Ian Fortune
The stars were on show at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night and they really delivered. The action included the quarter finals of both the Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks and the Summer Cup, while 2024 Derby champion Bockos Diamond made a notable cameo on the undercard.
Ian Fortune
Ireland will have an unprecedented six finalists in the Star Sports & Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby after the green machine kicked into top gear at Towcester on Saturday night.
Ian Fortune
Buddy Bruno ran a big race to land the final of the Bar 1 Betting ON1 400 at Dundalk on Saturday night, showing fine pace and track craft to overcome a tardy start and a little early traffic.
Peter Farrell
Saturday night brought the opening round of the TIME Club Graders Derby to a close, with a further twelve heats on the card. As expected in such a competitive event, the contests were fiercely competitive, with little separating the runners on the clock.
Peter Farrell
Aside from the TIME Club Graders Derby action at Limerick, there was also a valuable sweepstake final on offer in the shape of the Limerick Brakes A1 550.
Peter Farrell
In an action-packed night on both sides of the water, the semi-finals of the Ann Cheevers Memorial A3/A4 525 also took centre stage at Galway Greyhound Stadium.
Barry Drake
LENNIES DESIRE (Signet Ace-Free From Desire) ran out a brilliant winner of the €5,000 to the winner Two Wheel Training Open 750-yard Stake at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.
GRI
Shelbourne Park Trial Results Saturday 30/5/2026:
Ian Fortune
Eight Irish trained greyhounds will take their place in the semi-finals of the Star Sports & Orchestrate English Derby at Towcester this evening hoping to earn a chance at possible immortality in next week’s final.
Ian Fortune
There were three finals up for decision at Shelbourne Park on Friday night and each were won in fine style.
Barry Drake
MUSIC INTHE AIR (Ballymac Cashout-Nocturnal Hekla) made it four straight wins in the final of the €10,000 to the winner A3 Lee Strand Final on Friday night.
Peter Farrell
TIME Greyhound Nutrition continue to show their commitment to Irish greyhound racing, with the 2026 renewal of the TIME Club A4 Graders Derby getting underway at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Friday night.
Peter Farrell
There were some very encouraging performances at Clonmel Greyhound Stadium on Friday night as the semi finals of the Ballinahinch Boarding Kennels Unraced 525 took centre stage.
GRI
As part of the ongoing review of Track Ratings on a national basis, Rásaíocht Con Éireann has recently reviewed the track ratings applied to licensed Stadia under normal conditions.
Word came through this morning of the sad passing of one of the great characters of Irish greyhound racing, John Joe O’Keeffe.
Ian Fortune
Magical Luka, one of the fastest greyhounds in Ireland and the UK is set to contest one of the top sprint events in the UK, the Arc Silver Salver at Central Park.
It’s with real sadness we must report the passing of one of the legends and great characters of Irish greyhound sport, Derby winning handler, Charlie Faul.
Barry Drake
Barry chats to Denis Murphy ahead of Friday night’s Callaway Pro Am at Stud Race of Champions in Tralee, plus Saturday’s Denis Linehan Solicitors Open Unraced in Cork.
Peter Farrell
Owners and trainers competing in the TIME Club Graders Derby 525 this weekend at Limerick Greyhound Stadium are advised to take note of the following information regarding weigh-in times and event conditions.
Vinny Grennan.
Kilkenny track is the place to be on Saturday morning where an exciting 63 lots will be on sale. This sales line up has something for everyone and there is plenty here to suit all buyers.
GRI
There is a sales meeting in Kilkenny on Saturday morning May 30th. Sales trials and auction will be open to the public and all are welcome to attend on the day. For anyone that cannot attend in person the sales trials and auction will be available to view on the Livestock Live System.
Ian Fortune
For the second year, Lewis Byrne of Celtic Cooling Refrigeration & Air Conditioning has came on board to sponsor the hugely valuable Celtic Cooling Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Open Unraced 525 at Shelbourne Park.
Ian Fortune
After last Friday’s hugely successful Official Opening of the new facilities at Kilkenny, focus now switches to the busy weeks ahead.
Ian Fortune
Those taking a casual glance through Saturday’s card at Shelbourne Park may generally be focusing their attention on the action in the Summer Cup and Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks but that could change when you get to the AA0 finale as it features the return of Bockos Diamond to his favourite stomping ground.
Ian Fortune
Scooby The Lady continues to interrupt the Irish dominance at the top of the English Derby market with the flying daughter of Grangeview Ten and Scooby Princess a 5-1 chance with sponsors Stars Sports.
Ian Fortune
Ballymac Kamala entered a very select group at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night when becoming just the fourth greyhound to break the 28 second barrier at Shelbourne Park on three separate occasions.
