She was such a lady that she would have wished to remain neutral but if Una O’Sullivan, in whose memory this season’s Irish Cup was run, had been made to choose a winner it would surely have been Gigantor. A greyhound which was regularly schooled on the O’Sullivan gallop in Co Kildare and which also won the All Age Cup when Old Kilcullen staged their annual meeting for the first time on the O’Sullivan lands last December. No doubt Una was looking down on her family today as they presented the beautiful perpetual silver Cup to owners Paul Horig & Bridget Byrne and Sallins, Co Kildare based trainer Michael Murphy. For Paul & Michael it was their second Irish Cup in three years. However whilst Paul followed the success of Berlin Station via twitter in the Bahamas back in 2022, he was present in Patrickswell this weekend to enjoy it all. Also present was winning nominator and joint owner Bridget Byrne who was following in the footsteps of her late husband Patsy who took the Irish Cup home in 2008 & 2009.

A son of Newinn Wonder – Laurina, this litter comrade of 2023 Boylesports Derby winner Masonbrook Ger was himself unlucky to meet Ballymac Major in RD1 of last season’s Derby and indeed his first round this weekend was not inspiring. However once this big dog warmed to the task he was absolutely brilliant and a most worthy winner of coursing’s oldest Classic.

This season’s Irish Cup will also be remembered for the performance of Ballymac Zena, attempting to bridge a 62 year gap since Simply Terrific did the Oaks/Irish Cup double and 55 years since Tom Hayes won the triple crown of Derby/Oaks/Irish Cup in the same season. It was not to be but she lit up the stands today especially when getting the better of warm favourite Aristotle in the semi-final. She matched Gigantor for most of the way in the final also but the few extra turns in RD3 possibly took their toll.

Mon Petit (Newinn Wonder – Shalefiedwillow) came in from the reserves on Friday in the Patsy Byrne Select Bitch Stakes and this pup continued the great success of owner Sir Mark Prescott & trainers Michael & Mark O’Donovan (Tipp Town) at this meeting. Things didn’t fall right for her in trial stakes all season but this was her time to shine and in the final she upset the more fancied Zauberflute.

There was a great local win in the Dick Fitzgerald Irish Purse when the Boherlode Syndicate (all members of Limerick City coursing club) cheered home their pup Boherlode Bomber, in what was another upset against Coole Yeats. Boherlode Bomber which won a Reserve Derby TS at Macroom is a member of the very successful Blades Of Hope – Mulcahys Peak litter.

The Lennon family, Kilkenny were unlucky with Lemon Mozart in the Purse but had ample compensation in the Bill Chawke Irish Plate when Cut The Turf (Ballymac Best – Tilly The Tank) proved himself a very worthy favourite. Owned by the Castletroy Tank Syndicate and trained by Denis & Tom Lennon, this Walsh Cup winner had the measure of Pasatiempo in the final.

Sevenforseven, a track bred bought for Liz O’Dwyer, Co Carlow CC, as a 50th birthday present, proved himself well able for the winter game also with a great win over Fox Country in the Kyle Invitational Champion Working Members Stake. Remarkably the son of Broadstrand Bono & Swift Cigarette had no issue with running up the testing stretch four times today making it a memorable occasion for Liz, husband Paul and family.

And so concluded a most enjoyable three days. The hares were top class but they had to be with the prevailing ground conditions and no doubt no one will be more relieved than the Co Limerick CC working members that the meeting came to a very successful conclusion today. Congratulations to them and to all our winners and PG we will do it all again in 2024/25.

Day 3 will start 12 noon

Please note the Day 3 action at Patrickswell will get underway at the later time of 12 noon.

IRISH CUP SPORTING PRESS

This week’s Sporting Press (now available Online and in shops) is a must read before you head to the Irish Cup on Friday. Eight full pages of Previews, Form Guide, Super Six selections, Betting & photos from the draw. Last season’s Irish Purse winner Drive On Lesley is the most popular selection for the inaugural running of the Una O’Sullivan Memorial Irish Cup and is the current bookies favourite at 4/1 followed by last year’s Dublin Coach Irish Cup winner Cool Spirit at 5s and 2023 Oaks winner Ballymac Zena at 6s. The shortest price pup is Spartan King at 8/1.

