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.           

Don’t forget to pick up your Sporting Press this week with a 40 page National Meeting pull-out inside (also available online). Many thanks to everyone who contributed to same. As well as Previews, Form Guides, Experts’ Verdicts, Kennel Visits, Betting etc there is also a four page feature on 100 years of coursing at Abbeyfeale.

The Classics Club draw took place at the Irish Coursing Club offices, Davis Road, Clonmel on Thursday, January 25. We have now added the runner to each name which was drawn out. Best of Luck !!

The prize fund for draw on the BoyleSports Derby and the Horse & Jockey Hotel Oaks will be as follows: Winner: €10,000; Runner-Up: €3,000; Semi-Finalists: €1,000 each; Quarter-Finalists: €500 each.

Due to the great response we received we are also giving out the following extra prizes: If the greyhound you draw in the Derby or Oaks wins the Stockproof Fencing T.A. Morris Stakes or Dublin Coach Kitty Butler Stakes you will receive €1500 and the runner-up receives €500. We also made a draw on the Classics Club/Callaway Kennels Kevin Smith Champion Stakes and the Classics Club Grace & Matt Bruton Champion Bitch Stakes with winner of both receiving €2,000 and runner-up €500. This gives a total prize-fund of €43,000.   

On your behalf we will donate the remainder to the Irish Coursing Club towards the National Meeting and the sponsorship of the Classics Club/Callaway Kennels & Kevin Smith Champion Stakes and the Classics Club Grace & Matt Bruton Champion Bitch Stakes. 

There will be a minimum of SIX reserves listed for both the Derby and Oaks at the 2024 National Meeting. As we only had five Reserve Trial Stake winners remaining for the Oaks, a draw took place today Monday 22nd Jan between all the ‘double’ runner-ups. The first name drawn was Coolree Rye but she is not available so Johnnys Gaisce now slots into the position of 6th reserve. Should additional reserves be required to make up six between now and the draw on Saturday night, these places will be filled in the following order: Ardera Luna – St Moritz – Disco Diva – Tobarmartin Tara. Presently we have seven Reserve Trial Stake winners for the Derby but should additional reserves be required to make up six between now and the draw on Saturday night, these places will be filled in the following order: Contact – Crafty Sortimo – Livermore – Glencarwaterfall – Oh There Salah – Coolree Hendrick.

A draw took place at Powerstown Park on Thursday January 18th to determine 8th & 9th places in both Champion Stakes. In the Champion Dog Stakes, Crew Beans is now 8th and Masonbrook Ger is 9th. In the Champion Bitch Stakes Young And Game is now 8th and Central Dolly is 9th. The draw was made by Mr John Egan (President ICC) and witnessed by Mr DJ Histon (CEO).

The qualification process for the Champion Stakes and Champion Bitch Stakes is now complete. The history books will show that Party Tom (pictured) and Ballymac Pippin were the leading qualifiers for the 2023/24 season. Advisory came with a late challenge winning 11 points since Christmas at East Donegal & Ballymena. Acceptance forms were posted out to the Top 14 in both competitions today, we need eight runners and four reserves. Where greyhounds are tied on points & prize-money a draw will take place to decide positions. In the Fantasy Coursing competitions there was no movement at the top of the leaderboards over the weekend so Donal Cronin and Ray Conroy will be heading to Clonmel as our overall leaders. However the margins are small so things are about to get very interesting.