The draw for the first round of the Sporting Press Irish Oaks has thrown up a few intriguing clashes.

The contest of the night at Shelbourne this evening is the opening semi-final of the Betfair 600. Likely favourite Tibetan Skies will need to be sharper at traps than he has been in his last two outings.

The week started on a very encouraging note with news of Red Mills’ sponsorship of the Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park for a three year period. It is a great boost for the sport in the south and will allow all involved to plan well into the future.

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.

Since the deal took effect at the start of January, the SIS coverage of Shelbourne Park racing has been restricted to far flung fields.

SHELBOURNE Park will stage one of the most competitive Oaks finals in recent years tonight.

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

CALLING SPICE can firmly underline her claims in the McCarthy Insurance Group Oaks at Curraheen Park by taking the first of tonights semi-finals.

Irish greyhound racing will break new ground next Friday at Harold’s Cross when the Gain Feeds Corn Cuchulainn final will be broadcast live around the world via the RTE website.

THE BIG question mark in advance of Saturday’s Sporting Press Irish Oaks final is whether Skywalker Queen can hit top form at just the right moment to win the bitch classic for the second year on the trot.

NEWS from across the water yesterday is that one of the biggest entries for many years will go into the draw on Sunday for the first round of the Williamhill.com English Derby and among them there will be one of the biggest ever Irish raiding teams.

Classic action returns to Curraheen Park this weekend with the start of the 2009 Cashmans Irish Laurels and many of the best in training will take their chance in the Southern classic.

DROOPYS RODGER, a son of English Derby winner Droopys Scholes and also trained by Ian Reilly, smashed the track record when winning the opening second round heat of the Bar-One Racing Irish Sprint Cup over Dundalk's 400 yards on Friday.