Dunphy delighted Droopys Plunge's Derby success

Dunphy proud as punch with Plunge

He may have gone down as a winner for the UK, but Droopys Plunge’s victory in the Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby was celebrated on both sides of the Irish Sea.

The Patrick Janssens-trained dog beat a field of superstars to claim the £175,000 first prize at Towcester just under a fortnight ago and connections are still on cloud nine.

Representing Droopys Stud, who bred the November 2022 son of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Sweet, Aoife Dunphy is still basking in the glory of one of their own winning the ‘big one’ at Towcester.

Dunphy said: “When you’re not expecting it, it’s even more magical!

“It was such a good line-up, such a good race, and everyone said it was one of the best Derby finals they have seen in recent years.”

“So, for him to carry it out the way he did – we were just so excited and so delighted for Patrick, for Roy (Ball, of The-Three-Tall-Men-Syndicate) and all the team there.”

“The Derby final is the Olympics of what we do and it was lovely to breed the winner.”

Up against five Irish-trained runners, Droopys Plunge was sent off at 10/1 for the final but they couldn’t repel his stirring late challenge.

He flashed out of trap one and was able to turn handy, as Graham Holland-trained duo Bombay Pay and the well-fancied Bockos Diamond blazed a trail.

As Bockos Diamond moved off the last bend, the coast was clear for the fast-finishing Droopys Plunge to power up the inside and he went on to land a famous victory by a length and half.

“He picked a hell of a night to break. You don’t ever think you’re going to win it, but we definitely had a bit of extra confidence when he drew trap one,” added Dunphy.

“He was never going to lead around the first two bends but I just thought if he could get a pitch, then he comes home like a train and he is as genuine as the day is long. We started to get a bit excited at the third bend. He came home great and it was such a thrill.

“The lads that own him had a good craic at the Derby Lunch on the Monday and they were shouting for him from then onwards! It was great for them and they had a great week.”

Dunphy was quick to highlight the outstanding quality of this year’s Derby and just what an achievement it was for Droopyys Plunge to come out on top after six thrilling weeks of action.

She continued: “He did a right good clock (28.64) when winning in the first round, and it was really just about qualifying after that. It just shows you the calibre of the competition as the times the dogs were doing from the front was crazy. 

“I’ve been a big fan of Bockos Diamond since I saw him at the start of his career. I remember watching him on the night Droopys Plunge won the unraced in Cork, and Bockos Diamond actually won on that card as well. I said, ‘I think we’ve just seen a Derby winner’, and he won the Irish Derby that year. So, to go and take him on in the English Debry final was fantastic.

“De Lahdedah was the defending champion and he just absolutely loves Towcester. I’d watched Sole Mio for Peter Cronin when he finished second in the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial at Limerick, where he finished second.

“Then, obviously you have Cheap Sandwiches and Bombay Pat, who led them all around the first two bends. It was just a fantastic race to watch.”

However, it wasn’t just Droopys Plunge who flew the flag for the litter at Towcester, and the Dunphys were unlucky not to have another finalist as the littler brother, Droopys Bookem, nearly qualified for Tom Heilbron when finishing fourth in his semi-final.

She said: “I thought Droopys Bookem was going to qualify but he just got held up around the last bend. I’d say he’s got a nice career over six bends going forward, as he’s a big, strong-staying dog.

“And their other brother, Callaway Knegare, won the Juvenile Derby at Shelbourne Park and finished third in the Irish Derby, so obviously they’re a fantastic litter. Droopys Sweet is a fantastic brood for us and to have three of them out of the one litter competing at that level is just unreal.”

“There is another Droopys Sydney-Droopys Sweet litter who are just starting out now. One of them is Droopys Bundle, who won the Brownstown Tango & NTSC Unraced Bitch Stake at Newbridge.

“There is also a litter of Droopys Got Its coming, and we have one little bitch, Mallow, (pictured below) from Fromposttopillar, which is the Droopys Sydney line as well, but she’s the last one now.

“We’ve had a couple of complications with Droopys Sweet’s last two pregnancies, so we’ve made the decision to retire her and she’s going to come to live with me once she’s finished rearing that little puppy.

“I had her mother as well, Droopys Hilda, and she only passed away about six weeks ago. She was going on 14 years old, so they definitely have longevity as well as everything else!

“I love that line as they have such a fantastic mindset and temperament, so we’ll probably hold on to Mallow and hope to breed out of her when the time comes.”

Like thousands of others, Dunphy was able to watch all the action on Gone To The Dogs – live! via YouTube and she liked what she saw from the GTTD broadcasts.

“I actually watched it every round and I thought it was fantastic coverage,” she explained.

“Dani Jackson is a great asset to the sport and she has a great way of making people feel comfortable when they’re talking.

“It was really well done and it’s definitely a stepping stone to be building on. We need the coverage and to show the general public what we’re all about.”

A prior engagement prevented Dunphy from tuning into Gone To The Dogs – live! on final night, but that didn’t stop her enjoying the big race.

She said: “I watched it in a betting shop in Dungarvan, County Waterford, as I had a friend getting married there. There were three of us inside the shop and we nearly wrecked the place!

“But I watched the whole Gone To The Dogs – live! programme back on the Sunday with my Mum and Dad, and it was brilliant coverage again.”

“The people are there if we get the package right, and Greyhound Racing UK have definitely started in the right direction.”

The package was certainly right in this year’s Derby final, so let’s hope it’s just the start of things to come.