Carlow greyhound owners aiming for glory in Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby heats at Shelbourne Park
The Other Kobe on the way to winning the 2023 Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby at Shelbourne Park Photo: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
CARLOW interest in the Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby is building ahead of the start of one of the world’s biggest races.
Friday and Saturday see 13 heats apiece of the famous competition take place at Shelbourne Park, Dublin, with runners from Ireland and the UK chasing the first prize of €125,000 won for the past two years by runners - and brothers - trained by Jennifer O’Donnell in the form of Born Warrior and The Other Kobe.
And that is worth nothing, because Radical Scoby is one of the main hopes for Carlow among the 150-plus strong entries - and he was bred by O’Donnell.
Trained by Thomas O’Donovan for Ger Hutton, Radical Scoby has had just the seven races so heads into the Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby betting as one of the least experienced runners in the field, with victories on the card at Clonmel and Shelbourne where he won well on Saturday, clocking 29.74sec for the 550yd trip.
Radical Scoby runs in heat ten at Shelbourne on Friday, where he looks favourably drawn in trap one and hopes are high of qualifying for next week’s second round - the first three go through along with 18 of the fastest fourths.
Other Carlow runners in action on Friday include Kapuka Warrior, a Carlow-owned runner trained by Karol Ramsbottom in Laois, who goes in heat number out of trap one so can take advantage of a good draw on the rail.
Also on the Friday card representing Carlow is Kilgraney Bolger, who runs in race four for Carlow owner Mary Buggy.
Favourite to lift the prestigious trophy is the Graham Holland-trained Bockos Diamond, heading a powerful entry from the man who has three Irish Derby victories to his name with Rural Hawaii (2016), Lenson Bocko (2019) and Newinn Taylor (2020).
