Following the conclusion of the Bandon & Careys Cross meeting this afternoon (Wednesday December 1st) we publish our first online leaderboard of the season for the Champion Stakes. Both competitions will be for eight runners and two reserves. In January, owners of greyhounds qualified for the Derby or Oaks (2019 whelps) and also in a Top 10 position for the Champion Stakes will have to declare which competition they are competing in at the National Meeting. Photo – Da Lantern (Yvonne Harrington).

KEVIN SMITH CHAMPION STAKES

	Greyhound	Points	Prizemoney
1	Da Lantern	12.5	3,650
2	Mad Mans Game	12	4,000
3	Faha Wonder	11	3,500
4	Iniesta	8	3,000
5	Partys On Willy	8	2,475
6	Get Lost Now	7	1,615
7	Snap Streak	6	2,050
Jt 8	Bexhill Flare	6	2,000
Jt 8	Callaway Rambler	6	2,000
Jt 8	Badminton Dasher	6	2,000

GRACE & MATT BRUTON CHAMPION BITCH STAKES

	Greyhound	Points	Prizemoney
1	Luath Lady	7.5	2,500
2	Barrack Luna (Oaks Qualifier)	5	1,620
Jt 3	Oilean Wonder (Oaks Qualifier)	5	1,600
Jt 3	Ocean Kerrie (Oaks Qualifier)	5	1,600
5	Shes Invincible (Oaks Qualifier)	5	1,550
6	Lovely At Last	5	1,500
7	Ballymac Smokey	4	1,250
8	Aldanite (Oaks Qualifier)	3	1,250
9	Ballykildea Lucy	3	900
Jt 10	Jeru Jo	3	800
Jt 10	Malbay Dixie	3	800
12	Joyandjubilation	3	600

For your convenience, the following is a summary of what you need to know before you go coursing this weekend:

1. Print off the ICC Health Check Form from www.irishcoursingclub.ie. or in the Sporting Press. Complete the form and have it ready to hand over at the entrance gate of the coursing field, to speed up the entry process. Having the exact admission fee will also assist greatly in this area.
2. Do not attend coursing if you are suffering from any of the following symptoms: such as fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, aches and pains.
3. Follow all directions from Covid-19 officials and observe signage located throughout the field.
4. Observe Mask Wearing Zones: when at the entrance to the coursing field, when checking -in your greyhound with the control steward prior to entering slips, when placing your greyhound in slips, while waiting at the catching area prior to your course concluding.
5. Bookmakers are permitted and all catering will be outdoors only.
6. Be respectful of the people around you and observe good Covid-19 etiquette at all times.
7. Notices in relation to Covid-19 will be updated as new government announcements come to hand, so please check the ICC website and the Sporting Press newspaper weekly.

ICC Health Declaration Form

ALL CLUBS

Before you go coursing this weekend please print off the ICC Health Declaration Form from www.irishcoursingclub.ie. See link to form at bottom of main Covid 19 Notice. Complete the form and have it ready to hand over at the entrance gate of the coursing field to speed up the entry process. Having the exact admission fee will also assist greatly in this area

GLANWORTH

Please note this is now a three day meeting commencing Tuesday December 7th. The three trial stakes advertised are all for 32 runners. Entries close this Thursday December 2nd with the draw taking place on Friday December 3rd.

DOON

The draw for the Doon meeting will take place this Monday evening, November 29th, and will be available to view on the ICC website tomorrow Tuesday.

ABBEYFEALE

Please note a change of dates for Abbeyfeale CC. Now coursing Wednesday 29th & Thursday 30th December to avoid a clash with Day 3 of the Kingdom Cup meeting. Abbeyfeale look forward to running no less that four Corn Na Feile competitions. These 16 runner stakes will accommodate trial stake winners, dogs and bitches, 2019 whelps and 2020 whelps. The club will also be hosting their own Derby and Oaks trial stakes, again for 2019 and 2020 whelps.

GLANWORTH 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 7^th, 8^th & 9^th Dec   

Judge: Bernard Goold           

Slipper: Brian Doyle         

Start 11.30am all three days.    

TUESDAY: Twice through Oaks TS (2020 whelps) and once through Derby TS 20 21 (2019 whelps).          

WEDNESDAY: Twice through Derby TS (2020 whelps). Once through Derby TS 20 21 (2019 whelps) before interval and once through All Age Cup after interval.         

THURSDAY: Start with Working Members Stake and complete Card.

GOREY / WEXFORD
(At Gorey) 

Friday, Saturday, Sunday 3^rd, 4^th & 5th December  

Judge: Bernard Goold           

Slipper: Damien McHugh       

Start 11.00am all three days.  

FRIDAY: Starting with Wexford All Age Bitch Stake. Twice through Wexford All Age Bitch Stake. Once through Gorey Oaks TS 20 21 (2019 whelps), Wexford Oaks TS (2020 whelps) and Gorey Oaks TS (2020 whelps).  

SATURDAY: Twice through Gorey Oaks TS 20 21 (2019 whelps) and Wexford Derby TS 20 21 (2019 whelps). Once through O’Suilleabhain McLean All Age Cup, Wexford Derby TS (2020 whelps) and Gorey Derby TS (2020 whelps).      

SUNDAY: Start with Wexford Oaks TS (2020 whelps), Gorey Oaks TS (2020 whelps), Wexford Derby TS (2020 whelps), Gorey Derby TS (2020 whelps) and complete card. 

