Gone to the dogs: 12 Offaly winners as Derby dream ends

The obvious main attraction this week was the third round of the Boylesports Irish Derby on Saturday night in Shelbourne. Eight frenetic heats with forty eight dogs vying for qualification for the quarter-finals on Saturday.

Elsewhere the semifinals of the Cushie Kennels Open Unraced Stake in Enniscorthy, semifinals of the Novice Dash in Shelbourne and the first round of the Galway Oaks were the best of the rest during a super week of racing.


Early Week Racing

Monday, Enniscorthy, semi-finals of the Cushie Kennels Open Unraced Stake with Ballinabola Ruth winning the first heat in 28.93 by three lengths at 1/3 fav for local owner Brendan Murphy. The second semi went to On Springs for another local Wexford trainer George Roche in 28.87 by eight lengths at 1/4 fav.

First Offaly winner of the week was also in Enniscorthy on Thursday. Rubys Trinity won an A3 race for Edenderry owner Timmy Slevin and local co owner Conor Hyland in 29.12 by five lengths at 4/1.

In Shelbourne, also on Thursday, the two best races on the card were the semifinals of the Open Unraced Novice Dash over the 350 yard sprint. Both heats were won in identical times of 18.73. Gougane Buster won the first for James Kelly by five lengths at 4/5 fav. The second semi was won by Jacktavern Turbo for David Byrne by a head also at 4/5 fav.


Friday Racing

Four Offaly winners at the afternoon SIS meeting in Mullingar with three for Clara owner P.J. Cleary. In an A6 contest Apache Robin won by a neck in 30.27  at 9/4 fav. In an A5 race Lahinch Molly was first back in kennels in 30.15 by three lengths at 3/1. Cleary’s remaining winner was in an A4 grade as Lahinch Toby stopped the clock in 29.83 by two lengths at 4/1. Our remaining winner was also in an A4 race as Killeshill Callie had her twelfth career win for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch in 29.66 by two lengths at 4/1. All races in Mullingar Friday were rated .40 slow.

Five heats in the Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate in Shelbourne for dogs who exited the Derby in the first and second round. Always a very competitive stake it was won last year by Elite Josh for Myles Robane.  Sunshine Sioux was fastest of the five for Owen McKenna in a magnificent 29.25 by three lengths at 7/1. 

Kilkenny staged the first round of the Jag Building Services and K.G.O.B.A A1 Derby won last year by Julies Gem and local trainer Murt Leahy. Six heats with two winners each for Leahy and Karol Ramsbottom. The latter supplied the fastest winner as Kapuka Warrior was first over the whitewash in 28.86 (20 slow) by six lengths at 1/1 fav. 

Four heats in the first round of the On Faya Open Galway Oaks won in 2024 by Drombeg Pearl and Evan McAuliffe. Pat Buckley won two of the four heats including the fastest winner in Prolific winner Glengar Martha in 28.62 by eight lengths at 4/5 fav. One brilliant Offaly winner in heat four as Blundel Lizzie won for Edenderry trainer Paul Cronin and co owned by another Edenderry man in Timmy Ennis with Londoner Anthony Roylance in 28.77 by two lengths at 2/1.

Saturday Racing

First Offaly winner on a busy Saturday was in Galway as Opera Moment was an impressive ten length winner in the semifinal of an A5 stake for Daingean owner Conor McGrath in 29.29 at 4/6 fav with Vincent McKenna training. 

The best race in the card in Limerick was the final of the Joe Mangan Memorial A3 Stake where the €1.8k first prize was won by Ballymac Setanta (Ballymac Kingdom-Ballymac Art) for Liam Dowling in an open class time of 28.30 (10 fast) by nine lengths at 4/7 fav.

One Faithful County winner in Mullingar, in an A2 contest Shear Bear won for Rhode owner Sean Cocoman in 29.34 (40 slow) by four lengths at 1/1 fav.

Boylesports Irish Derby

Unfortunately we lost the star attraction of this year's and last year's Derby as current champion Bockos Diamond had to withdraw earlier in the week due to a slight injury according to trainer Graham Holland. Hopefully we see him back for the Night Of Champions later in year. The show went on last Saturday with eight closely fought heats with plenty of super winners and a few shocks to boot.

