IRISH GREYHOUND DERBY IS UPON US: Come on Dad hurry up will ya? We are rushing up the steps of Croke Park, I’m hurrying the ole lad ‘Hold on Sarah, me knee is at me’ ah for God sake the match is about to start! I finished work at four o’clock and legged it to meet Dad outside the entrance into the cusack stand. Excited is an understatement. This day is a very important day as we take on Mayo AGAIN in the replay. We are going to see a very different game today my Dad says to me and he was right, what a game, what a day, what a team. The atmosphere was electric. Shane Dowling I hope your ready for the final, all my doubts have vanished and I think I will even go to the extreme and paint my face the almighty sky blue and navy colour’s and rock Croke Park like it has never been rocked before! Dublin defeat Mayo and we are in the All Ireland GAA Final where we will meet the Kingdom, Kerry. It’s going to be a great weekend as the Derby final is on the night before! Bring it on. Jesus Shane, imagine you won the Derby final with Ballymac Matt and win the All Ireland the next day? There will be wigs on the green let me tell ya!
Last night was the quarter finals of the 2015 Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby and twelve dogs made it through to the finals. Such an eventful day I had, after the match Dad and I headed straight to Shelbounre Park and who did we meet at the bar only Jim Morrissey wearing a Kilkenny t-shirt, a fine man, a big ambassador for greyhounds both on track and coursing, always up for the bit of craic. There wasn’t as big a crowd in headquarters last night as usual, perhaps with the match on and the Rugby that everyone had prior engagements, alas it did not take the shine off the evening. It was a great card, Martin Lanney took the opening race in superb style with Meadowvale Thril, he led all the way in 29.73 with a split of 3.34. He is one to watch. The Ger McKenna/Seamus Graham Memorial Plate heats were very classy last night with Laughil Duke clocking 29.42, Gyp Rosetti 29.56 but the sad news of the night was the exit of Tyrur Van Gaal, remember him, he only broke the track record last week, no big deal!! He missed the kick and found loads of trouble and didn’t qualify. This Derby Plate is of a very high standard and is wide open. Just what we want, a bit of excitement to keep us on our toes.
The Derby heats were simply outstanding. Farloe Blitz, Ballymac Matt, Gaytime Hawk and Peregrine Falcon all won last night, that makes both Matt and Falcon the only unbeaten dogs in the Derby, Its splendid! Sectionals from last night were Farloe Blitz 3.29, Ballymac Matt 3.50, Gaytime Hawk 3.40 & Peregrine Falcon 3.42, seriously lads, this is savage, so competitive and I honestly cannot pick the winner! Correct me if I’m wrong but I think Blitz has now equalled Laughil Blake’s sectional of 3.29 so based on that you would give a cracking chance. My three ante post bets are still alive and kicking, Highview Apollo 50/1, Cable Bay 14/1 and Ballymatt Matt 10/1. Not bad eh but as a wise friend once told me, gambling has brought our family together. We had to move to a smaller house!! LOL
I stood on the stand beside the 550 boxes for the first two heats, observing each handler, not a word was spoken between any of them, you could sense their nervousness, their anxiety and the tenseness. Once the dogs go into the traps there is nothing more they can do, hope for the best, hope for luck, in some cases even pray. Even though there is a great buzz about the place, there is a touch of sadness especially at this stage of the competition and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for those that didn’t qualify. That’s the way it goes though.
Plenty of people arrived for the draw after racing last night and there was a bit of craic in the room, even from Declan, imagine he laughed, yes you are hearing me right Declan Carey laughed was a great sight altogether. The reason for this was of course the fact that Ballymac Matt got trap one again, luck is on his side, or is it? He has Farloe to worry about. Damo was missing as he had to do a bit of work in the Boylesports office but Kevin ‘The Child’ Hennessy was there to promote John Boyles brand. I think Farloe Blitz will lead them all from trap two and also Cable Bay should qualify along with Jaytee Jet. Here is my final prediction
Farloe Blitz
Gaytime Hawk
Cable Bay
Jaytee Jet
Peregrine Falcon
Ballymac Matt
I must arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, eh actually I just have to go to work ha!
See you all in Shelbourne Park Saturday, sure where else is there to be!
Sarah
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