THURSDAY HEAT BY HEAT GUIDE - KIRBY ROUND 1

The extra entry for this year's Kirby adds some real spice to the regular Thursday SIS meeting on the Dock Road this week and although at the back-end of the card, no-one will be leaving early ahead of the opening three heats in the 2019 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial as there are some serious outright contenders amongst the 18 hopefuls who will open their campaigns ahead of Saturday's thirteen race Kirby programme.

HEAT 1

	DROOPYS DANNY Templeglantine GAA Without a win but laudable efforts in TRL Juvenile. Stays well, LMK can suit in ideal T1.
	SURE LOOK LISTEN Ballylanders Ladies Football Warm order for WFD unraced final when held but fast heat wins suggest big prospect.
	BALLINTEE BLAZE Fr. Caseys GAA Very smart unraced stake winner WFD, back from layoff. Big scope to improve, market!
	DROOPYS MAC Pallasgreen GAA Looked a prospect in UK career start. Any progress from latest trial can see bold show.
	DROOPYS SIM Ahane GAA A touch unlucky latest but prior NWB Bitch unraced heat win impressed, must respect.
	LENSON ROBIN Monaleen GAA Smart career start & showed big pace in defeat latest. Will rush to bend if trap, chance!

A cracking heat to open the 2019 Kirby and if able to recapture the smart trapping shown in his opening career victories, Paul Kiely's Sure Look Listen could easily have claims to dictate and prove difficult to reel-in if on the bunny.

The welcome UK challenge gets underway here with Paul Young's Droopys Mac and any progress from his latest trial will see him with claims despite a tricky looking draw on the inside of Droopys Sim, although both of these may be glad to be on the inside of Lenson Robin who certainly looked as though he wanted the outside when still running a touch green last time.

The latter possesses powerful pace however and when the penny fully drops, appears to have a big run to come. It would come as little shock should Ballintee Blaze build on his smart novice stake success if sharp after a layoff and he must command respect but for the winner, it may pay to side with last year's winning trainer. Droopys Danny has been showing plenty of pace off slow starts while reaching the Juvenile final at Tralee and a first time pitch on the rails may prove ideal to sneak a run at the opening bends here. 1-2-4

HEAT 2

	TIGER JACK Old Christians GAA Out of luck latest but quality spin around TRL prior says big talent & T1 looks real plus!
	BURKIES ARMY Askeaton GAA Solid career start in warm WFD novice & smart show again latest, more to come, respect!
	BALLYMAC DEVON Killeedy GAA Ran a cracker with plenty traffic in Juvenile final latest. Strong runner if big player here.
	TULLIG FOOTPAD  Athea Ladies Football Highly progressive career start & in cracking form latest. Tough to repel if lead to bend.
	CAMPS STAR Monagea Ladies Football Quality career start in UK & powerful runner can relish LMK if step up on latest trial spin.
	GARRAI RUA Cappagh Handball Better than figures in LMK debut latest after smart CML career start. Can feature if trap.

You just can't expect anything easy in the Kirby and finding winners in the opening heats is going to be trappy but it may pay to side with the extra experience and rock solid form that Tullig Footpad has posted in a very progressive career start. Beaten by a fellow Kirby contender at Shelbourne last time was no disgrace in a flying clock and if he can get loose on the run to the corner now, you would expect him to convert.

There is plenty to like about many of his rivals however and Ballymac Devon did leave the impression that he could be capable of big runs when third in the Tralee Juvenile. He may again have a job on to secure clear racing room but would be a big threat if he did see the hare throughout.

I didn't see Camps Star's trial on Saturday and would have expected a faster effort from the Paul Young star, so maybe there was something to explain the clock there but no doubt his career start in the UK makes him a very interesting Kirby contender and you would expect that his strong running style will suit Limerick well.