Irish Cup Draw with Nominators

Full Draw for 2024 Irish Cup Meeting

The 98^th National Coursing Meeting concluded in Clonmel today with an historic treble for the Ballymac Kennels of Liam Dowling near Tralee, a very popular success for the Curtin family of Tournafulla and exciting finals to both consolation events resulting in wins for the Guilfoyles of Cloughjordan and joint owners Philip Enright (Abbeyfeale) & William Butler (Raheen).  

The short ante-posts prices offered for both Ballymac Sports and Ballymaccallaway proved wholly justified and indeed all those who availed of the Derby/Oaks double seldom had a moments worry over the three days. The litter brother & sister were just outstanding and the same can be said for their older kennelmate Ballymac Major in the Champion Stakes today.

The Dublin Coach Kitty Butler Stakes was a thriller with Magical Amelie holding off a determined Montpelier Aya. Congrats to owner/trainer Patrick Guilfoyle & his sister Sandra. Amelie bowed out of the Oaks on Saturday after a close call with Zauberflute.

Trainer Patrick O’Connor was strongly represented on Finals Day so it was great to see him on the podium after the success of De Clinic Cure in the Stockproof Fencing Products T.A Morris Stakes. The winner is jointly own by Abbeyfeale publican & renowned singer Philip Enright and William Butler (Raheen). He denied the Guilfoyles a double because the runner -up was Magical Fionn. Daniels Lad had got the better of De Clinic Cure in RD1 of the Derby.     

Barrack Alice proved a thorn in the side of the Ballymacs in the Classics Club Grace & Matt Bruton Champion Bitch Stakes, first putting out 2023 Oaks winner Ballymac Zena in the semi-final and then proving too good for Ballymac Pippin in the final. A winner of Cups early in the season at Kilflynn & Abbeydorney, the lay-off certainly did her no harm and she turned up at Powerstown Park today in fine fettle. Congrats to young Orna & Emily Curtin and their dad’s Shane & Niall who do the training.

Such was the class of this season’s Callaway Kennels Kevin Smith Champion Stakes that Ballymac Major had to beat an Irish Cup winner (Cool Spirit), a Derby winner (Masonbrook Ger who beat Major in the 2023 Derby final) and a Derby semi-finalist (Tree Top Tyson) on his way to victory today. The manner in which he won all three courses marks him out as one of the outstanding Champion Stakes winners of all time and certainly proves his love of the Powerstown stretch.     

It was a fourth Horse & Jockey Hotel Oaks in six years for the Ballymac Kennels. This one was slightly different in that Ballymaccallaway ran in the names of Liam’s grandchildren Jack & Dean and joint owner Denis Murphy (Callaway Kennels). Many will also say she is the best of the four but that is high talk indeed following in the paw-prints of Enya, Floral & Zena. The gallant runner-up Up Tempo also saw first light of day in the Ballymac kennels, being a daughter of Enya, before being purchased by John Flynn and family who were themselves going for a third Oaks.

The screams of joy from Shane Dowling at the bottom of the field following the success of Ballymac Sports in the Boylesports Derby showed what it meant to Shane & his dad Liam to win a first Coursing Derby. They knew they had a good one coming but winning the Derby had been proving a bigger task than winning the Oaks up to today. He will of course be forever remembered as the dog with no tail but it certainly didn’t stop him and he won more admirers with every course he ran. Moonlight Mayhem for Basil & Bernadette Holian and trainer Kevin Marmion lost little in defeat and it will be a surprise if he is not back in the Champion Stakes in 12 months time.

It should be noted also that today’s Derby /Oaks double was also a double for Castleisland CC where both greyhounds qualified and Abbeyfeale CC where they did the Corn Na Feile double after Christmas, adding even more winners to the ‘Clonmel’ roll of honour at both Clubs.    

