GRI
There was a further boost to greyhound racing at Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium with the announcement that the 2023 Bart Leahy Memorial A2 Stake will now boast a winners prize of €10,000.
Jimmy Barry Murphy joined Bart’s brother and father, Donal Leahy and Liam Leahy, and William Coogan, John Linehan and Pat Kiely, in Curraheen Park to make the announcement. The event will run in conjunction with the Irish Laurels which begins in September, with the Final on Saturday 14th October.
The event which will be run in conjunction with the Irish Greyhound Laurels was first launched in 2022 by the friends of the late Bart Leahy. Leahy, who worked with trainer Johnny Linehan, was a full-of-life character who enjoyed nothing more than being involved with all aspects of the sport and the people who made it so special. Sadly, he passed away in 2020 but those who knew him best came together to celebrate his memory with an A2 stake now worth €10,000 to the winner and once again will be run alongside the Irish Greyhound Laurels.
Jimmy Barry-Murphy, who was instrumental in the formation of the group which fundraised to back the Irish Greyhound Laurel as well as the Bart Leahy Memorial is once again looking forward to these two special events.
Bart Leahy pictured front centre on Laurels Final night in 2019 holding Broadstrand Bono with trainer John A. Linehan and connections.
“Bart was a fantastic character and is sadly missed by not only his family and friends in Cork, but all over the country. Barts friends wanted to commemorate him in some way and given the huge part he played both at Curraheen Park and at Johnny Linehan’s kennels, what a better way than a valuable stake in his honour, culminating on the final of the Irish Greyhound Laurels – one of his favourite nights of racing”.
Barry-Murphy continued, “This announcement regarding boosted prizemoney gives the racing public even more reasons to look forward to the final night of the Irish Greyhound Laurels Final, and Bart himself would certainly approve”.
The 2023 Bart Leahy A2 Memorial Stake will commence on Friday 15th September with the final to be hosted on Irish Greyhound Laurels Final night – 14th October. The first prize will be €10,000.
The Laurels final night including the Bary Leahy Memorial A2 will be broadcast live on RPGTV and online on www.sportystuff.tv.