In a week when the when the finals of the Sporting Press Irish Oaks, the Bettor.com Northern Irish Derby and the Track Supporters Munster Derby will be run, another major event will be the semi-finals of the Betdaq Race of Champions at Tralee on Friday.

Graham Holland’s domination of the Macroom Motor Services Stake continued on Saturday night as he claimed both semi-finals, courtesy of Riverside Cashen and Murralli Junior.

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.

Cork GOBA sponsors the entire card at Curraheen Park tonight — a programme that consists of no fewer than four stake finals — and the nap selection goes to Cooly Colebe, who can be expected to stamp his class all over the closing race.

Tonight’s card at Curraheen Park features the final of the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Oaks and it’s hard to look beyond Paul Hennessy’s Priceless Spark as she bids to complete an unbeaten run through the stake.

After suffering the first defeat of his career in the semi finals of the SIS Live Gold Cup last weekend, the bookmakers clearly feel Milldean Panther will return to his best this evening and claim the €30,000 winner’s prize.

The after-racing workouts at Leopardstown tomorrow afternoon will be more exciting than any of the competitive action on the horse racing scene this weekend but on the greyhound front, the action steps up a gear.

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

Following his sale on Saturday last, Cabra Noel is likely to race as Tyrur Justin when he begins his quest for English Derby honours at Wimbledon.

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.

Sponsorship of kennels isn’t a new phenomenon in Irish greyhound racing but sponsoring an individual greyhound is certainly a novel new idea, and that’s exactly what bookmakers Boylesports have done by announcing their backing of Milldean Panther.

Milldean Panther makes his eagerly awaited re-appearance at Shelbourne Park tonight in the SIS Live Gold Cup.

Greyhound history was made yesterday when it was announced that leading bookmaking firm Boylesports have agreed to sponsor super tracker Milldean Panther for this season.

The greyhound world is on standby for the return to action of Milldean Panther.

Unbeaten superstar Milldean Panther tops the entries for the valuable SIS Live Tote Gold Cup which kicks off at Shelbourne on Saturday night.

You could call this weekend the calm before the storm but it will still be a busy few days with top action at a number of venues.

Milldean Panther, the Shelbourne 525 yards track record holder, returned to the track yesterday morning for a trial over the classic 550 yards distance.

Having bypassed a planned trial spin at Shelbourne on Saturday night, leading Irish tracker Milldean Panther is likely to have his first trial of the year at headquarters this morning.

Rarely have we approached a season with greater expectations than this year.

While the weather caused the postponement of a few meetingslast night, it seems certain that Shelbourne Park will be fit to race this evening where the feature is the final of the Joe Dunne Memorial Puppy 525.

THE Waterford Masters is the highlight of the weekend’s greyhound racing action and it provides an opportunity for Dream Walker to gain a modicum of compensation for his near miss in the Derby.

MILLDEAN Panther was yesterday withdrawn from the Comerford Cakes National Puppy Stake at Shelbourne Park and has been retired for the winter.

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.

While Milldean Panther’s performance in the final of the Razldazl George 525 final at Shelbourne on Saturday will attract most attention, the major event is the Red Mills Masters which reaches the semi-final stage at Kilcohan Park.

REACTING yesterday to the stories that Milldean Panther had been sold, John O’Flynn Snr yesterday categorically denied that any deal has been done or will be done in the future.

EIGHTEEN of Ireland’s best will tonight bid to join Laurels winner Razldazl Rioga, Derby runner-up Dream Walker and local qualifier Piercestown Con in the semi finals of the Red Mills Waterford Masters at Kilcohan Park.

A FEW issues became clear at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night. First, Shaneboy Fantasy and Peggys Style indicated they have a big future over six bends after impressing in the semi-finals of the Mannions Builders Supplies Open 750, while Milldean Panther showed yet again he is a greyhound of rare talent.

THE Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels is building up to a huge crescendo with two fantastic semi-finals lined up for Saturday night.

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.

PATRONS should get to Shelbourne Park early on Saturday night.

The Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby is building up to a wonderful climax and we are in for some magnificent racing at Shelbourne on Saturday when the quarter finals will be backed up by the second round heats of the Derby Plate.

OLLIE Bray can begin to dream of further Derby glory after the powerfully built Royal Patrol confirmed his standing as one of Ireland’s most exciting young trackers with a superb last grasp victory in the ECC Timber Open 550 at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night.