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.

With the start of the Ladbrokes.com Derby only days away it’s no surprise tonight’s card at Shelbourne Park is rather low key. As of yesterday afternoon there were 92 confirmed for the Derby with entries closing tonight after racing.

It’s one of the most coveted prizes in greyhound sport and a new Queen of the Track will be crowned on Saturday when the Sporting Press Irish Oaks is run at Shelbourne Park.

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.

Cabra Millie faces a test of her Sporting Press Irish Oaks credentials in tonight’s second semi-final, but the Graham Holland-trained bitch should come through with flying colours.

The final of the Kudos Supersprint lights up tonight’s card at Curraheen Park and Shoemakers Lad can land the spoils for owner Thomas Harte and trainer Pat Guilfoyle

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.

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.

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

HAVING gone almost overboard with my reaction to his early puppy runs at Shelbourne, I was pleased to see the Pat Buckley trained Slick Seattle finally live up to the rating with a superb 28.16 run in Monday’s unscheduled third session of the Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park.

LARRY Dunne’s Slippery Bob turned the opening heat of the Billy Mulvaney Snr and Jnr Memorial Open 600 at Shelbourne on Saturday into a procession with an impressive display of front running.