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.

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 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.

The quarter-finals of the Laurels take centre stage tonight at Curraheen and Ballymac Alamo can make the most of a favourable draw in the first 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. 

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.

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.

Derby finalist Vulturi, trained by Liam Dowling (inset) took a major step towards another Classic final when winning a very competitive first quarter-final of the Kerry Agribusiness St Leger on Saturday night at Limerick.

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.

Derby final night last Saturday at Shelbourne would have to be deemed a great success. The stadium was packed, the action was brisk, the atmosphere was good, and the final itself produced a winner, Laughil Blake, who, in leading around despite a modest break, showed he possessed a touch of brilliance befitting a champion.

In an announcement made yesterday afternoon at Harold’s Cross stadium by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Tom Hayes, it was revealed that the Irish Greyhound Board has signed a five-year partnership with Dublin Coach, a deal which includes sponsorship of the Puppy Derby at Harold’s Cross.

It was a very quiet weekend around the tracks and even the card at Shelbourne Park lacked what one would call true Saturday quality. But, on a relatively ordinary programme, there were some decent performances, perhaps most notably by the Peter Everard-trained Star Ace.

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.

Jaytee Hellcat put his name in the mix for outright honours in the Kerry AgriBusiness St Leger when proving far too strong for his rivals in Saturday’s second quarter-final at Limerick.

It’s been a testing few weeks on the track, with the unfortunate injury to reigning champ Skywalker Puma and the prospect of ante-post favourite Ballymac Vic exiting the ETS Irish Derby without lining up for Saturday night’s first quarter-final at Shelbourne.

The question marks over Sparta Maestro’s participation in tonight’s second semi-final of the Kerry Agribusiness St Leger at Limerick leave a lingering shadow over the race as a punting medium but, more importantly, over the stake as a whole.

Sparta Maestro put on yet another master class at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night as he equalled his own track record when taking the final of the Billy Mulvaney Jnr and Snr Memorial 600.

On all known evidence Sparta Maestro will be crowned the Billy Mulvaney Jnr and Snr Memorial 600 champion this evening.

Seeing as not one bookmaking firm has put up prices for the Red Mills Irish Laurels, we will try to sort out the likely ante-post fancies for the classic which commences on Saturday at Curraheen Park.

When Owen McKenna’s Confident Rankin went around Curraheen in 28.25 in a trial last Friday he sent out a message that the Red Mills Irish Laurels is not going to be easily won.

The 23 remaining contenders will go to war in the four quarter-finals of the Ladbrokes Irish Derby at Shelburne on Saturday and the big task is in pin-pointing the six dogs likely to make it all the way to the final on September 8th.

Punters had mixed fortunes in the Sporting Press Irish Oaks quarter-finals at Shelbourne on Saturday, as two of the heats went to big priced winners, although Cabra Millie offered some relief when recording the fastest time of the round in the final heat.

Sparta Maestro is 10-1 second favourite for Derby glory with sponsors Ladbrokes after a powerful display in the final of the Larry Dunne Open 525 at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night.

The final of the Larry Dunne Open 525 headlines tonight’s action and Droopys Cain can justify favouritism in the €10,000 to-the-winner contest.

Owen McKenna, who spent some years training greyhound across the water, could be a regular visitor to the British tracks over the coming months.

THE Joe Dunne Memorial Puppy Stake will be run as a 24 dog event at Shelbourne but the traditional early season classic trial has plenty of quality and the four heats when added to the semi-finals of the Tyrur McGuigan Open 575 will make Saturday’s card at headquarters another high class affair.

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

IT has been a very busy period on the southern circuit in the past month and more and the action remains furious this weekend with the final of the Red Mill Masters at Waterford on Saturday backed up by the final of the Tyrur Kennels Open 575 at Curraheen as well as top open action at Tralee and Limerick.

THE Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels is the centrepiece of a magnificent card at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.

THE victory of Ardkill Star in the final of the €6,000 Billy Mulvaney Jnr and Snr Memorial 600 at Shelbourne Park on Saturday was especially poignant for one of his joint owners Ciaran Mangan.

HAVING gone almost overboard with my reaction to his early puppy runs at Shelbourne, I was pleased to see the Pat Buckley trained Slick Seattle finally live up to the rating with a superb 28.16 run in Monday’s unscheduled third session of the Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park.

LARRY Dunne’s Slippery Bob turned the opening heat of the Billy Mulvaney Snr and Jnr Memorial Open 600 at Shelbourne on Saturday into a procession with an impressive display of front running.

WITH the Derby now history for another year, the focus down south will now swing to the Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels which will kick off at Curraheen Park on Friday night of next week.

WHILE today may be the eve of the Irish Greyhound Derby final, it will be a significant day for the sport with the reopening of Newbridge Track and also the first round of the Track Bookmakers Puppy Derby at Harold’s Cross.

WELL, here are virtually on the eve of the biggest day of the year in greyhound sport - the final of the Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park and all is in readiness for what promises to be the night of all nights.

PATRONS should get to Shelbourne Park early on Saturday night.

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.

MELODYS Royal looks likely to be aimed at the biggest competitions in the calendar in the coming months after a stunning display in the final of the Joe Dunne Memorial Puppy 525 at Shelbourne Park on Saturday.

Question: What Coursing Derby winner was not eligible to contest a Coursing Bred stake on the track?

OAKFRONT AGA is difficult to get away from in the first quarter-final of the Guinness Trophy at Curraheen Park tonight.

CENTRAL CITY’S victory in the Boylesports.com Derby at Clonmel on Wednesday was a performance that defied all the traditions of greyhound breeding and which could have a major effect on future breeding lines.