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.

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.

A shock defeat for Droopys Jet and the elimination of that great old veteran Tyrur Big Mike were the major talking points last night at Shelbourne when the first eight heats in the second round of the Ladbrokes Irish Derby were run.

There was an upset in the Boylesports International at Dundalk last night when Quail Hollow made a flying start and defied catching to land the €20,000 prize.

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.

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.

The withdrawal of Smoke Pixie from the quarter-finals of the Sporting Press Irish Oaks is a major blow to her connections following her stunning 28.31 run in dreadful conditions at Shelbourne Park last Saturday.

The old adage “there’s life in the old dog yet” was pretty appropriate at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night as the veteran pairing of Broadstrand Lad and Tyrur Big Mike impressed in the second round of the College Causeway/Killahan Phanter Easter Cup.

The first round of the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Oaks take place at Curraheen tonight and Priceless Spark rates nap material in the third of the four heats.

Tonight’s programme features the second round of the Kudos Supersprint but the best bet of the night comes in the first semi-final of the Crossfield Kennels Puppy Oaks, where Francie Murray’s Smoke Pixie looks banker material.

It has been quite a week for the greyhound industry this far with the three splendid days of sport at Clonmel and then the highly encouraging figures released by the Irish Greyhound Board.

THE O’Donnell Kennels in Killenaule are back in the headlines with young puppy Skip Soda winning a lot of admirers in the Festival Open Unraced Stake at Clonmel.

TRAINER Francie Murray, whose Gilbeyhall Josh took his rivals apart in his semi-final of the Comerford Cakes National Puppy Stake at Shelbourne Park, was also on the mark when Ballyhoe Marble took his semi-final of the Tinys Bud 550 at Curraheen Park on Saturday night - albeit in contrasting style to his kennel mate.

A week ago we reported that Tyrur Ted was set to challenge for the Derby Lane Million in Florida next February but there is now a possibility that he will be joined on the trip by another Irish trained greyhound, Superhods Hero.

PAULO COELHO, in the wars when a beaten favourite last week, can set the record straight in the second semi final of the Kudos Super Sprint at Curraheen Park tonight.

TRACK record holder Paulo Coelho stumbled his way into the Kudos Supersprint semi-finals at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.

PAULO COELHO, who took four spots off the track record when winning his semi-final on Wednesday, can land the Hospitality Catering Super Sprint final at Curraheen tonight.