Si, Senor – he’s the man!

Over the years the Boylesports International at Dundalk has produced some really dramatic occasions and one wonders what lies in store this evening when six of the best greyhounds in these islands chase a prize of €25,000, easily the biggest for a one-off contest in these islands.

Unfortunately the likes of Ardkill Jamie, Razldazl Billy, Loyal Honcho and others are unavailable for the race but we are still presented with a top class contest.

We also have a very worthy favourite in Si Senor, one of the fastest dogs in training and one that could have been designed for the Dundalk circuit.

Winner of the other top invitation contest last November, the Gain Masters at Waterford, Si Senor was beaten less than a length by Ardkill Jamie in the final of the Ladbrokes 600 on his last appearance.

He has been prepared for this contest and displayed his class with a 28.24 trial run at the track over 525 yards last weekend.

Trained by Owen McKenna for Cathal McCarthy and his colleagues in The Man Syndicate, Si Senor goes from trap two and is certain to go off a strong favourite.

Nick Savva, who completed a hat-trick of English Derbys at the weekend, brings over Westmead Joe and this English Derby finalist of last year will be strongly fancied from a six draw.

He is a similar type of dog to Si Senor and whichever gets the first run will probably prove the winner.

Alexandrova is the solitary bitch and she goes from trap one. She’s a bitch with the class to make a very bold bid for honours. Bar The Devil has contested the Derby , Ladbrokes and Leger finals without success and is surely deserving of a turn.

Last year’s winner Droopys Electric hasn’t repeated that form yet this year but has been improving in his trial efforts. A slick start and he will go close. That leaves us with Antrim Classic which comes in as reserve for his kennel companion Tyrur Lee. The Derby runner-up last year, he has shown his class around Dundalk where he won the Sherry Property Open 620 and must always be considered around such a galloping circuit.

But the odds favour a Si Senor success. He has the class and if he can avoid early trouble he can do the job. Racing commences at 7.45 with the big one due off at 9.30.

As the month of July progresses we start thinking of Galway and there is a second string to the Festival bow. Quite apart from the action at Ballybrit there is a veritable feast of greyhound racing with action on nine of ten nights between Thursday, July 26th and Saturday, August 4th – the odd night out being the Sunday when all involved take a well deserved breather!

All records will again be broken this year with more than €120,000 in prizemoney. The highlight is the VCbet.ie 525, an open event for 24 dogs and with a winner’s prize of €7,000. It has been reduced to 24 dogs and starts a week later than planned on Saturday week, July 21st.

The range of sweepstakes is mighty impressive, ranging from the Ladbrokes Open 325 to the Kudos Catering sponsored Open 700 and 810; from the Bookmakers Galway Plate to the Stadium sponsored Open and Local Hurdle. There is something for virtually everybody. But the action commences earlier with a major benefit meeting this Friday in aid of Niall Mellon’s South Africa Appeal Fund. I have visited Mellon’s township outside Cape Town and it is a most worthy enterprise and well worth support.

This week is something of a lull between the storms as we recover from the incredibly hectic action of the past two months and look forward to the forthcoming extravaganzas in the Boylesports Champion Stakes, the Bar-One Racing Irish Sprint Cup and the Paddy Power Irish Derby. The Sprint at Dundalk starts tomorrow week while the Champion Stakes semi-finals will be run the following night.

The International apart, the big event this week will be tomorrow’s final of the Sierra Communications Longford Derby at the midlands venue. There is an impressive €10,000 on offer and it looks as though Keeley McGee and Larry O’Rourke will capture the top prize with either Holborn Civic or last year’s Bitch of the Year Shelbourne Becky.

There is a class entry for the Razldazl Billy Southern Oaks which will get underway at Youghal tomorrow night. This is an unusual event in that it is the second running of the competition this year. Back in January the Owen McKenna trained Shawanda led home Express Smasher in the Southern Oaks final and the two bitches will be in action when the current event gets underway. They will again figure among the favourites and others worth nothing include Express Tune, Hello Jenny, Hello Fiona, Ballyverry Kate, Distant Sparky and Catunda Jessica.

News from Youghal is that the Paddy Power Derby Trial Stake did not attract the required twelve entries and it will be run as a one-off qualifier tomorrow week.

The draw for the Razldazl Billy Southern Oaks is:

Heat 1: 1 Toberadora Haka; 2 Bower Orla; 3 Shawanda; 4 Goldcrest Baby; 5 Hello Jenny; 6 Compass Maisie (w).

Heat 2: 1 Diva Sue; 2 Lefanta April; 3 Ballyverry Kate; 4 Hello Fiona; 5 Express Tune; 6 Gentle Lady (w).

Heat 3: 1 Marshall Nicki; 2 Express Smasher; 3 Compass Jill; 4 Newbridge Jewel; 5 Droopys Mia; 6 Distant Sparky.

Heat 4: 1 Farranrory Dream; 2 Catunda Jessica; 3 Spotless; 4 Droopys Gem; 5 Tyrur Jean; 6 Clounts Katie.

Next Thursday’s meeting at Curraheen Park (July 19th) will be a benefit for Killavullen Parent & Teacher Association and entries will close on Saturday for four races: A1 525, A3 550, A4 575 and A5 550.

Entries close this Thursday for the 12 dog €800 Cork GOBA A2 Racedogs Stake with preference for Cork and Youghal greyhounds. Next Tuesday is the closing date for the 24 dog 4Home Superstore A2 525 which carries a winner’s prize of €2,200.

The next big stake at the track is the 2007 AIB A1 525 which carries a winner’s prize of €10,000. Entries close on Saturday, August 4th.

It is ten years now since the Kingdom Stadium was officially opened and it is planned to have a major celebration on Saturday week, July 21st to mark the occasion. Top race will be the final of the Kerry Group 10th Anniversary Stake with a winner’s prize of €4,000 while all other races will be worth €1,200 to the winners. There will be a very attractive gate prize which will comprise of a Trip For Two to the Derby final at Shelbourne on Friday, September 7th and will include accommodation in a top Dublin hotel, admission and dinner at Shelbourne as well as two bets of €100 on the Derby final compliments of Ted Hegarty.

The valuable new Donal J O’Neill Memorial Confined A7 Stake for 72 dogs will commence on Tuesday, August 7th. Sponsored by Matthew Breslin of Donal J. O’Neill Solicitors in Tralee, the event has a total fund of €20,000, of which the winner will receive €8,000. The first two rounds will be run on Tuesdays but the semis will be run on Saturday, August 18th, with the final on Saturday, August 25th.