Jim Morrissey's Tiger Jack was another with excuses with eliminated from the Juvenile but his fast second round heat win there clearly hints a major ability and could well make use of his rails pitch if swift to stride. 4-3-5

HEAT 3

	WORSEFORWEAR Feohanagh Castlemahon Ladies Football Quality winner of WFD novice stake looks big prospect. Likely ideal draw for LMK debut.
	CLAREGALWAY LAD Ballybricken Bohermore GAA Unbeaten in 4 with smart Trial Stake win latest. Big early battle vs T1, chance if win that.
	FOOD TO GO Caherline GAA Rapid progress to slick novice final win latest. Makes quick switch for Kirby, respected.
	ACE THE RACE Effin GAA Held but far from disgraced latest & any progress from SPK best would bring claim now.
	HERO TO ZERO Dromcollogher Broadford GAA Improved for return from layoff in slick Trial Stake win. Powerful & hard to repel if trap.
	ARGENTINA Galbally GAA Cracking strike-rate in quality UK career start & looks sure to feature from perfect draw.

Another quality heat that should attract many to the Dock Road for an out of the ordinary Thursday meeting and the natural starting point is the fastest Limerick Trial Stake winner Hero To Zero. The Pat Curtin youngster was superb here when posting 28.39, almost three weeks ago and earns the vote.

He may however have to sweat for an early run for while the venue will certainly suit his strong running style in the overall Kirby picture, he is likely to be doing his best work from the second bend so investment at short odds for heat wins should be approached with caution. Still, he would be a runner for an outright flutter as I expect him to prove difficult to keep out of the places.

Peter Cronin's recent Waterford novice stake winner Worseforwear is an obvious threat and probably has his ideal draw on the fence. A bold show is expected and he rates the main threat but he will have to be sharp for although Claregalway Lad has not yet broken the clock, he screams imminent improvement as a member of a smart litter and possesses slick early dash which gives him claims to possibly lead in what may be a tight tussle on the inside.

Following a string of top class displays for Kevin Hutton in the UK, most particularly at Romford, Argentina returns home for a plausible tilt at the Kirby under the guidance of Martin Lanney. Ideally drawn, he looks a natural wide seed (as last year's winner was) and his smart early dash could well see him lead the likely favourite on the outside. Another serious contender in a hot heat where the rapidly improving Food To Go must too merit respect despite a very tricky looking draw. 5-1-6

Extra night’s greyhound racing to take place in Cork, Limerick and Waterford during March

IGB:
An additional night of greyhound racing will take place in Limerick, Cork and Waterford next month.

The decision follows extensive consultation with owners and trainers in the area who need to manage dog pools due to the requirements of SIS racing and the level of entries for new novice racing events.


The extra race nights are being facilitated as a response to local requirements and no restaurant facilities will be open in the stadia on the night. However, the general public are welcome to attend and Tote facilities will be available.

CEO of the Irish Greyhound Board, Gerard Dollard, commented: “The guaranteed prize money of SIS racing has been hugely welcomed by owners and trainers in Limerick, Cork and Waterford as well as elsewhere. After consulting with them it has become clear that an extra night’s racing is needed in order to facilitate SIS pools, as well as our new novice racing events, which we have also received positive feedback on. The extra meetings will be funded from the additional funding provided by the Board for prize money in 2019. We’re more than happy to accommodate our owners and trainers, the lifeblood of our industry. We look forward to enjoying another night’s racing at three high class venues.”

Racing will take place in Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium in Cork on Thursday, March 7th, in Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Friday, March 8th and in Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium in Waterford on Friday, March 15th.

First mating for Newhall Missile

Having captured the hearts of an entire greyhound racing community, along with attracting the attentions of the wider public in a wonderful 2018 Boylesports Irish Derby campaign which brought a stunning victory in the Derby Consolation, Colin Barry & Noel Coote's Newhall Missile (Romeo Recruit/Rathmeehan Holly) is set to be a daddy, having mated his first bitch on Wednesday of this week.

Set to resume his racing career in the very near future, he returned to Shelbourne Park when sparkling in an 18.67 trial over 350 yards in early February but took time out this week for a natural mating with Sues Music at the kennels of George Gallery.

Owned by Johnny & Grainne Burke, Sues Music had her racing career cut short with just a sole start but she was a member of a talented Open class litter which included Tynwald Galaxy (data rating 111), Log Cabin (127) and Mick The Master (109).

