The history of the Irish Derby is laden with fairytales and invariably one or two such stories emerge each year as we approach the final.

Not only did the clear favourite, Ballymac Vic, make his exit but Tyrur Sugar Ray went from being a dog of big potential to the one to beat following a breath-taking victory in a scarcely believable 29.29 in the Ladbrokes Irish Derby quarter-finals at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night.

Only 22 will take their place in this evening’s quarter-finals of the Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby following the withdrawal of Stay Thirsty early in the week and the sad news that Broadstrand Lad has run his last race.

There are two withdrawals from the third round of the Ladbrokes Irish Derby but it remains highly competitive.

Ante-post favourite Ballymac Vic will be the last of the big names to launch their Ladbrokes Derby challenge when he lines out in tonight’s final heat of the opening round at Shelbourne Park.

Last Saturday’s spectacular racing at Shelbourne really whetted the appetite for the forthcoming Ladbrokes Irish Derby.

There should be a huge crowd in Dundalk this evening where Milldean Panther returns to action in the Boylesports International .

How times change!

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.

The Betfair 600 decider is one of the most competitive finals ever seen at Shelbourne Park.

There could hardly have been a better line-up for the Betfair 600 final, which will be featured on RTE’s first live telecast of the year on Saturday night from Shelbourne.

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.

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.

Many of Ireland’s fastest and most powerful trackers will be put to the test when they line up for tonight’s opening round of the Betfair 600.

Betting exchange company Betfair plan to make a splash with their initial foray into major greyhound racing sponsorship this weekend.

No greyhound competition in this country can boast a record quite like the Easter Cup. It was the first event ever run at Shelbourne Park and it was set up to commemorate the Easter Rising in Dublin.

The semi-finals of the Easter Cup headline proceedings at Shelbourne Park tonight and the second of the two heats should be particularly informative, with SIS Live Gold Cup champion Piercestown Sand taking on Derby champ Razldazl George and a seemingly resurgent Tyrur Big Mike, amongst others.

Broadstrand Lad and Tyrur Big Mike may have turned four years of age last weekend, but the two brilliant performers retain every ounce of their ability if their latest displays in the Easter Cup are an accurate indication.

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.

Punters didn’t have things easy in the opening round of the College Causeway/ Killahan Phanter Easter Cup and they can expect more of the same at Shelbourne Park this evening.

Stand by for some special action at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night where the second round heats of the College Causeway/Killahan Phanter Easter Cup are expected to provide some red-hot racing.

Derby champion Razldazl George will make his seasonal bow this evening when he lines out in the opening round of the College Causeway/Killahan Phanter Easter Cup at Shelbourne Park.

Except for a few high profile absentees most of the big names will be chasing the €25,000 prize when the classic commences at Shelbourne on Saturday.

There’s simply no stopping Rathangan greyhound trainer Dolores Ruth.

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.

THE summer staging of the London Olympics and the Euro Championships have had the combined effect of making the early season build-up to the English Derby a rather rushed affair.

A MOST eventful year on the Irish greyhound front accelerates towards its end and it will finish as it began - with a flurry of top class open action all over the country.

DOLORES Ruth’s magnificent year continued at Shelbourne Park when she was presented with the Irish Greyhound Review Personality of the Year Award.

AFTER the events of the quarter-finals of two weeks ago, it’s unsurprising that tonight’s final of the Ladbrokes.com Irish Greyhound Derby has a very open look about it.

SHELBOURNE Park will be bursting at the seams for tonight’s decider of the Ladbrokes.com Derby.

WELL, here are virtually on the eve of the biggest day of the year in greyhound sport - the final of the Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park and all is in readiness for what promises to be the night of all nights.

A massive crowd is expected to pour through the turnstiles of Shelbourne Park for tonight's semi-finals of the Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby and punters will be hoping for kinder results than seven days ago.

PATRONS should get to Shelbourne Park early on Saturday night.

THERE is less than three and a half minutes of action remaining in the Ladbrokes.com Derby and tonight’s quarter finals at Shelbourne Park will account for two of those minutes.

DOLORES Ruth’s team have been in the driving seat in the ladbrokes.com Derby so far, with litter brothers Razldazl George and Razldazl Jayfkay dominating most betting lists.

TONIGHT is the first time this year that all the heats of the Ladbrokes.com Irish Greyhound Derby will be run on the same night and it provides a feast of betting opportunities for punters.

A LOOK through the betting lists for the Ladbrokes.com Derby suggests that Dolores Ruth is in a stronger position than any of her counterparts to lift the prize.

THE race for glory will commence tomorrow evening at Shelbourne Park with 150 greyhounds in pursuit of the €120,000 Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby.

EIGHTEEN of Ireland’s best will tonight battle it out for a place in the final of the €€20,000 townviewfoods.com Champion Stakes. All three semi-finals look exceptionally open and, with only two to qualify from each heat, there is little room for error.

THERE will be loads of Derby chat in the air this evening at Shelbourne where the pre-racing trial session will see many top names going through their paces from the new 525 and 550 yards traps.

PLOUGH Lane will have a strong hint of green about it this evening as the Irish go in search of yet another victory in the williamhill.com English Derby. Our two representatives, Barefoot Bullet and Razldazl George, both hold outstanding claims in the stg£75,000 contest.

IRISH hopes of winning the williamhill.com English Derby hit a speed bump at Wimbledon on Tuesday night with the elimination of Razldazl Jayfkay, but we remain in a dominant position with Barefoot Bullet, Razldazl George and Melodys Royal all hold outstanding claims in this evening’s semi-finals.