With over 30 meetings now completed we take our first glimpse at the Champion Stakes leader-boards. In the dogs category Navalny (pictured), Ballymac Sports and Bodens Hulk all look very comfortable even at this early stage and it will be a surprise if they don’t find themselves in the Top 8 without having to add to their current points & prizemoney. Of course the news in recent days that the Premier Cup at Templetuohy could be worth €6000 and 12 points to the winner means at least one or two dogs will find themselves bumped off the leader-board on January 5th. Things are much tighter in the race to qualify for the Champion Bitch Stakes. Hunters Peak and Disco Diva gave their chances a big boost last weekend but most likely 10 points or more will be required for a Top 8 finish.

In the Fantasy Coursing we have a new leader, Betty Collins from Abbeyfeale, on 330 points. Betty had both finalists in the All Age at Ardpatrick (Disco Diva & Bodens Hulk) as well as Ballyduff Cup winner Ballymac Sports. James Wade of Cashel is still there though on 320 points but a new name on the leaderboard in third place is Liam Carr from Craughwell. In the Fantasy for Charity, Denis Murphy, Brosna has a nice lead and of course we wish Denis and the Murphy family the very best of luck in the Boylesports IGD Final on Saturday night with Callaway Knegare. From 6pm every Monday you can check your own updated scores by clicking into ‘Fantasy League Leaderboard’ at the bottom of the drop-down menu under ‘Coursing’ i.e below Draws etc.

Leaderboards To 18/11/24
Kevin Smith Champion Stakes
	Greyhound	Points	Prizemoney
1	Navalny	15	5,500
2	Ballymac Sports	13	4,500
3	Bodens Hulk	13	3,800
4	Ballymac General	11	3,650
5	Ballymac Major	8.5	2,750
6	Aarons Rich Dan	7.5	2,000
Grace & Matt Bruton Champion Bitch Stakes
	Greyhound	Points	Prizemoney
1	Ballymaccallaway	8.5	2,450
2	Hunters Peak	7.5	2,150
3	Metal Queen	7	1,600
4	Disco Diva	6.5	1,650
Sporting Press Fantasy Coursing Competition
	Name	Points
1	Betty Collins, Abbeyfeale	330
2	James Wade, Cashel	320
3	Liam Carr, Craughwell	305
Sporting Press Fantasy Coursing Charity Competition
	Name	Points
1	Denis Murphy, Brosna	270
2	Aisling Flynn, Tarbert	215
3	Fiona Wilmott, Newbridge	210

The following is the new Champion Stakes points system for the 2024/25 coursing season.

8 ALL AGE	PRIZEMONEY	WINNER	RUNNER -UP	SEMI-FINALIST
	€750 – €999	2	0	0
	€1,000-€1,249	2.5	0	0
	€1,250 – €1499	3	0	0
	€1500-€1999	3.5	0.5	0
	€2000 or >	4	1	0
16 ALL AGE	PRIZEMONEY	WINNER	RUNNER -UP	SEMI-FINALIST
	€1,000-€1,499	4	2	0
	€1,500-€1,999	5	2.5	0
	€2,000 – €2499	6	3	1
	€2500 – €2999	7	3.5	1.5
	€3000 or >	8	4	2
32 ALL AGE	PRIZEMONEY	WINNER	RUNNER -UP	SEMI-FINALIST
	€2,000-€2,999	10	6	3
	€3,000-€3,999	11	7	3.5
	€4,000 or >	12	8	4

OLD KILCULLEN

Please note that ALL STAKES at Old Kilcullen are now oversubscribed and no further entries can be taken.

BANDON

Please note the Bandon draw for next week’s joint meeting at Bandon & Careys Cross will now take place on Thursday night, November 21st at 8pm. This is 24 hours earlier than originally advertised. Macroom will still be holding their draw on Friday night.

DOON

Please note both trial stakes at Doon are now oversubscribed and no further entries can be taken.

