Yes, you're not hallucinating, a Hungarian-trained dog is actually running in the final of the English Greyhound Derby.

Whilst Tenczel barely speaks six words of English, his ability to manage champions makes him the canine equivalent of Jose Mourinho and he has skillfully guided the unbeaten Lyreen Mover to the final six of this year’s williamhill.com English Greyhound Derby.

Who would have thought there was dog racing in Hungary? Next you'll be telling me there's modesty in Australia. It's heartening though, isn't it, to think that even in the dark recesses of the European Union, high-culture thrives. Because, it turns out, even our spa-wallowing, goulash-munching, continental partners recognise the cerebral joy of watching dice-on-legs chase a toupee around a sand-track.

And they're pretty good at it.

Hungarian sensation Lyreen Mover, expertly prepared throughout
this most challenging of competitions by Gabor Tenczel, had
cracked out in front with an impressive 4.78sec split, but 10-11
favourite Toomaline Jack paced up smoothly to occupy a handy
second place.
Adageo, the 28-1 outsider, was third at the first bend , with Oran
Classic, Bandicoot Tipoki and Krug Ninety Five in behind.
Toomaline Jack, running an excellent backstraight, quickened smartly to
range upsides Lyreen Mover 20 metres before the penultimate
bend, and his numerous supporters among a crowd of 2,500
momentarily threatened to raise the roof.
However, Lyreen Mover, as shown in five previous unbeaten
runs at Wimbledon, is devilishly difficult to pass. The son of Top
Honcho rallied in the most tenacious style, and appeared to break
richly-talented Toomaline Jack’s heart and resolve.
Just as Toomaline Jack endeavoured to drive the bend,
Lyreen Mover moved out, and there was a definite clash of
shoulders. Suddenly the sport’s showpiece took on a whole new,
thrilling dimension as the climax approached.
As the front two continued an increasingly personal and drawnout
duel, first Oran Classic appeared set to give John McGee
a second Derby success with a thundering challenge that might
well have paid a £75,000 dividend had he stuck to the rail instead
of switching wide.
Renowned strong runners Adageo and Krug Ninety Five
also threatened to set the champagne corks popping. It was
edge-of-the-seat stuff.
Lyreen Mover somehow retained pole position to some ten metres
from the line, where Toomaline Jack, in a last-ditch act of apparent
resignation, gave his rival a lingering look.
It was all there for the taking as the field stormed to the line,
but it was Bandicoot Tipoki’s backers who suddenly found they
were holding the winning ticket.
The gallant black produced a final, decisive, sensational surge
to drive up the inside and beat Lyreen Mover by half a length. He
covered the 480 metres in 28.57sec – some run considering the
position he’d come from.

Max Picinelli, Italian owner of runner-up Lyreen Mover, yesterday
hailed the Derby campaign as “the experience of a lifetime” and
warned everyone his pride and joy would bid to go one better in the
William Hill Classic at Sunderland this summer.
He said: “The 450 metres at Sunderland will suit him better.
The first part of the race for us was superb, but in the last few metres
he was a little weak. We are not sad, though. We are very, very
happy. I see it as a stepping stone for the future. We’ve all enjoyed
the experience immensely and have learnt a great deal from it.”

There's always going to be plenty of opinion flying around after such a race, and especially the two contentious moments, at the third bend, when Lyreen Mover and Toomaline Jack bunched, and on the run-in.

Even after a good look subsequently at the Sky tape, I'm still content with my original view that the third bend incident was entirely 50/50 between the two leaders. They were both as good, or bad, as each other. People disagree - and even phoned up to tell me!

The run-in - on Sky - does make Toomaline Jack look a villain. Anything which turns inwards is always serious, and I guess were this Ireland, he might get the 'yellow card' again that he is said to have once received at Cork.

In a court of law, Toomaline Jack would be allowed the mitigation of provocation, but there are those who dispute that and claim Lyreen Mover is entirely innocent and did nothing wrong. That's what the game's about, opinion, and why punters get as much fun arguing about things as placing bets.