Three weeks down, three more to go in the Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby and, of the first half of the classic, one thing is certain: Ballymac Matt has been dominant.

Round two of the Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby provided some relief for bookmakers, after a predictably favourable opening session for punters. However, most of the big names have survived the cull, and remain leading hopes for outright honours.

Outright favourite Ballymac Matt produced another faultless display, when posting the fastest time of the second round of the Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby on Saturday night at Shelbourne Park.

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 2015 Irish Greyhound Derby was launched this week, with the confirmation Boylesports will continue its sponsorship of the country’s premier classic, which is in the second year of a three-year deal.

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.

Ballymac Matt can prove himself a perfect fit for the six-hundred-yard test at Shelbourne Park by making a winning start to his Gain 600 bid.

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.

Two finals and the first round of the Barry’s Tea Open 750 dominated proceedings on Saturday’s card at Curraheen, and the Brendan Maunsell-trained Fire Height Amy signalled her classic intentions with a best-of-the-round performance in the last of the six-bend heats. 

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.

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 main action of the weekend took place in Limerick, where the semi-finals of the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial took place, and Rural Hawaii set the standard when readily accounting for the previously unbeaten Droopys Braedon.

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.

As tests go, the one presented to Laughil Blake in tonight’s third heat of the Dandelion Bar & Nightclub Easter Cup is almost as difficult as could be, but the Derby champ is confidently expected to come out on top.