Drum Roll Please…
The big night had finally arrived. This is what we have been looking forward to, what we have been waiting for, what we have been saving ourselves for, the crème de la crème of Greyhound Racing, the pinnacle of all greyhound racing classics, yes it’s the ETS Irish Greyhound Derby Final and let me tell you, if Carlsberg did Greyhound Derby Finals they would be the best finals in the world!! My family and I headed into Shelbourne early to catch a bit of Mike Denver and even though it was only 4pm, the crowd that had gathered were full of beans and ready for a wild night of racing, fun and frolics! Although the King had lost out on his chance of receiving his crown, there were five other dogs in the Final that were all competing for a place in the history books.
I was walking through the coffee dock and there was a three piece band playing and when I walked outside, the Park looked so glorious as the sun was shining down on us and it really did put everyone in great form. The smell of burgers and hot dogs was oozing its way around the stand and the coffee stall on wheels was brewing away and pulling in the patrons. What a better way to enjoy an evening in September than Shelbourne Park, fabulous facilities, great people, eye popping racing, the list goes on and my family and I thoroughly enjoyed the night. It’s a pity it is only one night a year when this classic is on but that’s what makes it all the more exciting and why we appreciate it more.
As the first race was approaching I headed outside to the stands to catch up with a few friends and get their verdict for the Final! Sinead Rooney and Damien Longergan were there, looking as well as ever and they predicted Tyrur Sugar Ray. I bumped into Shane Dowling who was all excited for the big race and had a massive fan base behind him as two buses came up from Kerry to show their support, mind you I’m surprised Kerry folk wanted to come near Dublin at all after their last GAA defeat, ooohh!! David Byrne was there looking dapper in is tin of fruit and he predicted Cabra Buck. My friend from the Racing Post David Jennings thought Ballymac Vic was going to do the business but as I said to David let’s hope you dog tips are better than your horse racing tips eh!!
We were all treated to some outstanding racing before the big event and I won a few quid on two dogs that I had been following for quite a while now, Borna Gem and Graduation Day who both ran savage.
I tried to get to the bar but had no such luck, not a good idea to be in high heels when you are being pushed by thirsty punters who wanted to get their gargle quick so they could make it back outside in time to secure their place on the stand, ah yes, you have to love the rush and fuss that the Derby Final brings, I wouldn’t have it any other way!
BEST DRESSED LADY
Wow wow wow wow wow…. where have all these ladies come from? The advertisement of best dressed lady really made its way around the Country as the ladies treated us all with some fabulous fashion and Tommy Bolton’s daughter left her welly boots at home as she arrived in a stunning peach dress and blew us all away. Fair play Tommy, she must of got her good looks from her Mammy…!! Ros Purcell was there to select the winner and she narrowed her selections down to three and eventually picked Orla Finnegan as the winner and a deserving winner she was as she was dressed in a mini fur jacket with a lovely striped dress. I spoke to Orla afterwards and her sister was already demanding to be her guest to Adare Manor, I don’t blame her! A great winning prize and a great idea to get the excitement flowing before the MAJOR race! I couldn’t get near Marie Gilberts cheek to give her a kiss as her hat was massive but was extremely classy and Marie looked a million dollars as she always does, sadly for Marie she had to let someone else take the podium as Marie of course won best dressed lady last year and set the stakes very high indeed. When you go racing as often as I do, you see everyone in their casual clothes, sometimes rain gear, welly boots and torn jeans with a bad GAA jersey to follow, but without surprise, everyone scrubbed up so well and were enjoying the night regardless of whether they had a Derby Finalist or not. The greyhound scene is full of support as everyone are friends, some closer than others but no matter who the winner was going to be, the support network for the five finalists was pretty impressive and lovely to see.
The Dandelion
Oh a big thanks needs to be mentioned to the gent that he is, Pat Curtin. I still have my VIP wrist band on me just to remind of the memorable night I had in the Dandelion. Even my Mam and Dad came back to boogie on down with Jim Morrissey and his son. The craic was 90 and the crowd was buzzing and we were treated like royalty entering the night club as you got in for free once you presented your race card from the dogs, what a great idea and a fantastic spot in town, a great location and it definitely was a key part to the whole Derby night as it’s somewhere we can all go till the early hours of the morning and listen to your friends express their thoughts on the night and already anticipate next year’s Derby. The fact of the matter is that we really won’t have another session like the one we endured Saturday night until the Clonmel Coursing Meeting in February and it’s a wonderful thing that the coursing and racing goers mix it up and play a part in both sides of the greyhound world.
Shelbourne Park hosted it’s first permanent Derby Final in 1968 and the track record has not been broken in the Derby Final since Bypass Byway in 2002. The first ever Derby race ran in Shelbourne was in 1932 and was like the Gold Cup of Cheltenham and to this day, still is. Do people realise how important this sport is to us? Moving onto other things, I suppose I better talk about the big race, ha.
No ‘slippery’ mistakes for Robert in the Final
The youth of today, I spoke about this two weeks ago and made the point that Conor and Robert had produced their dogs in great form week after week over the Derby period. Well they both made it to the Final and knowing Robert as well as I do, I knew this was going to be the making of Roberts career as this is what he was destined to be, a Greyhound Derby Winning Trainer!! I was ecstatic to see him winning, not only for Robert but for Larry Dunne and connections. When I met Robert on the podium he said to me “Is this really happening to me Sarah, I just can’t believe it”. Enjoy every moment of it Rob, you deserve it and the phone won’t stop ringing now with people wanting you to train their dogs.
I positioned myself on the stand beside many nervous men as they had their bets on, the sweat was running vigorously from some as the dogs approached the traps. It really does matter more when there is money on it!! The thrill is unbelievable, the tense atmosphere, the buzz, the nail biting, smoking like a trooper nerves and the noise of bookies shouting the odds and punters running frantic to get the best odds is something to have to experience at some stage of your life, it’s incredible and gives you that anxious, roller coaster feeling, its brilliant. Who needs coffee when you can just go to the dogs for a kick.
Cabra Buck broke the fasted with Carrowcarriff and Ballymac Vic but Cabra Buck made it around the first bend securely with Slippery Robert just a length behind when they hit the back straight. Tyrur Sugar Ray was held up in the early stages by Ballymac Vic which made Tyrur Sugar Ray work extra hard to gain vital ground. Approaching the third bend Slippery Robert went by Cabra Buck like a scalded cat and off the last bend it was obvious Slippery Robert had the race in the bag as he went on to win by two lengths from Cabra Buck in 29.49 and Tyrur Sugar Ray finished third another two lengths back as he finished with his famous powerful run home, but it wasn’t enough, Slippery Robert was the winner, the hero, the King, the 2013 ETS Irish Greyhound Derby Winner!!! To make it even more special for Larry Dunne, he bred Slippery Robert himself and is a great achievement for the Dundalk man.
Another year over, another Derby winner to be written on the pages of history, another story to tell the grand children, another story to share with your mates in the pub. Shelbourne Park, it’s simple, make sure you don’t this wonderful classic next year and thanks to everyone for the support, feedback and compliments I have received over the past number of weeks. I have enjoyed writing these reports immensely and loved sharing the experience with everyone.
As Mario Rosenstock demonstrated on his show on RTE TWO, the ‘Twerking’ dance was definitely carried out Saturday night by many and I for one cannot wait for next year already. See you all at the Night of Stars for more mouth-watering, eye popping, incredible, dancing like its 1999, racing!
Bhuíochas do na cuimhní cinn.
Till then mo chairde…
Yours in sport,
Sarah
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