There have been many great nights at Tralee over the years but Saturday’s Betdaq Night of Champions will surely be one of the greatest ever.

A mixture of Irish classic and major winners, brilliant local talent and two high-class English raiders make the Betdaq Race of Champions a huge attraction and the semi-finals should attract a smashing crowd to Tralee on Friday night.

In a week when the when the finals of the Sporting Press Irish Oaks, the Bettor.com Northern Irish Derby and the Track Supporters Munster Derby will be run, another major event will be the semi-finals of the Betdaq Race of Champions at Tralee on Friday.

Two major competitions reach the semi-final stage on the tracks this week with the semi-finals of both the Sporting Press Irish Oaks at Shelbourne and the Bettor.com Northern Irish Derby at Drumbo Park to be run on Saturday.

Dolores Ruth is the trainer to follow in this evening’s quarter-finals of the Betfair 600 at Shelbourne Park as the Rathangan handler sends out three of the four heats favourites.

Dolores Ruth is the trainer to follow in this evening’s quarter-finals of the Betfair 600 at Shelbourne Park as the Rathangan handler sends out three of the four heats favourites.

The dreadful weather conditions yesterday made things difficult for some trainers heading for the English Derby at Wimbledon which starts tomorrow night with 11 Irish runners in action in the first session.

Derby champion Razldazl George will make his seasonal bow this evening when he lines out in the opening round of the College Causeway/Killahan Phanter Easter Cup at Shelbourne Park.

Having bypassed a planned trial spin at Shelbourne on Saturday night, leading Irish tracker Milldean Panther is likely to have his first trial of the year at headquarters this morning.

Tonight's programme at Curraheen Park accommodates the seven races which had to be abandoned last Saturday night and, with the addition of the semi-finals of the Richard Neenan Memorial A3, it’s a high quality program for punters.

THERE were some superb performances in the opening round of the Comerford Cakes National Puppy Stake, although initially there were few major changes in the betting.

DESPITE the gloomy economic climate, it has been a tremendous year for greyhound racing.