TOMMY Delaney’s Leeview Jet ensured there would be local representation in next weekend’s Classic climax when he produced his best performance of the year to run home a most impressive winner in Saturday’s first Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels semi-final at Curraheen Park.

BY MONDAY afternoon, the starting line-up for the 2011 Laurels will be revealed and the draw for the first round heats made

Champion Irish greyhound trainer Paul Hennessy will branch out tomorrow night when he saddles his first two runners at a horse race meeting.

It is getting down to the serious end of affairs in the Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park and the talk of the greyhound world this week is that intriguing fourth quarter final to be run on Saturday night.

I’M something of an optimist by nature but I can’t help but detect a number of very positive signs on the Irish greyhound front that provides renewed hope for the future of the industry.

Limerick may not have enjoyed the best of luck at Croke Park last Sunday but greyhounds from the county are performing heroically in the Paddypower.com Irish Derby with both Shaneboy Lee and St Louis Spirit figuring among the top three favourites as we approach the third round of the classic at Shelbourne on Saturday night.

You just can’t keep College Causeway out of the headlines.

COLLEGE Causeway wrote a piece of history when setting an incredible new track record in the first round of the Paddypower.com Irish Derby at Shelbourne last night.

Last year’s Irish Derby finalist Headleys Bridge has been withdrawn from Saturday’s heats of the Boylesports.com Champion Stakes at Shelbourne and he will be replaced by first reserve Slick Sioux.

THE exciting St Louis Spirit can cement his claims in the Macroom Motor Services Stakes at Curraheen Park by taking the third of tonight’s semi-finals.

OOMPA LUMPA, owned in partnership by well known English punter Harry Finlay and Skibbereen’s Denis O'Driscoll, landed the Rakes Of Mallow all-aged stake when coming from behind to take the turn by two lengths from Run Like Baros at a very well run meeting at Ballymagooly yesterday.

THE minute the draw was made for the 35,000 to the winner Cashmans Irish Laurels final, the debate on the possible outcome began, and has raged all week.

TWO of the leading contenders for outright honours go head-to-head when the first round of the Cashman Irish Laurels is completed at Curraheen Park tonight.