THE weather is again playing absolute havoc with the Irish greyhound schedule and numerous meetings have been ruled out this week.

Here’s hoping that the worst predictions of the Met Office prove off the mark and that the Christmas racing schedule can continue at full pace at tracks all over the country over the weekend.

IRISH Greyhound Board chairman Dick O’Sullivan is stepping down early in the New Year and will confirm his decision to the Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith at a meeting today.

While there was no racing in Ireland last night, there are strong hopes that a virtual full resumption can commence this evening.

THE weather continues to paralyse the Irish racing scene with Cork and Clonmel the only southern tracks able to race last night and already as many as six of tonight’s meetings cancelled.

The weather continues to dominate the greyhound headlines and it was a blank countrywide last night with both Shelbourne and Kilkenny called off due to safety reasons.

THESE may be depressing times but for greyhound followers there is some consolation in the quality of racing being staged countrywide.

Within shouting distance of Christmas and here we are in a situation where the greyhound action is absolutely red hot with the Kerry Agribusiness Irish St Leger commencing tomorrow at Limerick Stadium while on Saturday at Shelbourne the first round of the Comerford Cakes National Puppy Stake will fire into action.

WATERFORD grabs the spotlight this week with the final of the Connolly’s Red Mills Masters topping the programme on Saturday and it promises to be a highly interesting contest.

A FEW very significant changes in the management of Irish tracks were confirmed yesterday. Declan O’Halloran has stepped down from the top position at the new Limerick Stadium a little over three weeks after the first night at the track. Meanwhile, An Taoiseach’s brother Barry Cowen has been appointed to the vacant General Manager position at Mullingar.