GRI
Ian Fortune, Tommy Lyons and Sporting Press rep Barry Drake are bring you your favourite greyhound racing chat.
Ian Fortune
Eight of the twelve runners in the semi-finals of the Star Sports& Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby are Irish trained.
Barry Drake
The 2026 Callaway Pro Am at Stud Race of Champions for 18 open class greyhounds over 550 yards starts at the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium on Friday May 29th.
Peter Farrell
Bathed in glorious sunshine at Clonmel Greyhound Stadium on Sunday evening, the final of the 2026 National Produce Stakes produced a fitting showcase for one of the sport’s premier Classics, with Berlin Trilogy delivering a superb front-running display to claim the title in emphatic fashion.
Peter Farrell
There were no fewer than four sweepstake finals on an excellent undercard at Clonmel Greyhound Stadium on Sunday night, providing fitting support to a superb renewal of the National Produce Stakes.
Ian Fortune
While Ballymac Deniro was going fastest in the English Derby across the Irish Sea, his kennel companion Ballymac Kamala was again playing a starring role at Shelbourne Park in the second round of the Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks.
Ian Fortune
The Irish has another successful night at Towcester on Saturday night with eight of a possible twelve members of the raiding party successfully earning a place in the semi-finals of the Star Sports & Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby.
Ian Fortune
Eight Irish went into the drum for the semi-final draw in the Star Sports & Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby and as it should be there is no place to hide.
Ian Fortune
Just under a year ago, Magical Luka made a stunning debut at Dundalk before going on to establish himself as one of the very fastest in Ireland the UK.
Barry Drake
LENNIES DESIRE (Signet Ace-Free From Desire), trained by Paul Hennessy for owner Lee Craze, set the standard in the semi-finals of the €5,000 to the winner Two Wheel Training Open 750 at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.
Peter Farrell
The final of the Limerick & Clare GOBA A3 525 served as the highlight at Limerick Stadium on Saturday night and it went largely to script as Kevinsfort Trump completed a clean sweep throughout the stake, in turn registering a fourth successive victory on the spin.
GRI
Shelbourne Park Trial Results Saturday 23/5/2026:
Ian Fortune
A huge crowd poured through the stiles at Kilkenny on Friday night for the official opening of their new grandstand and facilities.
Ian Fortune
The judge was called into action before declaring Droopys Scampi a brilliant winner of the 1XBET Islandbridge Open Sprint at Shelbourne Park on Friday night.
Barry Drake
MUSIC INTHE AIR (Ballymac Cashout-Nocturnal Hekla) went quickest on the clock in the semi-finals of the €10,000 to the winner Lee Strand 550.
Peter Farrell
Friday night’s card at Galway was dominated by novice action, but it was January ’25 whelp Crafty Coolio who stole the headlines with a breath-taking debut success in the semi-finals of the Bet on the Tote ON2/ON3 350.
Ian Fortune
Tonight’s feature at Shelbourne Park, the final of the 1XBET Islandbridge Open Sprint, will be worth the admission fee alone.
Barry Drake
Barry talks to Tom Kinane, racing manager at Kilkenny Greyhound Stadium about the official opening of the new stand as well as a cafe area for this Friday night along with the racing action. Barry also speaks to Pat Morrissey of Clonmel Greyhound Stadium ahead of Sunday nights, €20,000 to the winner National Produce Stakes Final.
Ian Fortune
Enniscorthy continue preparations for their upcoming fundraiser on Monday, June 1st and Ivan Yates has been confirmed as their celebrity auctioneer on the night.
Ian Fortune
The feature of Tuesday’s action at Shelbourne Park was the final of the Upcoming Events A4 525 and Roy Ruddy’s Drumcrow Lemon said goodbye to graded company for a while with a massive front running display as she clocked a rapid 28.48 on a track rated .20 fast.
Peter Farrell
Those who took advantage of the free admission at Thurles Greyhound Stadium on Tuesday night were rewarded with a blockbuster final of the Thurles Champion Bitch Stake, which was landed in terrific fashion by Droopys Bundle.
GRI
Ian Fortune and Tommy Lyons are joined by Barry Drake to delve into the opening round of the Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks, plus a look at all the big action of the weekend across the country.
Ian Fortune
As we look forward to the quarter finals of the Star Sports& Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby, the competition is finely balanced with Ireland now responsible for exactly half of the remaining runners after 12 of a possible 19 qualified from Saturday’s third round.
Ian Fortune
The 2026 Sporting Press Irish Oaks got underway at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night and two names really came to the fore, that of Liam Dowling and Ballymac Kamala.