By Tyrur Big Mike, her dam Keplar Miss also threw Open class runners in her two other litters to Droopys Scolari & Droopys Maldini.

Fresh for her breeding career, she is certainly an exciting first mating for Newhall Missile, whose own prolific dam-line traces back to the 1984 Oaks winner Burnpark Sally and through Irish St Leger 3rd Burnpark Lisa, from the family kennels of trainer John Browne.

Surely the most heart-warming story of recent times in greyhound racing, the Newhall Missile script is clearly not yet completed and there is in fact a further instalment yet to be revealed as last year's Derby campaign inspired a hugely generous act from a previous stranger to connections. Watch this space!

Penned ahead of his quarter-final in the 2018 Derby, the Newhall Missile story to that point can be found here: https://www.igb.ie/OwnerShip/other-syndicate-stories/missile-takes-aim-at-derby-semi-final-for-colin-and-crew/

The 2019 Con and Annie Kirby Memorial 525 Yards Stake

For 72 greyhounds whelped on or after 1st January 2017 made up of:

Entries @ €200 each.

Trial Stakes to be run at Irish Stadiums nationwide. Limerick to run additional Trial Stakes.

Preliminary Rounds: Saturday 23rdMarch

2nd Round Heats: Saturday 30th March

Quarter-Finals: Saturday 6th April

Semi-Finals: Saturday 13th April

Final: Saturday 20th April

PRIZEMONEY

Winner €80,000, Second €20,000, Third €10,000

3 Unplaced Finalists €5,000 each

6 Unplaced Semi-Finalists €1,000 each

12 unplaced Quarter-Finalists €400 each

24 Unplaced in 2nd Round €200 each

24 Unplaced 1st Round €100 each

Heat Winners @ €150 each

Sean O Connor Cup for those greyhounds eliminated in the 1st & 2nd round with priority to those greyhounds eliminated in 2nd round.

This event is open to UK entries.

**ENTRIES CLOSE MONDAY 18TH MARCH @ 12 NOON.

Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Trial Stake

6 @ €20 each who are A0 grade whelped Jan 17 or later.

Winner €400 & Trophy plus free entry to Kirby in March.

Race to be run Sat Mar 2nd.

Entry closes Tue Feb 26th @ 12 noon.

Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Trial Stake

6 @ €20 each who are A1 grade whelped Jan 17 or later.

Winner €400 & Trophy plus free entry to Kirby in March.

Race to be run Sat Mar 2nd

**Entry closes Tue Feb 26th @ 12 noon.

Going Gold & Green for Kirby 2019

Regular readers will notice the tweak in colour scheme and will immediately guess that we are already preparing for the commencement of the 2019 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial on Saturday March 24th.

The first round will again house 72 aspiring champions along with 72 Limerick GAA clubs who will each have a representative greyhound to compete for a share of €20,000 on their behalf as part of the wonderful sponsorship package from JP & Noreen McManus, which will again see a total of €160,000 on offer in the main event.

Leading up to the event, and indeed following commencement, https://grgracing.blogspot.com/ will be your one-stop site for all the news, previews, tips, track-side reports, gossip and anything "Kirby" related, as we have been since first covering the event.

With our content for last year's Kirby appearing elsewhere on the inter-web ;) , in 2019 we return to what has been the most comprehensive coverage that the "Kirby" has ever received. All content this year will remain here on the main site but readers can expect to find all the same plethora of news that we have delivered in the past from such sources as our 2017 micro-site http://grgkirby.blogspot.com/ .

The most influential event on future form in the entire sport......it's almost "Kirby" time!

Remember this screen-capture as the 2014 champ was greeted at the pick-up?! #Rambo

Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Stake to give 24 more clubs the chance to win €10,000 prize

24 more Limerick clubs are to be given a chance to win €10,000 in the 2019 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Stake at Limerick Greyhound Stadium.

The past six years of the competition have seen Limerick GAA clubs share in the event fund, with each of the 72 greyhounds in the event assigned to a GAA club. The winning greyhound’s assigned GAA club win a nominator prize of €10,000 and a free benefit night at Limerick Greyhound Stadium.

The Pat-Buckley trained Droopys Davy won last year’s event, with Cappagh GAA taking home the spoils.