We will finish our piece by bestowing our final congratulations and thanks on all the team at Powerstown Park for producing outstanding hares which contributed to a most memorable National Coursing Meeting for 2024.

The large crowd present for Day 2 of the National Coursing Meeting at Powerstown Park, Clonmel today were treated to top class action from hares and greyhounds alike. Well done also to both slippers who ensured it is very much a level playing field for all quarter-finalists as they head into Finals Day.

Betting for the Boylesports Derby and Horse & Jockey Hotel Oaks is still dominated by the two big Ballymac hopes, Ballymac Sports and Ballymaccallaway. Both showed a little vulnerability in their courses this morning and went out in price at the interval to 2/1. However, it may have only been a case of giving some false hope to their rivals because their third round performances were top drawer and they have now hardened to 4/6 and 1/1 respectively.

As was always going to happen on the second day, a number of serious challengers have emerged from the pack in the two Classics but it is going to take something special to topple the favourites. The O’Connor family and the Flynn family, both from Tarbert, are certainly going to give it a go. Patrick O’Connor has Macha Razor for his mam Christina in the Oaks and is doubly represented with Light Brown (owner James Cunningham won’t sleep tonight) and the Noble Gang Syndicate owned ‘A Noble Friend’ in the Derby. The Flynns are doubly represented in the Oaks with Marvelous Mover & Up Tempo and of course are no strangers to Oaks success.  

The last eight in the Oaks are completed by Atlantic Sunset which John Kiely trains for Eamonn Kiely & Paddy Marrinan, the Martin Spillane owned & trained Lockbo Sophie, Lasting Beauty running for Paul Horig, Catherine Darcy & trainer Kevin Barry and flying the flag for Connacht & the Divilly family, Crafty Magello. Incidentally a trawl through the ICC registrations systems shows that Lockbo stands alone as the only greyhound from the Lochbo kennels that was ever spelt with a ‘K’. Might it be all for luck ?.

Joining Ballymac Sports tomorrow in Powerstown for the Derby will be his kennelmate Ballymac Kyleson. We already mentioned Patrick O’Connor’s two runners and also making the journey from the Kingdom will be Collette O’Regan with her own dog Lineroad Santos and trainer John Kelliher with the Darragh Sheehan & Stephen Reidy owned Tonevane Togo. Stephen has been pictured in many a photo with a Ballymac winner but no doubt he would take great pride in having his own classic winner. 27 years ago Bob Shanahan was a member of the Syndicate which had the joint Derby favourite on the third morning (Team Chorus) and is back with the Pat Guilfoyle trained Music Blaring, this time taking on the Derby fav. And finally but certainly not least, the Derby winning combination of Basil & Bernie Holian (2019) & trainer Kevin Marmion (2021) will be hoping to repeat the feat, this time together, with Moonlight Mayhem.                  

Of course patrons on Day 3 can also look forward to seeing last season’s Derby, Oaks & Irish Cup winners in action in the two Champion Stakes which is surely a first for the National Meeting. Coursing will commence at 11am with the quarter-finals of the Dublin Coach Kitty Butler Stakes and the Stockproof Fencing Products T.A Morris Stakes. Brendan Mathews, Pat Guilfoyle & Matt Harte are strongly represented in these two Consolation events but both look wide open.

See Quick Results for Betting & Clocks

In the 98 years of the National Meeting it is highly unlikely that we ever had 6/4 favourites for both the Derby and Oaks after just one round. If truth were told they are probably crazy prices considering this is coursing and Powerstown Park we are talking about. However it was hard not be impressed by the performances of the litter comrades Ballymac Sports (in photo) and Ballymaccallaway today. Both got off light too behind racing hares.

Adding to their restricted price is probably the fact that there is no obvious second favourite or challenger except perhaps the other two Ballymac dogs in the Boylesports Derby, Ballymac Kyleson & Ballymac Ciunas, both sons of Liam Dowling’s first coursing Oaks winner back in 2019, Ballymac Enya.        

