Hope springs eternal for the vanquished of the coursing field

Hope springs eternal, and at the end of another superb National Coursing Meeting in Clonmel, why not?

It was day three of this annual event, finals day, it was also the first day of spring, and what a day we got for it – blue skies, sun shining, birds singing. Those weren’t the only reasons for the thousands who had just witnessed the grand finale of the Meeting – the Boylesports.com Derby final – to leave with hope in their hearts, however.

In that same event last year, the 2011 Derby final, the hotly fancied Kyle Ranger put in a brave but futile effort before losing out to Central City. Ranger, you see, had been injured in the semi-final, and up against a dog of such quality, up against the hill of Powerstown, there was only ever going to be one result.