I was 12 years old. It’s a great sport and it’s just a matter of getting people involved to show them what it entails.”

So, despite being thousands of miles away from the action, O’Dwyer continues to spread the joy of greyhound racing wherever he can.