The English Greyhound Derby is the standout event on the greyhound racing calendar, with 185 dogs vying it out for a spot in the final six on July 1st 2023.
Towcester once again plays host to the six-week competition, which begins with the first round on Thursday, May 25 before the big final on Saturday, July 1 where one dog will earn a little over $217,000 for it’s team.
We’ll look to pick out the favorites and provide you with our best free greyhound picks to see if we can earn you some extra cash.
| Greyhound Derby 2023 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swords Rex | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| Ballymac Marino | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Clona Duke | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Romeo Magico | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Romeo Command | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Maree Champion | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
Check out our best betting bonuses available here.
Where: Towcester Racecourse in Towcester, United Kingdom
Below you’ll find a list of the favorites to win the Greyhound Derby 2023.
Swords Rex could have been backed at odds of +5000 just a matter of months ago but he’s been a major gamble and it’s easy to understand why.
The son of Droopys Sydney appears to have it all, and the decision to resist the temptation of running here last year after his success in the Kirby Memorial has been vindicated. Victory in this year’s Easter Cup at Shelbourne Park saw him defeat our reigning champion on two occasions, explaining why he’s the favorite.
Earlier this month, he was to take out the track record at Towcester on just his second look around and while one-off flash times won’t win the Derby, the performance proves he handles this circuit.
Swords Rex is a black dog, aged two having been born in July 2020. The owner of Swords Rex is Mrs B Lowndes and his current trainer is Graham Holland.
Check out our review for BetOnline sports betting here.
Ballymac Marino is another son of Vulturi – a sire that Dowling has enjoyed particular success with – and he went unbeaten through the Juvenile Classic at Tralee in March.
A black dog that is one years old, born in June 2021. The owner of Ballymac Marino is Meinthehalfway Syndicate and his current trainer is Irishman Liam Dowling.
Ballymac Marino last ran at Towcester on Saturday 3 June 2023, over a distance of 500m and won the race comfortably after starting out as favorite. He has also won his previous two races in May at Towcester, running a season-best 28.81 in the second race having run a 29.35 first time out a few days prior.
He’s won coming out of traps 3, 4 and 5 this year so is just comfortable on the track, and it’s no surprise he’s the second favorite.
Check out our review for BetUS sports betting here.
Clona Duke is just past his second birthday and was to enter the Derby picture having obliged as a +2000 outsider of six in the final of last year’s RPGTV Juvenile Derby at Shelbourne Park.
He’s still open to improvement and equaled a long-standing track record at Limerick in the first round of the Kirby Memorial before impressing in the Select Stakes at Waterford.
Clona Duke is a black dog, aged 2 years old having been born March 2021. The owner of Clona Duke is Mr K M O’Brien and his current trainer is Graham Holland.
Clona Duke last ran at Towcester on Saturday 03 June 2023, over a distance of 500m winning comfortably as the favorite before the race. He also ran twice more in May, winning both races with times of 28.78 and 28.77 respectively – both of which were faster than the most recent winning time of 29.44.
A win looks unlikely, and the price is probably a little too short if all the favorites qualify as expected.
A first English Derby winner for Graham Holland, Romeo Magico‘s campaign in 2022 was a masterclass in how to prepare a dog for the prize. A slow burner in the opening rounds being brought to the boil as the honours were decided.
Just four dogs have been able to deliver back-to-back Derbys with Westmead Hawk the last to do so in 2005/2006, but with a price of +1200 to be next up Magico looks an unlikely winner.
Romeo Magico is a 3 years old, born in August 2019. The owner is Mr Firmager and his current trainer is also Graham Holland.
Magico last ran at Towcester on Friday 02 June 2023, over a distance of 500m finishing first in a time of 28.85 as an odds-on favorite. He also won his previous race on the track on May 25th with a time of 29.44, but finished second on May 7th after running 29.11.
He’s done it before so can’t be ruled out, but it would be a big shock.
Romeo Command sits high in the antepost lists having won nine races since switching to the handler, including the final of the BGBF Breeders Stakes at Nottingham.
He has raced six times at Towcester since the start of May and won in each race, although one was just a 270m race. The five other 500m races saw him clock up times of 28.82, 28.99, 29.03, 29.46 and most recently 28.93.
He’s in fantastic form and has a high price but with the race likely to be sealed by just a fraction of a second, there is great value in backing him to be the winner.
About the Author
Daniel is a football writer who has a great thirst for the Premier League and other major European leagues. A lover of the beautiful game and a firm believer that the eye test is better than statistics. Also an avid MMA fan.
Read Daniel's ProfileAsk Daniel about this guide:
