There was a good turn-out for the opening session of the 2016 BoyleSports Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park on Thursday night. A good mixture of favourites and outsiders came up trumps with the major shock being the victory of Ballintee Annie in Heat 5. There were no shocks as far as defending champion Ballymac Matt and strongly fancied Rural Hawaii, Laughil Duke and Droopys Smasher were concerned. Fastest winner of the night was Sober Call which was the second leg of a great double for Owen McKenna.
Saturdays Heats provided a major shock as the first round of the BoyleSports Irish Derby concluded with the red-hot ante-post favourite Clares Rocket being denied an early run and going down narrowly to the Pat Buckley trained Trade Freddie. It was indeed a memorable night for Buckley who also had big runs from Droopys Roddick and Lenson Rocky while Graham Holland had a four-timer despite the Clares Rocket setback.
The Trap Draw for the second round was streamed live on www.igb.ie and will be available each week live from Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium via the Talking Dogs section of the site.
The second round will be on Thursday & Saturday of this week with the stadium opening at 6.30pm each night.
Six Galway owned greyhounds are through to the second round.
Heat Trap Owner Trainer
HEAT 4 4 TYRUR VAN GAAL PJ Fahy Glanamaddy PJ Fahy Galway
HEAT 6 3 TYRUR SIUCRA PJ Fahy Glenamaddy PJ Fahy Galway
HEAT 9 2 JUMEIRAH LARRY Jimmy Buckley Athenry Jimmy Buckley Galway
HEAT 11 4 TYRUR BLONDIE PJ Fahy Glenamaddy PJ Fahy Galway
HEAT 13 1 TYRUR GENE PJ Fahy Glenamaddy PJ Fahy Galway
HEAT 16 6 COMBO SIDNEY (M) PJ Fahy Glenamaddy PJ Fahy Galway