This is not to say that there weren’t other eye-catching runs today. In the first quarter of the Horse & Jockey Hotel Oaks there was plenty of money for Still Derramore before coursing and that confidence was justified with the way she ran her opening course. However she has two tough courses coming up against Corn Na Feile runner-up Marvelous Mover and then possibly Edmonton Kilty (got a little bit of extra work).

Whilst the second quarter is still all about Ballymaccallaway, the meeting of the litter sisters Good Penny & Atlantic Sunset could be the course of tomorrow morning. There are plenty of good bitches in the third quarter but one that stood out today was Rushview Pebbles. The same can be said for the fourth quarter where Knockgraffon qualifier Tory Surge is now the shortest priced runner. An intriguing buckle in this quarter in RD 2 will be the meeting of Linden Panache and Up Tempo (a daughter of the aforementioned Ballymac Enya).

Moving on to the Boylesports Derby and it is difficult to look beyond the Ballymac runners. If one were made to choose another runner in each of the four quarters it would probably be Moscow Station, Music Blaring, Alekhine and Capitol Trend. The fourth quarter is ultra-competitive though and Lineroad Santos up in the third quarter is not without a say in this Classic event.

So overall a very enjoyable first day at the National Meeting and we eagerly await the Day 2 action which gets underway at 11am tomorrow morning with the first round of the Stockproof Fencing Products T.A Morris Stakes.

NON – RUNNERS

ADMISSION TO NATIONAL MEETING 2024

Patrons, please note the following:

OPTION 1: Purchase your ticket ON-LINE at www.irishcoursingclub.ie. and avail of discounted three day ticket. Print your ticket or store it on your phone. 

OPTION 2. Pay by CREDIT/DEBIT CARD or CASH at point of entry on the day.

Regardless of the method you select, a TICKET will be issued as part of our control policy. Staff will assist you on the day to ensure a speedy entrance. The quickest method of entry is via E-TICKET. 

NATIONAL MEETING FLEXI TICKET

In addition to the availability to purchase a three-day Admission Ticket (€60) or a Single Day Ticket specific to Saturday, Sunday or Monday (€25) we now have a ‘Flexi’ Ticket available online at €25. This ticket may be used for entry to ANY ONE DAY of the 2024 National Coursing Meeting which takes place on the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th February.

The advent of every new National Coursing Meeting brings thoughts of many ‘firsts. One’s first ‘Clonmel’, one’s first Derby or Oaks qualifier, one’s first flag up the field of dreams and for a lucky few, one’s first visit to the winner’s podium at Powerstown Park. Every year sadly for some it is a first National Meeting without a loved one or a travelling companion. On a lighter side, for many coursing couples they remember it was where their eyes first met across a crowded bar in the town during the post-coursing festivities.

We already know that the 2024 National Meeting will have its own firsts. It will be the first time that Finals Day was held on a Bank Holiday, we will have our first auction of coursing saplings after coursing on Sunday, we have first time sponsors in Callaway Kennels (Kevin Smith Champion Stakes) and Grace Vallely from Newry, Co Down will officiate at her first Clonmel when she judges the opening round of the Kitty Butler on Day 1 and TA Morris on Day 2.

 If the Bookmakers are correct Liam Dowling will win his first Coursing Derby and Ballymac Zena will become the first bitch to accomplish the Oaks / Champion Bitch Stake double but there is quite a bit of running to be done before we can add those ones to the list.

For genuine coursing people though and in particular those in charge of hare husbandry there is only one first and that is the hares. The team at Powerstown Park are no different to all the clubs around the country who put huge voluntary effort into the care, feeding and training of their hares in the hope of running a meeting of the highest possible standard. We wish them well and if it is allowed we will ask for some help from above from those whom we are spending our first National Meeting without.

So at approximately 10.55am tomorrow morning we will watch as Michael Cooney from Lisboney, Nenagh with Get Lucky and Patrick O’Connor from Saleen, Tarbert with Morfontaine enter the Slippers Hut with nervous anticipation for the first course of the day and the first course of the 98^th National Coursing Meeting. From the stands to the slippers hut to the boxing shed there will be a plethora of different emotions for the next few minutes but then someone will shout ‘the hare is out’. And that is coursing.