GREYHOUND PREVIEW: In this week’s preview Barry Caul looks at Limerick on Saturday evening it’s the final of the €80,000 to the winner Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Final. The final will be live on Virgin Media TV at 9pm. At Towcester on Sunday, it’s the final of the £10,000 Maiden Derby when Lennies Desire is a strong fancy at a decent price. We also see the return to action of last years Irish Derby winner Bockos Diamond, as he takes on a star-studded field in the Juvenile Invitation.
Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Final at Limerick.
- Pain Barrier
- Sole Mio
- Bubbly Charger
- Faypoint Ranger
- Skywalker Schar
- Droopys Deploy
The Kirby Memorial Final has a habit of producing a future start or two and this weekends final looks like it will be no exception. Won in the past few years by Swords Rex, Clonbrien Treaty and Knockeen Dazzler another future star looks sure to emerge. Indeed, Graham Holland was responsible for Swords Rex and Clonbrien Treaty and in Faypoint Ranger he looks to have unearthed another greyhound of the highest quality. Ranger will go to traps a short price favourite to take the €80,000 winners prize and on last weekends semifinal run he looks hard to oppose. With a level start its hard to see Ranger beat but with the opposition so strong it maybe unwise to take a short price about the favourite. Brendan Matthews has also won this event twice in the past as well as breeding the first and second home in last year’s final. The Newry handler has had a fantastic start to 2025 claiming classic success up the field at Clonmel earlier this year and bids to add more track success to his impressive CV. Brothers Pain Barrier and Bubbly Charger will represent the Townview Kennels outfit and both seem to be improving with each outing. Bubbly Charger came into the event unraced and there is no ceiling to his ability. Pain Barrier has far more experience but does still seem to be improving. Robert Gleason has also won this event in the past and he will be represented by Newcastle Puppy Derby winner Droopys Deploy. I firmly believe we have ye to see the best of Deploy around here and I don’t think he is without a chance from six. Sole Mio will run for Peter Cronin, Peter went close a few years ago with Kildare (aka Mr Chelm) a half brother to Sole Mio. Peters’ dogs are in fine form at the moment, and he has a chance if he can take a flier from boxes. Skywalker Schar is the final runner in here for Micheal O Donovan, Schar won’t have the early pace of some of his rivals but will be finishing fastest of all. It is a cracking final, but not a betting proposition for me. Six greyhounds with big futures ahead of them. The final will be live on Virgin Media at 9pm on Saturday evening.
Maiden Derby at Towcester
- Lennies Desire
- Ballybough Nutz
- Burrows Charm
- Val Tashadelek
- Hello Diego
- Indian Bonnie
Lennies Desire was well beaten behind Val Tashadelek last week and on the running, it appears Paul Hennessy runner has plenty to do in order to turn the form around with Graham Hollands in form tracker. To the eye Val was very impressive last week when flying to the corner after a modest start and forcing his way to the front before going on to score by over six lengths in 29:07. From trap four this weekend Val is a different proposition; all his winning has come from one or two and he will seek the fence on the run to the corner. With Burrows Charm, Ballybough Nutz and Lennies Desire all on his inside Val will need to take a flier from four to get across, I personally cannot see that happening. Forgive Lennies Desire his latest run. We certainly have not seen the best of him. He really impressed me on a couple of occasions at the back end of last year around Shelbourne Park and I know the Hennessy team think an awful lot of this dog. The 3’s available about Lennies Desire looks far to big and he can prove too good for his rivals with a level start. Kennel mate Hello Diego is another with a good draw and he should have plenty of room on the run to the corner while Indian Bonnie has a good chance to lead up out wide. Burrows Charm will be well fancied by many but may find Val Tashadelek looking to steal his ground on the run to the corner. Ballybough Nutz will give his new connections some good days over the coming weeks and months, a consistent sort when trained in Ireland he possesses a big engine but may find a couple of these too hot on the day. I strongly fancy Lennies Desire to come out on top and do not see the current 3/1 lasting too long. Good luck to all connections.
Time Juvenile at Towcester
- Boylesports Blue
- Wicky Ned
- Droopys Plunge
- Proper Heiress
- March On Freddie
- Bockos Diamond.
A cracking line-up and well done to all involved on setting up this mouth-watering clash on Sunday. For me there is only one place I can start, and that is with Bockos Diamond. I have been lucky enough to see him live in his last nine starts as well as getting to call him home at Shelbourne Park and for me he is simply the best I have ever seen. Its not just clocks, it’s not just titles, it’s what he does to other greyhounds, other stars, classic winners, he just makes the look ordinary, and they are not ordinary. I hope he shows up in the UK in the same form he was when last seen around Shelbourne Park and if his recent trials are anything to go by, he looks to be as good as ever. We know how consistent March On Freddie Proper Heiress and Droopys Plunge have been over the past year or so and these superstars thoroughly deserve their place, but I feel Bockos Diamond is on another level. Boylesports Blue has his draw but will need a career best if he is to get involved. Wicky Ned seems to be the main UK hope, and it is easy to see why. Ned has impressed in recent trials and there is very little to separate him and Diamond on their latest trial efforts. It is a cracking contest with plenty of opinions and debates. But on Sunday I think Bockos Diamond will confirm his standing as one of the best we all have ever seen!
