The draw for the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish Laurels took place at Curraheen Park yesterday afternoon and the track is set for a bumper night’s racing this weekend with the confirmation that all 11 first round heats will be run on Saturday.

It was a sensational session at Shelbourne last night as the second lot of heats in the Ladbrokes Irish Derby were run.

The Ladbrokes Irish Derby moves a step further tonight with eight more first round heats at Shelbourne and this session will see the majority of the very strong Dolores Ruth team swinging into action.

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

Razldazl Rioga would be a popular winner of the Betdaq Race of Champions at Tralee and the Laurels winner is drawn for a big run in tonight’s final.

There have been many great nights at Tralee over the years but Saturday’s Betdaq Night of Champions will surely be one of the greatest ever.

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.

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.

Two major competitions reach the semi-final stage on the tracks this week with the semi-finals of both the Sporting Press Irish Oaks at Shelbourne and the Bettor.com Northern Irish Derby at Drumbo Park to be run on Saturday.

Sparta Maestro is 10-1 second favourite for Derby glory with sponsors Ladbrokes after a powerful display in the final of the Larry Dunne Open 525 at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night.

Dolores Ruth’s domination of the Williamhill.com English Derby continued at Wimbledon last night as her three runners all effortlessly qualified for Saturday’s semi-finals with both Razldazl Jayfkay and Razldazl Rioga scoring hugely impressive victories.

Razldazl Jayfkay created history in the second round of the williamhill.com English Derby at Wimbledon when posting new figures for the 480 metre trip.

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.

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.

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

THE Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels is the centrepiece of a magnificent card at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.

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.

SOME Florida sun shone on Curraheen Park on Saturday night as Fr Bryan Dalton’s Deerfield Music and Deerfield Sings gave the US-based owner a double in the quarter-finals of the Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels. Both are trained by Mossie O’Connor.

IN last weekend’s second round of the Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park there weren’t any shocks that couldn’t have been predicted and the result is a quarter-final line-up that looks no easier to solve than at the first round stage.

I HAVE to say I was pleasantly surprised when first receiving Cashmans’ list of prices for tonight’s quarter-final heats of the Laurels. Often times the odds dictate that my actual bet will differ from what I believe to be the most likely winner but when the two are in sync it’s all the sweeter.

TWO dogs harbouring genuine hopes of outright honours clashed in Saturday night’s second round of the Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels, and Rockchase Bullet wowed the Curraheen crowd when coming from a seemingly impossible position to claim a dramatic victory over Sede Vacante in the third heat.

I’M still struggling to figure out how Deerfield Music, who posted 28.21, managed to get beaten in the opening round of the Laurels, but he’s undeniably well drawn in tonight’s second round second heat and is confidently expected to make a return to winning ways.

WHAT'S the difference between 28.16 and 28.46? The answer is simple: it’s the right draw and a clear run.

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.

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.

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.

It may be only six months since the 2010 Kerry Agribusiness Irish St Leger final was run at the brand new Limerick Stadium but a huge crowd will be convening again on Saturday to savour the 2011 decider where there will be very strong local interest.

THE impending closure of Newbridge cast a gloom over the Irish greyhound industry this week but there is strong reason to hope it can rise from the ruins of this development.