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.

Rising Twirl looks the best bet in tonight’s quarter-final of the Sporting Press Irish Oaks at Shelbourne Park.

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.

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.

A very frustrating week on many counts, particularly if you are associated with greyhound sport or horse racing in or around the Clonmel area.

Darragh Morrissey, Paul Hennessy and Graham Holland all recorded doubles in the first round of the 2014 Connolly’s Red Mills Irish Laurels on Saturday night at Curraheen Park, but it was the John Kavanagh-trained Vimmerby who set the bar highest with his terrific display in the second of the 13 heats.

Shelbourne Park will be in danger of bursting at the seams this evening as the Ladbrokes Irish Derby draws to what should be a thrilling conclusion.

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.

Cashen Malouda is very difficult to oppose in the third race at Curraheen Park tonight.

One of the best competitions of the entire year here at Curraheen Park – the Macroom Motor Services Stake – gets underway tonight and Jacobs Courage can get punters off to a great start in the opening heat.

They must have thought the day would never come, but the long suffering patrons at Youghal track finally heard the news yesterday that the seaside track is to get a €100,000 contribution from the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) to deliver improvements at the track.

THE second session of the opening round of the Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels dominates tonight's action at Curraheen Park and much of the early focus will be Tyrur Big Mike and how he fares in the first of eight heats.

BY MONDAY afternoon, the starting line-up for the 2011 Laurels will be revealed and the draw for the first round heats made

PATRONS should get to Shelbourne Park early on Saturday night.

PLOUGH Lane will have a strong hint of green about it this evening as the Irish go in search of yet another victory in the williamhill.com English Derby. Our two representatives, Barefoot Bullet and Razldazl George, both hold outstanding claims in the stg£75,000 contest.

IRISH hopes of winning the williamhill.com English Derby hit a speed bump at Wimbledon on Tuesday night with the elimination of Razldazl Jayfkay, but we remain in a dominant position with Barefoot Bullet, Razldazl George and Melodys Royal all hold outstanding claims in this evening’s semi-finals.

TRAINER John Linehan and owner Kieran Ryan obviously have serious ambitions in this year's Sporting Press Irish Oaks at Shelbourne.

The appointment of Phil Meaney as Chairman of Bord na gCon, as exclusively reported in yesterday’s Irish Examiner, was confirmed yesterday morning by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney.

It’s another very exciting week with top class open racing at many venues.

FEARS that the current economic problems would decimate the sponsorship scene have proved unfounded and there was double good news this week with confirmation that existing sponsorship of the Easter Cup at Shelbourne and the Produce Stakes at Clonmel is to continue this year.

THE draws for both the Roches Feeds Oaks at Limerick and Tote Gold Cup at Shelbourne were deferred until today, though both events had achieved their target number of entries.

One can already sense the buzz developing around this year’s Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels and the first round action suggested that Curraheen Park patrons are going to be served up some wonderful racing between now and final night.

BLARNEY trainer John Linehan will be breaking new ground when he challenges for the Williamhill.com English Derby with his Curraheen Park qualifier Droopys Sastre.

IT HAS been a highly encouraging week in the face of the economic recession, with the Irish Derby sponsorship secured and the continuation of two other classics confirmed.

THE exciting St Louis Spirit can cement his claims in the Macroom Motor Services Stakes at Curraheen Park by taking the third of tonight’s semi-finals.

AERIAL VIEW can enhance his already superb strike-rate by taking the Open 525 at tonight’s benefit meet at Curraheen Park, in aid of Erin’s Own GAA Club.

THE first round heats of the 2007 Guinness Trophy promise some real fireworks at Curraheen Park tonight.

TYRUR TED will be the main attraction when the concluding session of first round heats in the Cashmans Irish Laurels is run off at Curraheen Park tonight.

PRODUCE Stakes winner Roisins Dessie, beaten in both previous rounds of the event, made no mistake in the final of the Macroom Motor Services Stakes at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.

KING OKEE can make the most of his plum inside draw to take the final of the Barrys Tea 750 at Curraheen Park tonight.

BAREFOOT JENNY, a first round casualty in a rough and tumble heat of the Produce Stakes at Clonmel a week previously, made no mistake when taking her first round heat of the McCarthy Insurance Cork Oaks at Curraheen Park on Saturday in a fastest of the night 28.29.

Top greyhound trainer Owen McKenna talks to Diarmuid O’Flynn about his winning ways.