KNOCKGRAFFON   

Friday, Saturday, Sunday 22^nd, 23^rd & 24^th November       

Judge: Liam Kelly       

Slipper: Brian Doyle    

Start 11.00am all three days.

Friday: Twice through Derby TS. Once through Knockgraffon Cup and Members Stake.

Saturday: Twice through Oaks TS. Once through All Age Bitch Stake.               

Sunday: Start with Members Stake and complete card.    

BALBRIGGAN / TRIM  
At Balbriggan 

Saturday, Sunday 23^rd & 24^th November      

Judge: Grace Vallely     

Slippers: Padraig Reynolds & John Cottrell    

Start 11.00am both days.  

Saturday: Twice through Balbriggan Oaks TS. Once through Balbriggan Derby TS, All Age Bitch Stake and All Age Cup (before interval). Once through Trim Reserve Oaks TS & Trim Derby TS (immediately after interval).    

Sunday: Start with Working Members Stake & complete card.

KILLIMER KILRUSH  

Saturday, Sunday 23^rd & 24^th November      

Judge: Michael Kelly       

Slipper: Anthony McNamara  

Start 11.30am both days.  

Saturday: Twice through Oaks TS & Reserve Derby TS. Once through All Age Bitch Stake & Gilligan McMahon Memorial Cup (immediately after interval).    

Sunday: Start with Harecatchers Stake, Surplus Stake and complete card.

RATHCORMAC 

Saturday, Sunday 23^rd & 24^th November      

Judge: Bernard Goold      

Slipper: David Galvin  

Start 11.00am both days.  

Saturday: Twice through Derby TS. Once through Reserve Oaks TS (before interval). Once through Three Course Duffer and Working Members Stake (at end).    

Sunday: Start with Inter Club Stake, Derby TS, Reserve Oaks TS and complete card. All semi-finals after first interval.

ENNISCORTHY / WEXFORD 
At Woodlands, Enniscorthy

Saturday, Sunday 23^rd & 24^th November      

Judge: John O’Connell       

Slipper: David O’Connor     

Start 11.00am both days.  

Saturday: Once through Wexford Oaks TS, Enniscorthy Oaks TS & Enniscorthy All Age Bitch Stake (before interval). Once through Wexford Derby TS, Enniscorthy Derby TS, Wexford Loc Garman Cup & Enniscorthy Working Members Stake (after interval).         

Sunday: Start with Enniscorthy Three Course Duffer Stake, both Oaks TS, both Derby TS and complete card. All semi-finals after first interval. 

RATHKEALE / LIMERICK CITY 
At Enniscouch, Rathkeale

Saturday, Sunday 23^rd & 24^th November       

Judge: Gerry Mulcaire      

Slipper: Richard Quinn jnr    

Start 11.30am both days.   

Saturday: Once through Limerick City Derby TS, Limerick City Oaks TS, Rathkeale Derby TS & Rathkeale Oaks TS.    

Sunday: Start with Limerick City Derby TS and complete card.

Rathcormac have now been approved to hold a qualifier for the new Three Course Duffer Championship. A total of 15 qualifiers will be held and the venue & date for final will be announced in November. Our photo is of the recent Nenagh qualifier Amiwrong.

CLUB	WINNER	RUNNER UP
Kilflynn	Allowdale Hope	Dashing Harry
Liscannor	Nocturnal Mutti	Kilkeale Charmer
Abbeydorney	Lineroad Ella	Glouner Rebel
Miltown Malbay	Paradise Mall	Caislean Diva
Thurles	In My Dreams	Loyal Lukaku
Castleisland	Kerry Craft	Tog Go Boge
Listowel	Glouner Rebel	Lane Rd Honour
Nenagh	Amiwrong	Alfies Story
Ardpatrick & Kilfinane	Themsthejoys	Ryehill Glory
Waterford	Share The Hope	Sheeraghs Storm
Wexford / Enniscorthy
Rathcormac
Old Kilcullen
Newcastlewest
North Kilkenny

Three Course Duffer Championship for dogs and bitches excluding pups and track bred greyhounds. Coursing Sire/Track Dam or Track Sire/Coursing Dam will be eligible but strictly no pups (i.e 2023 whelps).