Ian Fortune
A total of twelve Irish trained greyhound progressed from the third round of the Star Sports & Orchestrate English Derby at Towcester on Saturday night but the headlines had to go to Epic Ace as he lived up to his name with the most incredible track record breaking display.
Barry Drake
A massive crowd turned out for the Duhallow Hunt benefit night at Curraheen Park on Saturday night. On the track, the opening round of the €5,000 to the winner Two Wheel Training Open 750 were the feature races.
Peter Farrell
There was no shortage of sweepstake action at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night as the semi-finals of the Limerick & Clare GOBA A2 525 shared top billing with the opening round heats of the Limerick Brakes A1 550.
GRI
Shelbourne Park Trial Results Saturday 16/5/2026:
Ian Fortune
Thirty-five years is a long time in any sport, but in sponsorship terms it represents an era of great loyalty, commitment and shared success. Over that time, the Irish Greyhound Oaks and the Sporting Press have become so closely intertwined that it is now difficult to imagine one without the other.
Ian Fortune
There was some superb racing on offer at Shelbourne Park on Friday night and, fittingly, the two best displays on the card came in the feature, the semi-finals of the 1XBET Islandbridge Open Sprint.
Ian Fortune
Maireads Prince will enter his fifth year as the Friends of Newbridge Derby champion after a dominant display in Friday’s €3,500 decider at the Kildare venue.
Peter Farrell
The semi-finals of the 2026 National Produce Stakes ensured a strong crowd descended on Clonmel on Friday night, where Scooby Marquess produced a sensational display to lower the colours of hot favourite Swords Diamond.
Barry Drake
MUSIC INTHE AIR (Ballymac Cashout-Nocturnal Hekla) produced another performance of the very highest order in the second round of the €10,000 to the winner Lee Strand 550 at the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium on Friday night.
Peter Farrell
While the semi-finals of the National Produce Stakes served as the main attraction at Clonmel on Friday night, the undercard produced a performance of the highest quality as Bobmar shattered the 550-yard track record in the semi-finals of the Seven Beach @ Stud A2 550.
Ian Fortune
The sprinters again take centre stage at Shelbourne Park this evening with the second round of the 1XBET Islandbridge Open Sprint the feature.
Barry Drake
Barry Drake looks ahead to the Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks this week with trainer Patrick Guilfoyle. Barry also chats to Mark Fanning ahead of Tuesday night’s final of the €3,000 to the winner Thurles Track Champion Bitch Stake.
Ian Fortune
Ballymac Tibet, a brilliant winner of the 2025 Champion Plate at Shelbourne Park, has been sold to the Gary Armstrong and is set to continue his racing career in the UK.
Ian Fortune
Magical James justified odds-on favouritism in Tuesday’s feature at Shelbourne Park, the final of the April Monthly Novice ON2 525.
Ian Fortune
Newbridge have been granted permission to run an extra meeting on Monday, June 8th and those hoping to have a runner should contact the racing office.
GRI
Shelbourne Park Trial Results Tuesday 12/5/2026:
By now most will be aware of the sad and sudden passing of Ann Lenehan in recent days.
Ian Fortune
Millpark Molly emerged a superb winner of the TIME Greyhound Nutrition Open Unraced at Enniscorthy on Monday night, posting a rapid 28.85 on her way to victory for owned David Kealy.
Ian Fortune
All roads lead to the sunny south east on Bank Holiday Monday, June 1st.
Ian Fortune
A total of 20 Irish greyhounds from a possible 25 qualified from the second round of the Star Sports& Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby over the weekend with 8 of the 16 heats, or exactly half, going to the raiding party.
GRI
Ian and Tommy take us on a mini-tour of the country with their thoughts of the big racing action of the weekend and of course, the big one over in Towcester, the English Greyhound Derby.
The death has occurred of Ann Lenehan, the beloved Mother of our RCÉ colleague Linda Conroy (Tote Manager Shelbourne Park).
GRI
The Sales Committee have approved the Sales Dates and Sales Venues for May to August 2026.
Ian Fortune
Ireland continued their impressive progress through the Star Sports & Orchestrate English Derby at Towcester on Saturday night, winning five of the eight heats while Ballymac Duffle again stole the headlines with a stunning track record breaking run.
Ian Fortune
Say You Will and Foulkscourt Cody took the two feature races at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night with the former posting a fastest of the night 28.25 on his way to a comfortable victory in the final of the www.grireland.ie A1.
Barry Drake
KILLOUGH SNIPER (Pestana-Bees Dream) delivered a brave performance to win the feature at Curraheen Park on Saturday night, the €7,500 to the winner Pegasus Cup.
