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Hennessy wants more Cheltenham glory after English Derby triumph
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Sun 7 Jun 2026
For a man who has had more than his fair share of fairytales Paul Hennessy probably has no right to plot his way to another.
But less than 24 hours after landing an emotional third English Derby with greyhound Lennies Eddie for owner Lee Craze, the multi-talented Irish handler admitted he now wants another taste of Cheltenham glory with the owner.
Craze, whose two-year-old dog held off favourite Ballymac Deniro at 10-1 to win the £125,000 Star Sports and Orchestrate English Derby on Saturday night, has bought into Hennessy’s Cheltenham Festival-winning mare Heaven Help Us.
And in company with the trainer and his wife Susan, they are hoping that one of her offspring might one day emulate her remarkable 2021 Cheltenham Festival triumph.
“Lee bought into Heaven Help Us and now owns her with our family and actually she is due to be covered this very afternoon by No Risk At All in France,” said Hennessy, who has six horses in training alongside a thriving greyhound stable.
“Lee bought into her after she finished racing off Jack Turner. And it is very exciting. She already has a two-year-old by Walk In The Park, a yearling by Jeu St Eloi and a yearling by Blue Bresil.
“While I know the chances of us having a Festival winner are… well it could never happen could it. That is the dream though isn’t it? Hopefully we can carry the story along, but we are blessed as it is.”
Closer in the sights for Hennessy is an Irish Derby campaign for Lennies Eddie, who was reported in fine spirits on his morning walk.
“I couldn’t hardly hold him this morning. He was full of energy. It must be great to be young,” said the trainer. “He is only a two-year-old dog and he is so full of life.
“That’s three English Derbys now and all at different venues with Jaytee Jet (2016) winning at Wimbledon and Priceless Blake (2019) going in at Nottingham.
“We are blessed for those sorts of greyhounds to come along and the owners to own him and things just worked out for us.”
Lennies Eddie was also winning on the anniversary of the death of Hennessy’s father-in-law Benny Kavanagh, the man who first got him into greyhounds.
“It was very emotional last night and probably the most emotional one we’ve had given what the day means to us,” said Hennessy. “He was the man who got me into it all and obviously I married his daughter.
“He left this world a young man, but he was a great doggy man back in the day and yesterday was his anniversary.”
Lennies Eddie will be targeted at the Irish equivalent at Shelbourne Park on September 12, even if Hennessy dismisses the chances of landing an unprecedented Derby double.
He added: “Look, we lucked out through six rounds of a competition here and it all worked out fine, but to start another Derby and expect to win it would be huge.
“We will give it a go as it is the obvious target, the next target anyway. But there are plenty of good dogs in Ireland who would be ready to take him on again.”
For a man who has knocked out more fairytales than the Brothers Grimm, nothing should be ruled out.
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