• Qualifier Events to be hosted by provincial clubs to generate 15 qualifiers, with one remaining qualifier nominated by the Club which hosts the final in January.
• If the winner of a Qualifier Event subsequently wins an All Age, it is then ineligible to enter Grand Final (runner-up goes forward).
• Runner-up also eligible in the event of withdrawal of Qualifier.
• Reserves filled from a draw of remaining runner-up greyhounds (maximum of 4).
• Dogs and bitches guarded as far as possible.
• Winner of Grand Final to receive €4000, r/up €1200 and semi-finalists €400 each.
• Club that provide winner of Grand Final to receive €1000.
• If Qualifier is run as an 8 the winner to receive €750 and runner-up €225.
• If Qualifier is run as a 16 the winner to receive €1000 and the runner-up €300.
• €50 entry fee to both Qualifying Events and Grand Final.
• Thanks to a benevolent sponsor the Irish Coursing Club will cover the prizemoney for the Qualifying Events & Grand Final (net of Entry Fees).
• Rule 88 applies for Qualifying Events & Grand Final.
• Executive may vary conditions based on the take-up from Clubs and any other considerations which may arise.  

The following is the list of Reserve Trial Stakes to be held during the 2024/25 season. The first Reserve Derby TS was won by Brindle Alberto and our photo includes connections and members of Kilflynn CC.

Reserves for Oaks & Derby (club alpha order)
	OAKS
1	Ballyheigue
2	Bandon
3	Clonmel & Kilsheelan	N/A Not Run
4	East Donegal 2
5	Fermoy
6	Freshford	KOZY LADY
7	Mitchelstown	NEWINN AUSSIE
8	North Kilkenny
9	Rathcormac
10	Trim
11	Westmeath Utd	N/A Won Full TS
	DERBY
1	Cappoquin	SHABOOZEY
2	Co Cavan	N/A Not Run
3	Doon
4	Ennis Clarecastle	MR WILKS
5	Johnstown & Url
6	Kilflynn	BRINDLE ALBERTO
7	Killimer Kilrush
8	Macroom
9	Sevenhouses
10	South Clare
11	Waterford	BANOFFEE PIE

The online application form to apply for a Coursing Trainer Licence (season 24/25) can now be found under ‘ICC Forms’ .

https://irishcoursingclub.ie/coursingtrainer.php

Under the rules of the Irish Coursing Club you must register for a Coursing Trainer Licence if you train one coursing greyhound or more during the 2024/25 season which is not owned :

1. By Yourself
2. By a family member (Spouse, Partner, Child, Grandchild, Parent, Sibling, Guardian)
3. By a Syndicate of which you are the official authorised person to act on the syndicate’s behalf.   

All those currently training one coursing greyhound or more which does not fit into one of the three categories above must apply for their Coursing Trainer Licence immediately if you have not already done so. Any new trainer after that date must apply for their Coursing Trainer Licence within 7 days of accepting the coursing greyhound(s) into their kennel.

The Annual Licence Fee is €25.

You can click into the full ‘ICC Coursing Trainer Regulations’ when you go to the application form.

For any queries please email eugene@sportingpress.ie or ring 052 6188508

The four Provincial Meetings of the Irish Coursing Club took place over the last week or so and the Provisional Fixtures for the 2024/25 season can now be found under ‘Fixtures’ . The National Meeting is due to take place on Saturday, Sunday, Monday Feb 1st, 2nd & 3rd.

