Greyhound lovers set course for hare-raising event

FOR the doggy men and women of the four corners of Ireland, this is their All-Ireland, their Cheltenham, their Heineken Cup, their Superbowl.

A headline-grabber it might not be, but the national coursing meeting in Clonmel is the be-all and end-all for thousands of enthusiasts from around the country, and even beyond, and this week the grass in the middle of a provincial, unfashionable racetrack becomes their field of dreams.

Last night, dozens of owners, trainers, breeders, and hangers-on went to sleep with those dreams intact, their four-legged friends having survived the first rounds of the Hotel Minella Oaks and the Boylesports Derby — the two big ‘classics’ in coursing.

For dozens of others, eliminated at the first stage, it was all over. From the moment a coursing-bred greyhound is born, it carries with it the hopes of its connections, through the months and months of preparation, local competitions, and trial stakes — all with one target in mind: Clonmel in February. And it can all be over in a matter of seconds. Back they go then to their homes, hoping another up-and-coming animal can be ‘the one’.

In advance of yesterday’s opening rounds of the oaks and derby, they came from all parts.

From all counties in Munster, Mayo, Galway, many from the North, Wexford, Kilkenny, and even a couple of animals courtesy of the Courtney family from Lucan in Dublin — not hitherto acclaimed as a heartland of countryside sports.

Not to mention Essex, from whence arrived King of the Bungs, owned by the Bungers-Inc-Syndicate. The syndicate will be around for another while at least, after their 23-month-old dog came through his first round clash in style.

If he gets through today’s second and third rounds, he could find himself cheered on by a well-known compatriot tomorrow as coursing fan Vinnie Jones will probably be in town. Not with a runner himself this time around, the hard man ex-footballer-turned-actor is still expected to arrive in Clonmel for finals day.

Already in town is English thoroughbred trainer Mark Prescott, along with a sprinkling of exponents from other sports, including Jimmy Barry Murphy and Anthony Daly.