JOHNSTOWN & URLINGFORD

Friday, Saturday, Sunday 3^rd, 4^th & 5th December  

Judge: Liam Kelly         

Slipper: Brian Doyle    

Start 11.30am all three days.  

FRIDAY: Twice through Derby TS (2020 whelps) and once through Derby TS 20 21 (2019 whelps).

SATURDAY: Twice through Oaks TS 20 21 (2019 whelps) and Derby TS 20 21 (2019 whelps). Once through All Age Cup, Oaks TS (2020 whelps) and Inchorourke Stake.       

SUNDAY: Start with Working Members and complete card.

DOON  

Saturday, Sunday 4^th & 5th December  

Judge: Paul Horan         

Slipper: Richard Quinn jnr     

Start 11.30am both days.  

SATURDAY: Twice through Oaks TS. Once through Derby TS before interval and once through Working Members Stake after interval.      

SUNDAY: Start with Working Members and complete card.

CLASSICS CLUB DRAW RE-IMAGINED

We wish to inform you of an exciting transition that is prompted by the unique and unusual prospect of a National Meeting incorporating two Derbies and two Oaks scheduled for February 2022.

The Classics Club has operated for almost a quarter of a century and its success is down to one thing; its loyal membership. It is the biggest sponsor of the National Meeting and offers some of the biggest prizes associated with coursing’s Classics.

The current season has had to play catch up in terms of offering opportunities to the cohort of 2019 whelps that were denied an opportunity to compete due to Covid-19 and RHD2. This accommodation will culminate in a Derby and Oaks for 2019 whelps, with an additional prizemoney requirement of €140,000 approx. As a consequence, we are launching a re-imagined draw titled “The Classics Club Special”, where we are offering draw tickets for €100 each, and we will maintain the winning prizes at €10,000 for each of the four classics. This means that membership will not be capped at 600 like it was before and new numbers will be drawn for all members, as part of this change.

Given the mammoth task before us we are asking every coursing supporter in Ireland and overseas to take part in this initiative. You might also help us secure additional members, be those single or joint memberships or syndicates as it will all make a difference.

You can join online through the ICC website or by completing the ticket which will be published regularly on the Sporting Press.

I truly hope that you will come on-board as we move forward to meet this new challenge. I wish you the best of luck in being one of the ticket holders that will have a live chance of winning one of the significant prizes on offer.

Long live coursing and the Classics Club Special.

Yours in Sport,
Joe Dolan
President of the Classics Club Special Draw

Following the completion of the Listowel Derby Trial Stake for 2019 whelps, won by Off To Chicago (see photo) we have now reached the half way point (i.e 32) in the qualification process for the Derby 20 21. Sadly one greyhound which won’t be participating is the Newcastlewest qualifier from last season, Hes No Trouble. His place will be offered to the runner-up Ashmore Lotto.

The following is the allocation of trial stakes for 2019 whelps amongst Clubs. Clubs were invited in early August to indicate if they would be interested in running one or more trial stakes for 2019 whelps and this list was compiled from those submissions. Balbriggan are the latest club to receive an Oaks TS for 2019 whelps.

OAKS		DERBY
Abbeydorney		Abbeydorney
Abbeyfeale		Abbeyfeale
Ardpatrick & Kilfinane		Ardpatrick & Kilfinane
Balbriggan		Ballyduff
Ballyduff		Ballyheigue
Ballyheigue		Borrisoleigh
Bandon & Careys X		Cappoquin
Borris In Ossory		Cashel
Cappoquin		Clonakilty
Castleisland		Clonmel & Kilsheelan
Clonakilty		Co Carlow
Co Carlow		Co Kerry
Co Kerry		Crohane & Killenaule
Cork		East Donegal
Crohane & Killenaule		East Donegal 2
Dundalk & Dowdallshill		Enniscorthy
Dungarvan		Fermoy & Grange
East Donegal		Freshford
East Donegal 2		Galway & Oranmore
Fermoy & Grange		Glanworth
Freshford		Glin
Galway & Oranmore		Johnstown & Urlingford
Gorey		Kilcreevin Ballymote
Johnstown & Urlingford		Kilflynn
Killimer Kilrush		Killimer Kilrush
Knockgraffon		Limerick City
Listowel		Listowel
Lixnaw		Lixnaw
Mallow		Loughrea
Millstreet		Millstreet
Mitchelstown		Mooncoin
Mooncoin		Nenagh
Nenagh		Newcastlewest
New Ross		New Ross
Old Kilcullen		North Kilkenny
Rathkeale		Old Kilcullen
Regional		Rathdowney
Roscommon		Regional
Sevenhouses		South Clare
South Clare		Templetuohy
Templetuohy		Trim
Tubbercurry		Waterford
Waterford		Wexford

Due to the brevity of the 2020/21 coursing season it has been agreed to extend the membership period for all those who paid the €50 fee between 1st April 2020 and 31st January 2021 to become members of the ICC website. The new renewal date for all those members will be 31st March 2022 which means you will be able to access the draws, results etc for the 2021/22 season at no extra cost. Thank you for your support.

This week’s Sporting Press (issue of August 26th) includes the first of our coursing coverage for the 2021/22 season. Tony O’Connor takes a trip around the country and over three pages he brings news from the coursing kennels, big and small. Tony’s reports will continue for the next few weeks in the lead up to the draws for the eagerly awaited meetings at Liscannor and Kilflynn.

Don’t forget you now also have the option to subscribe to read the Sporting Press online (weekly & 52 week payment options available) and by going online you can read the paper as early as 9pm every Tuesday evening.