Our photo shows a presentation by DJ Histon (CEO) to Sean Ryan, Fedamore Open CC to mark his retirement from the Executive Committee after his two full terms. His position is now filled by Richie Quinn, Regional CC. Also in photo are Martin Galvin (Lixnaw CC), Shane Flanagan (Ennis Clarecastle CC) and Kevin Barry (Cashel CC) who were returned for a second term unopposed.

In Leinster, Seamus Begley (Wexford CC) was returned unopposed for a second term and in Connacht, Kevin Marmion (Loughrea CC) was also returned unopposed for his second term. There was no vacancy in Ulster this year.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us on Sunday evening May 5th for the 2024 Irish Coursing Club Awards. Special thanks to our Award Sponsors and congratulations to the winners. These are a few photos from a great night. Cover photo shows the Dowling family & friends receive the Coursing Dog of the Year Award for Ballymac Sports from Award sponsors Greyhound & Pet World, Abbeyfeale.

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

	UNA O’SULLIVAN MEMORIAL IRISH CUP 2024
No	Nominator	Dog	No	Nominator	Dog
First Quarter
1	Lady Ana Johnson	Ballymac Cuinas	2	Tony Reddan	Daniels Lad (p)
3	Matt Feheney	Shuffleupanddeal (p)	4	Liam & Noreen Liddy	Mr President
5	Berkie & Patsy Browne	Ballymorris Gold	6	Colin & Mairead Wallace	Spartan King (p)
7	J Bennett & Gregg	Boherlode Bomber (p)	8	Leo Walsh	Montpelier Hulk
9	Tim O’Driscoll	Drive On Lesley	10	Pat Horgan	Lemon Mozart (p)
11	John Wilson	Career Break	12	M O’Donovan Killaloe	Party Tom
13	Sir Mark Prescott	Follow Me Now	14	Liam & William Riordan	Glencarwaterfall (p)
15	Fr. John Fitzgibbon	Catunda Lauren (b)	16	K Murphy & D Magnone	Moscow Station (p)
Second Quarter
17	M. O’Donovan Tipperary	Cue Club (p)	18	Gerry Hughes	Donaghmore Jack (p)
19	Raymond Smith	Bucket Deal (p)	20	Tomas Coolahan	Catchthemush
21	Luke Kilcoyne	Kerry Craft (p)	22	John Boyle	Boylesports Team
23	J Cunningham & Mce Jackson	Capitol Trend (p)	24	Una O’Sullivan	Intrinsic Yank (p)
25	Brian & Laurence Jones	Vlad The Lad	26	Tadg Sullivan	Brindle Mozart (p)
27	Catherine & John Murphy	Catunda Zeus	28	Susan Garrahy	Mungos Ritual
29	Diarmuid O’Connor	Newhall Magic	30	Ned & Tommy Relihan	Advisory
31	Bridget Byrne	Gigantor	32	John & Niall Doolan	Headerball (p)
Third Quarter
33	Tony Quinn	Lahard Timmy	34	Mike Mann	Coolree Hendrick (p)
35	Dermot O’Shea	Pasatiempo	36	Brendan Duffy	Central Focus
37	Mary Fitzgerald	Express Razor	38	Brian Murphy	Ballymac General
39	Pat Savage	Fingal Devito	40	Michael Spillane Bantry	Lochbo Milo (p)
41	John Egan	Sammy Tiger (p)	42	Eamonn Kiely	Banba Be Wilder (p)
43	Peter O Loghlen	Possiblesolution	44	Pat Burke	Drafted Third (p)
45	Murty & Ciaran McMahon	Oneinthebarrell	46	Michael Spillane Killarney	Cut The Turf
47	Pat Pyne & Patsy Myers	Kingcormac Shine	48	Gavin Johns	Aristotle (p)
Fourth Quarter
49	John & Alan Troy	Woodpark Eagle	50	Noel Collins	O’Gradys Beach
51	Liam & Patrick Mann	Barrack Blitz (p)	52	Paul Horig	Berlin Station
53	Marie Field	Confident Erin (p)	54	Charlie & Gerry Chawke	Rossmore Grace (p)
55	Nora Raleigh	Coole Yeats	56	Vincent Purtill	Capablanca (p)
57	Brendan Matthews	Cool Spirit	58	John Flynn	Crew Beans
59	Mark & Ailish Dilger	Kilkeale Gold	60	Bobby O’Connor	Mr Chairman
61	JP Shaw	Comeonovernow (p)	62	Liam Dowling	Ballymac Zena (b)
63	Michael Horgan	Certain Sure (p)	64	Brendan Farrelly	Flying Ryan (p)

