Irish Laurels take centre stage in Cork | Better Call Caul
The Irish Laurels Final will take pace at the south of Ireland venue this Saturday night with a first prize of almost AU$50,000. The semi finals were run last Saturday evening and most of the big guns made it through to the final. The fast-finishing Ballymac Whispa came home well to catch early pacesetter Serene Ace in the first semi, with Droopys Edison also making it into the decider. Trainer Graham Holland had a one-two in the second semi with Galloping Sydney beating kennel mate Sword Rex, who ran a remarkable race after blowing the start, with Good Cody back in third place.
Irish Laurels Final at Curraheen Park
- Ballymac Whispa
- Good Cody
- Serene Ace
- Droopys Edison
- Galloping Sydney
- Swords Rex
It promises to be a terrific evening at Curraheen Park on Saturday evening as the southern venue host their biggest event of the year and they certainly have a fitting final to match. You can genuinely make a case for all six runners.
Ballymac Whispa will be finishing fastest of all and has a perfect draw in one. Good Cody should easily lead up Whispa in one and has long been one of Ireland's best. Serene Ace looks a certain leader and any trouble in behind will aid his cause. Droopys Edison smashed the track record in round two and is obviously very capable on his day. The outsider of the field, Galloping Sydney, was a good winner of his semi final last week and is the most consistent of the lineup on early sectionals, while the likely favourite in six, Swords Rex, ran an absolute cracker after a nightmare start last weekend.
Serene Ace has stunning early pace and looks a certain leader, but stamina is not his forte. However, he should hold a handsome advantage at halfway and with the remainder of the field, so closely matched on the clock there could well be trouble in behind.
Galloping Sydney will move inwards on the run up so the safe bet could be Swords Rex. Although Rex would prefer a draw closer to the fence, he should have plenty of room to operate on the run to the corner with Galloping Sydney moving left. Rex has already won the Kirby Memorial earlier in the year and was an emphatic winner at Shelbourne Park on derby final night.
The only bitch in the field, Ballymac Whispa, will be finishing fastest of all and should be on the premises at the business end, but if Swords Rex can make a decent exit, he should prove too powerful for his rivals and run down Serene Ace late on.
The card at Curraheen on Saturday night will be live on Racing Post Greyhound TV and will share the billing with the RPGTV Puppy Oaks Final live from Shelbourne Park.
Ladies Night at Shelbourne Park
While the feature event in Ireland this weekend will be the Laurels Final from Cork, Shelbourne Park will as usual host a stunning card with their feature being the Puppy Oaks. The semi finals were run last weekend and to put the event into context Swords Rex holds the fastest time of the year over the standard trip of 27:99. The three semi finals were won in 28:11 (Ballymac Run), 28:15 (Three Cannons) and 28:23 (Up In Style) – truly amazing runs by all three considering they are bitch puppies with limited experience. Let us look at the lineup:
- Ballymac Run
- Ballymac Drama
- Undisputed
- Up The Style
- Three Cannons
- Succession
Unlock Unlock is a bitch new to the breeding paddocks and from her first litter to Pestana. She is responsible for three of this weekend's finalists: Undisputed, Up The Style and Succession.
Up The Style remains unbeaten having won all four of her starts to date and she made a highly promising Shelbourne Park debut last week. She displayed good early pace on that occasion and there is obvious improvement to come.
The other two heat winners, Ballymac Run and Three Cannons, are not usually types who will start fast and make all, but that was the case last week. Up The Style is more likely to come away racing once again and she gets a narrow vote to make all.
Shelbourne will also host the finals of the Paddy Merriman Memorial, where Whyaye Man will take the beating if he reproduces last week's semi-final win. Coolavanny Raven was a good winner of his heat last week and rates the main danger. The Talking Dogs 525 Final will also feature on the night and Boylesports Vic looks the one to side with in this.
All the evening's action will be live on Racing Post Greyhound TV from 19:00 (GMT) on Saturday night
Weekend's best bets
Curraheen Park, Saturday
Greyhound
Swords Rex
Bet Type
Win
Stake
2 units
*Odds correct at time of publication
Shelbourne Park, Saturday
Greyhound
Up The Style
Bet Type
Win
Stake
1 unit
*Odds correct at time of publication