Jaytee Jet gave trainer Paul Hennessy his first victory in the English Greyhound Derby when getting on top late in a thrilling climax to the £150,000-to-the-winner classic at Wimbledon.

The final of the Lee Strand 550 was the feature in Tralee on Saturday night, and the Mossy O’Connor-trained Russmur Flyer justified odds-on favouritism with an all-the-way victory.

Not only did Hee Haws Sheriff claim the scalp of kennel companion Quietly in the opening quarter-final of the Greyhound & Petworld Supersprint on Saturday night at Curraheen Park, the Ian Reilly-trained runner also knocked nine spots off the track record which his kennelmate set just seven days previously.

The late absence of reigning champ Laughil Blake was the only disappointment in the first round of the Boylesports.com Irish Greyhound Derby, from which Ballymac Matt emerged with reputation most enhanced following his scintillating 29.43 success on Thursday.

One hundred and forty-four greyhounds will contest the opening round of the Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby, following the draw, which took place yesterday morning at Shelbourne Park.

The Red Mills Unraced Bitch Stake series, run in conjunction with the individual track supporters’ clubs, continues be a great success, and last Friday night’s victory for Badminton Rossa, in the Youghal renewal, was further testament to that.

In the end it was all very logical. 

Last Sunday night’s Produce Stakes final was a good example of why a degree of outside input is crucial to the future of the greyhound racing, if it’s going to make any appeal to punters.

There was a huge upset in last night’s final of the Bank of Ireland Produce Stakes in Clonmel last night as Ballybough Mondo made all the running to land the spoils for Murt Leahy and owner Pat Carroll, Kilkenny.

Ballydoyle Honey’s domination of the bitches’ division continued on Saturday night as Alison Coxon’s remarkable racer broke 28.00 for the second time, when running away with her quarter-final heat of the Sporting Press Irish Oaks at Shelbourne Park.

The stg£250,000 winner’s prize for the William Hill English Greyhound Derby has lured so many entries the first stage will have to be run over four nights rather than the usual three.

The Laurels final went off well, with a performance befitting a champion, and now the Curraheen wagon rolls on to the Barry’s Tea, which starts in little more than a week. Entries for that stake close next Tuesday, May 19, with the heats four days later.

Aidan O’Brien hopes John F Kennedy and Ol’ Man River can get bounce back to form in today’s Betfred Dante Stakes at York and, in doing so, boost their Investec Derby hopes.

Following in the paw-prints of 1990 winner Adraville Bridge and 2003 champ Nikita Billie, Midtown Raffa gave trainer Mossy O’Connor a third Laurels success with a thoroughly authoritative display in Saturday night’s decider at Curraheen Park.

Just seven months after Vimmerby was crowned Laurels champ of 2014, there’ll be a new name on the trophy on Saturday night.

The first prize on offer in the Laurels could be decided on Saturday night as the three remaining bitches in the stake have all been drawn in the same heat.

The second round of the Irish Laurels takes place tomorrow night at Curraheen and there are two reported non-runners from the last 48: Fatboyz Josh and Captain Karnage. 

Late last year, when the movement of the dates for the Laurels was first mooted, there was some talk of the possibility of a bonus being put in place to reward any greyhound which could win the newly arranged Curraheen Classic and go on to land the English Derby.

That oh-so-game, gallant and classy Sidarian Blaze added the Dandelion Bar and Nightclub Easter Cup to his burgeoning trophy cabinet with a smashing display in Saturday night’s final at Shelbourne Park.

It has been reported the unveiling of a new sponsor for the Laurels is imminent, and the incoming backer has signed an initial one-year deal.

There was drama in the second round of the Easter Cup on Saturday night at Shelbourne Park, as Derby champ Laughil Blake exited the competition after finding trouble at the first turn in a red-hot third heat.

Derby champ Laughil Blake and the immensely talented Droopys Nidge gave further credence, if it were needed, to the ‘Night of Stars’ moniker as they produced stellar performances on Saturday at Shelbourne Park.

The 2014 Night of Stars, which takes place on Saturday at Shelbourne Park, promises to deliver in spades.

We’re still in the exploratory zone for what television can do for Irish Greyhound racing, but Tuesday night’s programme from Wimbledon, which aired on Sky Sports, was another good example of how high-quality racing and a good production can showcase much of what’s great about the sport.

Droopys Nidge remains firmly on course for St Leger success.

There were very few upsets in Saturday’s second round of the Kerry Agribusiness Irish St Leger at Limerick but Droopy Nidge, a runaway winner in a record time in the opening round, had a very different experience in trying to justify odds of 1-5 in heat five as he was forced to pull out all the stops to see off the determined Burgess Oscar.

The 2014 Connolly’s Red Mills Irish Laurels got underway with some terrific performances in last Saturday night’s opening round and, based on those runs alone, it looks like we’ll be seeing some sub 28.00 runs this year.

It was a day that the sun gave after it had taken.

Ger McKenna, the legendary greyhound trainer from Borrisokane, passed away late on Wednesday night.

Living the dream, that’s Ian Reilly from Skryne in the county of Meath. A dog-lover all his days, born and bred into the world of greyhound racing, in February 2002 Ian took a plunge, ventured into the precarious career of full-time trainer.

The Kerry AgriBusiness St Leger has reached the quarter-final stage and tonight’s four heats feature the clash between two strong fancies for outright glory, Roxholme Bully and Skywalker Farloe, in the third heat.

Tributes have come from throughout the racing and greyhound racing world for Patsy Byrne, who died suddenly yesterday morning.

White Star Line, who had never previously won over fences, broke his duck in spectacular style when landing the Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase at Listowel yesterday.

We’d all like to see six dogs line up for the Derby — not least connections of Kereight King — but there are five great stories with those still standing and I don’t suppose whoever is lucky enough to pick up the trophy and the €125,000 cheque on Saturday night will worry about how many rivals his/her greyhound beat in the final.

Irish 2000 Guineas winner Magician is set to sidestep Saturday’s Investec Derby at Epsom, according to owners Coolmore Stud.

Racing Post Greyhound TV goes from strength to strength and must be applauded for its efforts and success in doing so. Such has been the quick take-up on the programme, they are currently doing a trial period of five shows per week.