Now, every ladies football, camogie and handball club in Limerick are being invited to submit their applications to be assigned a dog for the Con & Annie Kirby Trial Stakes which begin this Saturday, February 16th in Limerick.

The first 24 applicants will be each assigned a dog in one of the four heats to be run this Saturday. Two of these dogs will progress to the Kirby Memorial First Round, which will begin on Saturday, March 23rd.

CEO of the Irish Greyhound Board, Gerard Dollard, commented: “The Con & Annie Kirby is a wonderful highlight of the Irish greyhound racing calendar. The generous support of Noreen & JP McManus cannot be underestimated. The juvenile race acts as a stepping stone for Ireland’s rising greyhound stars and creates a strong market for young dogs, as well as continuing the strong greyhound racing tradition that has existed here in Limerick for many decades. The Kirby Memorial Stake creates a county full of winners – and Limerick has been used to winning plenty recently!”

Sponsored by Noreen and JP McManus in honour of her parents, Con & Annie Kirby, the competition has the biggest prize fund in Ireland after the Irish Greyhound Derby, with a total fund of €160,000.

The Kirby Memorial Stake will run for five consecutive Saturdays at Limerick Greyhound Stadium from Saturday, March 23rd, with the final taking place on Easter Saturday, April 20th.

The trap draw for the Kirby Trial Stakes will take place this Thursday, February 14th.

POWERSTOWN BETTING

Available markets for the 2019 National Coursing Festival

Derby Sponsors Boylesports markets can be found here: Boylesports Coursing

Berkie Browne's markets with daily specials and form analysis here: Betbrowne

Course bookie Peter O'Reilly's markets for all stakes can be found below and there are some differences of opinion from the layers!

P O’Reilly Oaks Betting – Non Runner (No Bet) e.way 1.2 ½ the Odds.

First Quarter

9/1	BALLYMAC ENYA	v	RUSHVIEW GOLD	33/1
50/1	OUTCAST ALONSO	v	GO JETTER	40/1
40/1	BREAK THE HABIT	v	ISTEACHAGUSAMACH	20/1
33/1	TAILTEANN STEEL	v	RUSH RUTH	25/1
14/1	KARASOVA	v	SMINKY STAR	40/1
28/1	CARDI BEE	v	MOUNTFINN BINGO	33/1
50/1	THRUTHECHAIRSHAW	v	BELIEVETOACHIEVE	33/1
40/1	GO ELLIE	v	ALVOR	28/1

Second Quarter

33/1	COULD BE LUCKY	v	OUTSTANDING LADY	28/1
40/1	GENTSTOWN MARIA	v	SKELLIG PRINCESS	25/1
7/1	NEWINN FIFI	v	ELEGANT WONDER	18/1
50/1	STEAM QUEEN	v	FOXHOLLOW DARKIE	18/1
40/1	SAMSARA	v	WYNNIE	40/1
20/1	LAURINA	v	CRAFTY CUCKOO	33/1
33/1	ASHTOWN ADI	v	QUARRYMOUNT KIM	40/1
33/1	TRY AND TRYAGAIN	v	RUB AND TUG	28/1

Third Quarter

25/1	MAGICAL HANNAH	v	JAMAICA BELLE	33/1
66/1	TROMORA BLISS	v	HOLLYHILL MOIRA	40/1
20/1	TAILTEANN SPEED	v	CHEERFUL BLONDE	50/1
25/1	BALLYMAC ISMAY	v	CORAFLINN RED	33/1
12/1	CRAFTY PERFECTO	v	DOONEEN CATHY	40/1
33/1	SKELLIG SHELL	v	GADGET VALE	33/1
33/1	KINGSMILL CAT	v	BALLINAKILL GAGA	33/1
25/1	GAISCE BUI	v	STILL AMAZING	40/1

Fourth Quarter

25/1	MANNEQUIN	v	PERSONAL OPINION	33/1
25/1	IRONHILL LADY	v	MUNGOS WREN	50/1
33/1	CATCH KAZURI	v	HAVEANICEDAY	40/1
8/1	CHA CHA MATILDA	v	MAGGS FLY	40/1
33/1	WAVE TO DAVE	v	ATLANTIC FOX	50/1
40/1	SALEEN JULIE	v	DÉJÀ VU	16/1
33/1	WESTLIMERICKROSE	v	AGHADOWN LUNA	50/1
50/1	LIGHTS DOWN LOW	v	HOLLYHILL TERESA	22/1

P O’Reilly Derby Betting – Non Runner (No Bet) e.way 1.2 ½ the Odds.