Full Draw for 2024 Irish Cup Meeting

Una O’Sullivan Memorial Irish Cup

Ballymac Ciunas         v   Daniels Lad

Shuffleupanddeal        v   Mr President

Ballymorris Gold        v   Spartan King

Boherlode Bomber        v   Montpelier Hulk

Drive On Lesley         v   Lemon Mozart

Career Break            v   Party Tom

Follow Me Now           v   Glencarwaterfall

Catunda Lauren          v   Moscow Station

Cue Club                v   Donaghmore Jack

Bucket Deal             v   Catchthemush

Kerry Craft             v   Boylesports Team

Capitol Trend           v   Intrinsic Yank

Vlad The Lad            v   Brindle Mozart

Catunda Zeus            v   Mungos Ritual

Newhall Magic           v   Advisory

Gigantor                v   Headerball

Lahard Timmy            v   Coolree Hendrick

Pasatiempo              v   Central Focus

Express Razor           v   Ballymac General

Fingal Devito           v   Lochbo Milo

Sammy Tiger             v   Banba Be Wilder

Possiblesolution        v   Drafted Third

Oneinthebarrell         v   Cut The Turf

Kingcormac Shine        v   Aristotle

Woodpark Eagle          v   O Gradys Beach

Barrack Blitz           v   Berlin Station

Confident Erin          v   Rossmore Grace

Coole Yeats             v   Capablanca

Cool Spirit             v   Crew Beans

Kilkeale Gold           v   Mr Chairman

Comeonovernow           v   Ballymac Zena

Certain Sure            v   Flying Ryan

Reserves

Happenstance

Ashmore Range

Rubicon

Rushview Wolf

Patsy Byrne Select Bitch Stakes

Morfontaine             v   Up Tempo

Tiktok Tilly            v   Ballymac Nano

Marvelous Mover         v   Macha Razor

Shanmoyle Jess          v   Donaghmore Leia

Boherlode Hope          v   A Cookie God

Rushview Pebbles        v   Zauberflute

Caherelly Nelly         v   Meenagh Mystery

Seanies Digger          v   Crafty Magello

Windfarm Madam          v   Burning Love

Gooleen Magic           v   Boherlode Zoey

Pink Lemonade           v   Doomore Diva

Thatsthestorynow        v   Honest Attempt

Hunters Peak            v   Good Penny

Still Derramore         v   Arctic Heiguer

Putanotheroneon         v   Central Dolly

Lady Wild               v   Ill Do It

Reserves

Mon Petit

Barrack Hazel

Askthemac

Glouner Robyn

Kyle Invitational Champion Working Members

Zari Roxy               v   Onehoportwo

Thisisthelife           v   Barna Pinchback

Caherelly Sky           v   Joans Ace

Chutehall Rambo         v   Sevenforseven

Wizards Sleeve          v   Glenfircal

Grannys Jam             v   Glanmore Jake

Toems Flyer             v   Ya Well

Mystery Master          v   Hand Of Spring

Killacolla Hope         v   Bankhouse Lad

Ever So Fullon          v   Couldbedeone

Headleys Mozart         v   Tubbercurry Riki

Fox Country             v   Burton Port

Reserves

Andthenshesaid

Octane Cora