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Ellis believes Farloe Blitz can scoop main prize in Derby

Derry butcher Paul Ellis, owner of Farloe Blitz, who will run in the English Derby final on Saturday. Blitz was bred at Dessie Loughrey's  Yard on the outskirts of Limavady
Derry butcher Paul Ellis, owner of Farloe Blitz, who will run in the English Derby final on Saturday. Blitz was bred at Dessie Loughrey's Yard on the outskirts of Limavady Derry butcher Paul Ellis, owner of Farloe Blitz, who will run in the English Derby final on Saturday. Blitz was bred at Dessie Loughrey's Yard on the outskirts of Limavady

DERRY butcher Paul Ellis believes his greyhound Farloe Blitz is “favourite for a reason” ahead of Saturday night’s English Greyhound Derby final – the biggest greyhound race in the world.

Four weeks ago, 260 dogs were in the competition but unbeaten Farloe Blitz has earned its place in the Wimbledon track final, where a whopping prize of £250,000 is up for grabs.

For Ellis, who has been involved in greyhound racing for almost 40 years, the money is secondary.

“I wouldn’t say I’m confident,” he laughs.

“Anything can happen in a Derby and in a greyhound race but he is the favourite for a reason. He is a great dog. He has been beat in three finals already so we are hoping it’s a case of fourth time lucky.

“The night of the quarter-final, everyone thought there was one dog that was going to ‘do him’ that night but he showed a lot of craft to get by and now we’re in the final.

“It has been a great journey over the last four weeks. Races would have taken place all over the British Isles and now we are left with my dog and five others.

“He’s the only unbeaten dog in the competition. In the five rounds so far, he has won every time and that’s why he is favourite. I just hope he can go one step further on Saturday.

“You need a lot of luck to get there and you need a good dog. We are there on merit and I knew from day one the potential this dog had.

“The money would obviously go a long way and buy a lot of dogs but it’s all about the prestige of winning the Derby.”

Tipperary native Owen McKenna trains Farloe Blitz, who was reared in Limivady by the late Dessie Loughrey. Loughrey past away at the end of last year but he will have another dog – Eden the Kid – taking part in the race as well.

Ellis says Loughrey’s passion for greyhound racing was infectious but hopes his dog is the one that comes out on top.

“Dessie was rearing dogs all his life and he was a true gentleman,” he said.

“He just loved doing the dogs and loved the lifestyle he got from it.

“He has reared some of the best dogs this country has every produced. Dessie bred Derby winners in the past but this is probably the only local dog to get to a Derby final.

“A lot of English people would have taken them and some went down South. They won Irish derbies but this is the first locally bred dog to be in the derby final.

“Gary Brown would have been friends with Dessie and I got the dog through him.

“Dessie’s daughter Jenny is still involved, keeping the Loughrey name going which is great.

“The other dog that Dessie reared is taking part as well and that shows his quality. A Scotsman took the other dog across the water and now a syndicate in London owns him. That happened quite a few of Dessie’s dogs but hopefully mine is the first local dog to win the Derby.”

Punters can watch Farloe Blitz in action on Sky Sports 3 on Saturday night.