First Quarter

20/1	MANOR MOAT	v	DOWNUNDER WONDER	33/1
25/1	ASTOUNDING	v	MULBOY BHUNA	33/1
9/1	BOYLESPORTSMAGIC	v	SKELLIG SKINNER	33/1
50/1	CHANCE ME ALONSO	v	LONE TANK	33/1
66/1	UPTHEMAINROAD	v	YIPPEE ASSASIN	40/1
10/1	HUNTINGTOWN	v	COONEY	25/1
11/1	BALLYMAC BINGO	v	CRESTOFAWAVE	40/1
50/1	QUIVERS ANT	v	ROCKING MAGIC	28/1

Second Quarter

25/1	OAKVIEW LEIGH	v	DRIVE ALONG	25/1
50/1	BUDORE MOAT	v	BOYNESIDE BUSTER	33/1
25/1	CLEVER JACK	v	MADE UP	40/1
50/1	ANNUAL CRAFT	v	GLANMORE DEN	40/1
20/1	CRYUFF	v	NEVER A LIE	12/1
40/1	NAVY RACING	v	SOMELITTLERAZOR	18/1
28/1	MOONRAKER	v	STEADY FERGUS	50/1
50/1	FLAGFIELD STAR	v	BIG HERO	50/1

Third Quarter

50/1	BADMINTON BIGBEN	v	COUNT EGUREN	50/1
40/1	WISEGUY ALLY	v	HOLLYHILL MILEY	33/1
33/1	ITSTHEONLYWAY	v	BALLYMAC HUGO	16/1
28/1	IM NOT WAITING	v	TILFORD TORNADO	50/1
50/1	GALTEE SNOW	v	SMOKEY HARVEY	50/1
14/1	BEXHILL LIAM	v	RUMOUR HAS IT	11/1
28/1	INCORRUPTIBLEMEN	v	PICTURE HOUSE	14/1
66/1	DRUMTULLA MAGIC	v	LEADING HAND	50/1

Fourth Quarter

66/1	CLONMORE DROOPY	v	KILLUCAN ROCKET	40/1
12/1	NEEDHAM OUGHAM	v	PLEASE HARRY	25/1
16/1	RETURN TICKET	v	SCUBA STEVE	50/1
40/1	DRESDEN VALE	v	SEASIDE DANGER	50/1
25/1	GIBMAHS DREAM	v	BORNBYTHESEA	40/1
14/1	UNDERSUPERVISION	v	TOEMS MAGIC	66/1
20/1	BALLINVEALA TORO	v	IMPACT FACTOR	28/1
50/1	CRYPTIC HUNTER	v	DURANGO JOHNNY	25/1

P O’Reilly : Kevin Smith Champion Stakes Betting

 Non Runner ( Rule 4 to all bets apply) Win only

7/1	LONE ROCKET	v	LONG JOHN SILVER	6/1
8/1	GRANARD BOLT	v	SOULDERN STREET	10/1
10/1	AHAMORE WONDER	v	WATCHMAN	2/5
4/1	COBRA COMMANDER	v	SHINE A DIAMOND	8/1

P O’Reilly : Grace Bruton Champion Stakes Betting

 Non Runner ( Rule 4 to all bets apply) Win only

20/1	LAKESIDE PEARL	v	BLADES OF HONOUR	1/1
6/1	BALLYMAC MEENA	v	SHARE THE DREAM	2/1
10/1	HEARTOFALADY	v	SOUTHOFHERE	5/1
12/1	DROMOHER GLORY	v	BELLINTER KERRY	3/1

NON RUNNER NO BET APPLIES FROM 26/1/19

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HAPPY PUNTING !