Over half the required 144 entries for the Ladbrokes Irish Derby have been received with another four days to go before Saturday’s closing stage.

WITH no further withdrawals yesterday, there are 92 dogs standing for tonight’s opening second round session of the Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park.

THE opening round of the Ladbrokes.com Derby will draw to a conclusion at Shelbourne Park this evening and, with twelve heats, there should be no shortage of clues as to the possible outcome of the world’s greatest greyhound competition.

FOLLOWING the luxury of four qualifying from all first round heats, the pressure will begin in the Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby this evening at Shelbourne when it will be just three to survive to the third round.

SHEEPWALK Mac maintained his tremendous record around Dundalk’s testing 400 yards course when winning the semi-final of the two-bend classic, the Bar One Racing Irish Sprint Cup on Monday night and he will be bidding for a sixth success on the trot in next Sunday’s final.

ON what was an extremely busy Monday night in Irish greyhound racing, Michael Frayne’s Clearview Kelly set a strong pace when winning her first round heat in the Premier Fantasy Southern Oaks at Youghal.

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.

MORE than double the number of required entries was received for the Boylesports.com Champion Stakes which is set to commence at Shelbourne Park on Saturday.