Peter Farrell
The semi-finals of the Thurles Champion Bitch Stake produced a pair of high-class contests at the Premier venue on Saturday night, with Droopys Bundle building on her promising opening-round effort by posting the fastest time of the night in a brilliant display.
Peter Farrell
Four opening round heats of the Limerick & Clare GOBA 525 served as the highlight at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night and Kacies Beauty set the standard with a fine off-the-pace performance in heat two.
GRI
Shelbourne Park Trial Results Saturday 2/5/2026:
Barry Drake
BALLYMAC CHARBEL (Ballymac Cashout-Ballymac Pete) was quickest on the clock in the opening round of the €10,000 to the winner Lee Strand 550 at the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium on Friday night.
Peter Farrell
The four second round heats of the 2026 National Produce Stakes featured at Clonmel Greyhound Stadium on Friday night and Swords Diamond continued his assault on the classic with yet another brilliant performance.
Ian Fortune
Since debuting last June, Tiermana Dream has been progressing steadily as a sprinter, developing into one of the best in training over two bends but his Friday night display in the opening round of the 1XBET Islandbridge Open Sprint was different class to anything that came before.
Ian Fortune
Three of Friday’s opening session of second round heats in the Star Sports English Greyhound Derby were won by Irish trained trackers with John Kennedy’s Epic Ace landing the headlines with a record equalling 28.37 return in Heat 2.
GRI
Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium is delighted to announce sponsorship of the David Fitzgibbon Memorial Open 525 Stake, which will get underway with first round heats on Saturday, May 30th.
Ian Fortune
The 1XBET Islandbridge Sprint gets underway at Shelbourne Park this evening and is likely to provide some superb performances.
Ian Fortune
The always wonderful social media feed of Riverside Kennels posted the sad news yesterday evening that Clares Rocket, one of the fastest greyhounds of the modern era, has passed away at twelve years of age after a long and happy retirement.
Barry Drake
Barry and Liam reflect on Bogger Bob’s brilliant Droopys Stud Select Stakes success in Kilcohan Park, and Olivia fills him in on the Fundraising Information Evening at Curraheen Park.
Ian Fortune
The draw for the 1XBET Islandbridge Sprint went online late yesterday evening and there will be some talented sprinters on show in the two-bend stake.
Ian Fortune
The pups took the headlines at Shelbourne Park on Tuesday with a number of promising displays, including that of the exciting Charming Charlie in the feature, the final of the Blink & You’ll Miss It ON1 350.
GRI
Ian and Tommy give us their thoughts on all the big greyhound racing action of the weekend.
GRI
Trainer Owen McKenna added the 600 to his list of big wins on Saturday night in Shelbourne Park as Mydras Opinion put in a powerful display to land the prestigious title.
GRI
Join us to look back on the Final plus chat to owner/trainer Liam Peacock and sponsor Michael Dunphy.
Ian Fortune
A total of 27 Irish greyhounds from a possible 39 qualified from the opening round of the Star Sports& Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby over the weekend with 13 of the 28 heats going to the raiding party.
Peter Farrell
The €2,500-to-the-winner Sorley O’Dornan Memorial 525 final at Clonmel Greyhound Stadium on Sunday evening went very much to script, with Knocknadoguestar completing a clean sweep across the competition.
Ian Fortune
After going close in the past, Owen McKenna finally got over the line in the Shelbourne Open 600 at a busy Shelbourne Park on Saturday night as Mydras Opinion produced a power-packed display to get up on the line to land the €15,000 prize.
Barry Drake
Liam Peacock enjoyed big race success at Kilcohan Park on Saturday night, as BOGGER BOB (Callaway Pro Am-Bogger Megan) delivered a powerful performance to win the €10,000 to the winner Droopys Stud Select Stakes.
Barry Drake
The semi-finals of the €7,500 to the winner Pegasus A2 Stake were the feature races at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.
Peter Farrell
Saturday morning saw the opening round heats of the 2026 Champion Bitch get underway at Thurles Greyhound Stadium, and of the three heats on offer, it was Brickhill Moana who went marginally fastest as she continued her recent purple patch for Vincent McKenna.
GRI
Shelbourne Park Trial Results Saturday 2/5/2026.
Ian Fortune
The Irish experienced mixed fortunes at Towcester on Friday night as the Star Sports & Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby got underway.
Peter Farrell
The first round heats of the €20,000-to-the-winner National Produce Stakes got underway at Clonmel Greyhound Stadium on Friday night, and there were several notable performances, none more so than Swords Diamond, who set the standard in exceptional fashion.
GRI
Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium hosted a special Fundraising Information Evening on Friday, 8th May at 6.30pm, offering local charities, schools, clubs, and community groups a unique opportunity to enhance their fundraising efforts in a simple and effective way.