€30,000 Irish St Leger goes to the traps for round one heats in Limerick Greyhound Stadium

TRAINING DOUBLES were recorded by Sixmilebridge's Stephen Murray and Donie Duggan of Tulla at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Thursday last. Bark Wahlberg in 29.26 and Evetheapple in 29.70 both trained by Stephen won their respective races, Wahlberg is owned by the Quin based syndicate BlessmefatherforIhave synd and this son of Premier Fantasy and…

The connections of the dogs in the Irish derby greyhound final. Twelve became six after the semifinals of the Boylesports Irish Derby last Saturday. It was a night of shocks at Headquarters as three of the top four, in the betting, to lift the most sought after trophy in greyhound racing exited the competition. Sadly this included our own Trinity…

Shelbourne Park, on Friday and Saturday, brought the standout racing of the week with the second round of the Boylesports Irish Derby. Heats one to eight on Friday with heats nine to sixteen on Saturday. Plenty of shocks with many fancied dogs exiting the competition but also some younger dogs putting themselves into the frame to be the outright…

One of the most valuable one off races in the calendar year took place this week with €20k to the winner. Plenty of finals around the country with prize money galore up for grabs. Limerick, Cork, Thurles, Kilkenny and Shelbourne all had valuable finals with over €50k being divided. Top dogs in country were having prep races for the Derby which is…

Another weekend means another crazy few days in greyhound racing. It all starts this evening as the aptly named Race of Champions gets underway at Tralee, while the fastest bitches in training will dominate tomorrow night's action at Shelbourne Park in the semi-finals of the Sporting Press Irish Oaks before the weekend ends with the second round of…

The first steps to English Derby glory began this afternoon, despite no greyhound stepping onto the track. The draw for the opening round of the classic was made soon after midday and a total of 31 Irish trained greyhounds were in the hat. To highlight the strength of the Irish team, which is just one sixth of the total entry, Derby sponsors Star…

Emma Buckley with her winning dog Bobsleigh Dream after his success in the Matchbook Betting Exchange St Leger 550 Final at Limerick | PICTURE: Brendan Gleeson THE 2022 Matchbook Betting Exchange Irish St. Leger may have been deferred by one week due to weather, but it was certainly worth waiting for Sunday night's €30000 decider was landed in…

Willie Joe Murphy, from Gneeveguilla, won the Matchbook Irish Leger (winner, €30000) at Limerick on Sunday night when his amazing bitch, Bobsleigh Dream, won by three-quarters of a length from the Dolores Ruth-trained Mustang Jet in 29.84. The 11/8 favourite is trained by Pat Buckley. here was also a Kerry victory in the Leger consolation final…

Despite plenty of optimism, last weekend's cold snap saw the postponement of the Matchbook Betting Exchange Irish St Leger from Limerick. It's not ideal for a classic final to be postponed with the greyhounds largely sitting on their beds for the week but, given the severity of the cold weather, it was the correct decision. Of course, it provided…

Racing this week was heavily curtailed by the weather, with many meetings and trialling sessions being postponed. The biggest loss to the weeks racing was the cancellation of the final of the Leger in Limerick but hopefully it will take place this coming Saturday by when this cold spell has hopefully lifted. There was however a limited programme of…

After the weeks racing, the Irish St. Leger is down to the final six dogs all vying to get their names on the trophy second only in stature to the Derby. It should be a super final on Saturday with all six in with a chance to win. Some great racing around the provincial tracks too with plenty of prize money being dished out.We had to wait till…

Wi Can Dream, winner of the first quarter final of the Matchbook Irish St. Leger at Limerick Greyhound Stadium pictured with Tom O'Keefe and sponsor rep, Enda Kendrick THE quarter finals of the Matchbook Betting Exchange Irish St Leger dominated last Saturday night's card at Limerick Greyhound Stadium, and no one could have predicted how events…

Between now and Christmas, the crowds going greyhound racing will increase significantly as revelers journey to the track to celebrate the festive period. Be it a family or work night out or just a catch up with friends ahead of Christmas, a night at the dogs provides a wonderful atmosphere and a real sense of celebration. With bar and restaurant…

TREATY United's Enda Curran is in the running to be named First Division Player of the Year 2022, a title which will be handed down at the Annual Professional Footballers Association Ireland Awards at Dublin's Marker Hotel on Saturday night next. Curran, who scored an impressive 21 goals across all competitions this season, faces competition from…

Week after week, month after month, there is no down time in Irish greyhound racing. Just seven days after the competition of the Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park and the Puppy oaks at Shelbourne, attention quickly switches to the final classic of the year, the Matchbook Betting Exchange Irish St Leger. It may be the final classic of 2022 but there…

LIMERICK will host its prestigious Matchbook Betting Exchange Irish St Leger Classic from next Saturday through to the final on December 10. And, as part of a nationwide Ag Rásaíocht Le Chéile (Racing Together) initiative, there will be free admission at Limerick this weekend. Inaugurated 90 years ago, the classic has been held continuously in…

Thomas Ryan, Tom Fitzgerald, Jody Thompson, Paul Geasley and Noreen Cremin at the Matchbook Betting Exchange Irish St Leger launch | PICTURE: Brendan Gleeson THE Matchbook Irish St Leger commences in Limerick Greyhound Stadium this Saturday. Limerick's biggest classic of the season will run for the next five weekends at the Dock Road venue as 66…

Liam Dowling might not have claimed the purse of €30000 in the final of the Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park on Saturday night, but there was plenty of good compensation for him because his bitch, Ballymac Whispa, won €8000 as runner-up to Kingdom Derby winner, the Patrick Guilfoyle-trained Good Cody, and another of his charges, Ballymac Johnjo, won…

Born Warrior was crowned the Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby champion last weekend in front of the packed Shelbourne Park stands. It was a wonderful night for those involved in the brilliant tracker but also for those who love greyhound racing. The Derby final itself will live long in the memory with Born Warrior rallying on the run in to get the…

There is less than a minute and a half of actual racing action remaining in the 2021 Matchbook Betting Exchange Irish St Leger and yet there is so much drama, and a potential plot twist or two, still to come in the final classic of the year. As with so many of this year's classics, the Leger seemed destined to be won by one of the lesser exposed,…

Paul Geasley, sponsorship manager, Eric Hegarty, CMO, Matchbook Betting Exhange pictured with James Murray Racing Manager Limerick Greyhound Stadium at the Matchbook Betting Exchange announcement GREYHOUND Racing Ireland have confirmed that Matchbook Betting Exchange will once again undertake sponsorship of the Irish St Leger at Limerick Greyhound…

THE final of the €30000 Matchbook Betting Exchange Irish St Leger in Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Saturday evening was won by Ballymac Merlin. Owned in Kerry's Ballymacelligott by Liam Dowling, Ballymac Merlin won the Limerick title in 29.68. The winner was priced at 8/1 and defied the odds to win by three quarters of a length. Ballymac Merlin…

A hug for Ballyelan Rolly from his number 1 fan Kacie, grandaughter of Donie and Kathy Scanlon SIXTEEN round one heats in the Matchbook Betting Exchange Irish St Leger dominated the local greyhound racing schedule this past week. The action continues this Saturday night in Limerick with the second round heats of the Matchbook Betting Exchange Irish…