BALLYMAC SETANTA EXPECTED TO STAR IN THE OPENING ROUND OF THE IRISH GREYHOUND LAURELS
Barry Drake
Curraheen Park is the place to be tonight, as the €30,000-to-the-winner Bar 1 Betting Irish Greyhound Laurels gets underway.
It's attracted another top-class entry, with 11 first-round heats to look forward to. It's also worth mentioning that the lovely downstairs area at Curraheen Park has got a massive uplift. It's looking amazing, so come and enjoy it.
Ballymac Sentanta, a recent winner of the Michael Fortune Memorial Plate at Shelbourne Park, can make all the running in heat number five. The classy performer has won 17 of his 28 career starts, and he comes here in superb form. Such an impressive winner on Derby Final night, he clocked a stunning 29.15 around the Derby distance. Drawn well, next to the rails, he has the early pace to bounce out in front and make every yard of the running.
Of the others in the line-up, Skywalker Bruno is next best for trainer Michael O'Donovan. The Raymond Patterson-owned runner has bundles of all-round speed, and he should run a big race.
Lennies Dynamic is the pick in the second heat for trainer Paul Hennessy. Owned by the Cocoman-Lee-Ash-Syndicate, he is a greyhound with a big engine. It's never ideal drawn out wide at Curraheen Park; however, if producing his quickest start, he should go very close.
Swords Style, trained by Graham Holland for Barbara Lowndes, is another major player. The big early pacer has plenty of top-class form in the book. If winning the all-important early lead, he will take plenty of catching in this.
The big Cork hope this year is Montana Secret, and he lines up in heat number seven. He's a stunning 28.15 winner around course and distance, and he ran a couple of fine races in the Irish Sprint Cup at Dundalk, reaching the feature final. With a 28.04 trial run around last time, he's a huge player for outright glory. Trained by John Linehan for owners Barry and Martin O'Reilly, he should make a bold bid from the front in this.
Sober Barry is another with leading claims along the inside of the track. Trained by Karol Ramsbotton for Sean Malone, he showed up well in the recent Irish Greyhound Derby and, from the rails pitch, he should give them plenty to think about. Another with fine early speed, a big run is expected in this.
In heat number eight, a chance is worth taking with the well-drawn Harlequin Gee Up for trainer Scott Whelan and owners the Harlequin Syndicate. A real consistent type who operates well from the inside of the track, he beat a couple of classy sorts around course and distance last time out, winning in 28.55. All about early speed, he is selected to lead early, and he will take plenty of catching in this line-up.
Runner-up in last year's Laurels decider, Solo And Go can take the closing heat for trainer Liam Dowling and owners the Kingdoms Palace Syndicate. He has some huge runs around here, and he clocked well in a recent sprint trial, posting a really impressive 17.48. Drawn well in trap two, he should win the early lead, and if that's the case, he wouldn't be for catching.
In other heats, the ninth can go the way of Droopys Porter for Barry Clancy and Graham Ashe. He caught the eye in the Denis Linehan Solicitors Unraced Stake around course and distance, and he looks capable of landing this before a good run over the next couple of weeks.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK ADMISSION FOR RACING IN CURRAHEEN PARK