HOFFA’S THIRD BEND CLOCK ONLY BETTERED BY TAYLOR

    HOFFA’S THIRD BEND CLOCK ONLY BETTERED BY TAYLOR

    Ian Fortune

    Coolavanny Hoffa’s third bend clock on Friday evening was sensational and left people questioning whether it was the fastest ever to that point.

    Initially, having looked up Pestana’s track record breaking 28.99 run, we felt it might have been the best but there was a nagging feeling that something had gone faster.

    It was late into Friday evening when I could confirm that Newinn Taylor had actually gone faster when he posted a scarcely believable 16.79 in the third round of the 2020 Derby. In hindsight, that was some display.

    The subsequent Derby champion posted 16.79 off the back of a 3.32 sectional. Hoffa’s Friday night 16.80 was off the back of a 3.38. It also got me think what other greyhounds have gone exceptionally quick. Incredibly, Newinn Taylor also has a 16.80 on his card after posting that mark in the semi-finals of the 2020 Derby.  

    Of course, Pesatana and Susie Sapphire also came to mind and both are amongst the top five times recorded to the third turn since the clocking mechanism went in.

    To save you the hassle of trying to piece together that fastest times, I thought I’d do the hard work for you. Below are the top ten third bend sectionals of the past three years.

    The Fastest of the Fast

    The Top 10 third bend sectionals for 550yds at Shelbourne Park

     

    Greyhound

    When?

    Clock

     

    1

    Newinn Taylor

    Derby – 3rd Round 2020

    16.79

    =2

    Newinn Taylor

    Derby – Semi-finals 2020

    16.80

    =2

    Coolavanny Hoffa 

    Derby – 2nd Round 2022

    16.80

    4

    Pestana

    Derby – 2nd Round 2022 (Track Record run)

    16.83

    =5

    Susie Sapphire

    Derby – Final 2021

    16.88

    =5

    Ballymac Ariel

    Derby – 3rd Round 2021

    16.88

    =7

    Pestana

    Derby – 3rd Round 2020

    16.90

    =7

    Pestana

    Derby – Quarter Finals 2020

    16.90

    9

    Newinn Taylor

    Derby – Quarter Finals 2020

    16.91

    10

    Glengar Bale

    Derby – 2nd Round 2020

    16.93