Fastest of the octet was lone dog from the UK, Proper Heiress, who looks a real prospect moving into the business end of things when stopping the clock in 29.27 winning by one length at 2/1 for champion English trainer Mark Wallis. Wallis is no stranger to Derby success having won two of the English equivalent in 2009 and 2012.  Next fastest on the timer was Ballymac Stud for Liam Dowling in 29.35 by one length at 11/2. Double on the night for Pat Buckley. The two hotpots to be eliminated were Bombay Pat for Graham Holland and Ballinabola Joe for Buckley. 

Derby Betting

With the withdrawal of antipost favorite and current champion Bockos Diamond early in the week the betting was turned upside down. On Saturday evening before racing sponsors Boylesports had installed Bombay Pat as a clear 5/2 fav. Cheap Sandwiches was second favourite at 4/1, Proper Heiress was 6/1 with De Lahdedah at 14/1. 16/1 bar. On Sunday morning after the exploits of the previous evening and with Bombay Pat also being eliminated Cheap Sandwiches has now been installed as 5/2 fav. English raider Proper Heiress is now down to 7/2. Liam Dowling has the next two in the betting with Ballymac Stud at 8/1 and De Lahdedah at 10/1. 12/1 bar. Looking like the year of the upset, could be a big price winner out there, finding it is the problem. 

Offaly Dogs In Derby

With Sallagh Curly leaving Croghan owner Mick Lynch ownership during the week that just left us with just one Offaly raider in Derby. In heat six Highview Plan went to traps at a 4/1 shot but with his customary bad break at the boxes tailed in last. Surely crying out for a longer distance. This put paid to all the Offaly dogs for another year. Hopefully next year will be our year to reach this extremely high summit,  hope springs eternal. 

Derby Stats

Of the twenty four dogs remaining in this year's Derby Pat Buckley holds the strongest hand with four from his kennel. Paul Hennessy has three with two each from Pat Guilfoyle and Liam Dowling. Various other trainers have one each. Once again Droopys Sydney is dominating the stats as leading stud dog as seven of his progeny remain in this contest. Two each from Good News, Grangeview Ten and Ballymac Cashout with eleven different dogs having one each. 

Sunday Racing

Four Offaly winners at the matinee meeting in Mullingar with the first two for Moneygall owner Liam Jones. In an A3 grade Foulkscourt Best won in 29.69 by one length at 11/4. Foyle Con won his twelfth career race for Jones in an A4 race in 29.48 by a large margin of twelve lengths at 6/1. In an A4 contest Apache Gem won for Cleary again, in 29.66, by two lengths at 5/2. Our final winner of the week was in an A6 grade as Horseleap Amy won for Sean McGuinness in 29.91 by four Lengths at 13/8 fav. All races Sunday in Mullingar were again rated .50 slow. 

Upcoming Events

Monday, Enniscorthy, final of the Cushie Kennels Open Unraced Stake.
Thursday, final of the Shelbourne Novice Dash Open Unraced Stake.

Friday, quarter-finals of the Jag Building Services Kilkenny A1 Derby and semifinals of the 2025 On Faya Open Galway Oaks.

Saturday, 
Second round of the O’Connor Julian Vets Cashel A2 Tri-Distance stake in Limerick.  Quarter-finals of the Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate and quarter-finals of the Boylesports Irish Derby both in Shelbourne. 

Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week

Easy decision this week as Blundel Lizzie was a super winner in the first round of the On Faya Galway Oaks for Edenderry stalwarts Paul Cronin and Timmy Ennis in a very impressive 28.77 on Friday night winning by two lengths. Fine performance. 

One for the Notebook

In Galway on Saturday Opera Moment showed a tremendous amount of boot to win by ten lengths recording her first win in three starts for Conor McGrath in 29.29. Expect further improvement in this very well bred young bitch. Great start to her career. 

SEE NEXT: Unexpected draw hands Belmont Offaly SHC semi-final berth as mouth watering quarter-final pairing emerges


Offaly Winners.

Twelve  Offaly winners last week, congrats to everyone involved.