THE Kevin Commins owned and trained Ferdia Bound was fastest in the semi-finals of the IGB National 750 at Shelbourne on Saturday.

The high quality of racing in the opening round will have whet the appetites of southern greyhound followers and we can anticipate a massive attendance at Curraheen Park on Saturday for the second round of the Cashmans Bookmakers Irish Laurels.

Classic action returns to Curraheen Park this weekend with the start of the 2009 Cashmans Irish Laurels and many of the best in training will take their chance in the Southern classic.

Three days to go to the world’s greatest greyhound race and, with the exception of Faypoint Man, there are no negative vibes emanating concerning the other finalists in Saturday’s Paddypower.com Irish Derby final at Shelbourne Park.

The College Causeway team will be anxious in advance of tomorrow’s Paddypower.com Irish Derby semi-finals at Shelbourne. A year ago their star tracker was a very strong favourite in advance of the semis but trouble down the far side saw him bid farewell to his prospects.

THERE are four Kerry- owned speedsters involved in the quarter-finals of the Paddypower.com Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park tomorrow night and there will be plenty of support with the Kingdom’s fans in town for Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final against Meath.

Limerick may not have enjoyed the best of luck at Croke Park last Sunday but greyhounds from the county are performing heroically in the Paddypower.com Irish Derby with both Shaneboy Lee and St Louis Spirit figuring among the top three favourites as we approach the third round of the classic at Shelbourne on Saturday night.

COLLEGE Causeway wrote a piece of history when setting an incredible new track record in the first round of the Paddypower.com Irish Derby at Shelbourne last night.

With still two days to go before the deadline, the entry list for the Paddypower.com Irish Derby had reached 100 and the signs are that the final number will be very close to the ideal number of 144.

The focus of the greyhound world over the next two months will be very much on Shelbourne Park and patrons of the track will enjoy a feast of racing. The final of the Boylesports.com Champion Stakes on Saturday night will act as a hugely valuable prelude to the Paddypower.com Irish Derby which will commence on Wednesday week.