AFTER a hugely consistent year, Piercestown Sand claimed a well-deserved big race success when emerging triumphant in the final of the Red Mills Waterford Masters at Kilcohan Park on Saturday night.

While Milldean Panther’s performance in the final of the Razldazl George 525 final at Shelbourne on Saturday will attract most attention, the major event is the Red Mills Masters which reaches the semi-final stage at Kilcohan Park.

PJ FAHY’S plan to contest this year’s English Derby was scuppered even before it got underway yesterday. Fahy and his trainer-son Conor brought five intended challengers over for trials in advance of the Derby but an altercation with Wimbledon official Gary Matthews resulted in the Galway team leaving for home without trialling their dogs and having rescinded their earlier plans.

It’s another very exciting week with top class open racing at many venues.

Micheal O Muircheartaigh obviously has high hopes for his new four-legged friend. Upon retiring from his GAA commentary role last September, the Irish Greyhound Board announced that they would present him with a greyhound and the dog was handed over at a function in Shelbourne Park yesterday afternoon.