NON RUNNERS
American Trio (first quarter), Banoffee Pie (second quarter) and Needham Date (second quarter) will be absentees when the Una O’Sullivan Memorial Irish Cup gets underway at Patrickswell this morning. It is expected that Ballinaveala Finn and Silent Storm and Typical Magic will take their place. 2025 Champion Bitch Stakes winner Metal Queen will also be a non-runner from the Patsy Byrne Select Bitch Stakes on Day 2. The pup Dobbseys Girl will line up instead against Hoping For Five.
IRISH CUP BETTING
Magical Titan is as low as 5/1 to continue the great run in the Irish Cup of greyhounds beaten in the third round of the Derby the same season. Three of the last four Irish Cup winners, Berlin Station, Cool Spirit and Bobby Browne had exited the Derby at the third round stage but made amends at Patrickswell a few weeks later. The thrilling buckle on Day 2 of this year’s National Meeting between Magical Titan and Derby winner Seven Barrows will live long in the memory and coursing enthusiasts eagerly await the reappearance of the Guilfoyle family runner on Friday.
Interesting the Top 10 in the betting are equally divided between pups and second season dogs. Nearest to Titan in the betting at 7/1 is another pup and one which almost went all the way in the Derby, runner-up, Ballymac Awil. Early money has come for Derby quarter-finalist Mr Trendsetter, a litter brother of Seven Barrows & Daoimean Dubh, and he is now only 8/1 compared to 12s for the pup which beat him in Clonmel, Mallory Park. Completing the list of pups at the top of the market is Callaway Pat (10/1) who falls into the same category as Magical Titan having reached the third round of the Derby.
Not surprisingly one of two second season performers at 8/1 is the recent Champion Stakes winner Five O Five. He is joined at that price by 2025 Derby runner-up Cooga Magic from whom much can be expected if he is back to his best. Both Moyle Alonzo and Ballinabola Cha have already had a very successful season and are priced at 12/1, the same price as My Town who has not visited the winner’s enclosure since taking the Derby TS at Ballyduff in November 2024 but is highly respected.
The Patsy Byrne Select Bitch Stake which gets underway on Saturday has the makings of being a vintage renewal. The pup Butterfield heads the market at 2/1 which does seem very short. Ballymac Mulan, going for back to back victories in this event is 5/2 and 2025 Irish Cup runner-up Moyle Magic is 3/1. Metal Queen (winner of the Champion Bitch Stakes at Clonmel last season), Eulogy (Champion Bitch Stakes semi-finalist this season) and Shes Our Sky are next best at 4s and 5s.
Both Boylesports and Berkie Browne are now offering ante-post odds but it is worth pointing out that there is a good bit of variation in their prices and it will be interesting to see which of them has got it right.
ORDER OF RUNNING
CO LIMERICK
Hosting the 115th Irish Cup
Friday, Saturday & Sunday 27th & 28th February, 1 March.
Judge: Bernard Goold
Slipper: Richard Quinn jnr
Start 11.30am all three days
Friday: RD 1 Una O’Sullivan Memorial Irish Cup – Interval – RD 1 Irish Purse. RD 1 Kyle Champion Working Members Stake.
Saturday: RD 2 Irish Cup. RD 1 Patsy Byrne Select Bitch Stakes – Interval – RD 2 Irish Purse. RD 3 Irish Cup. RD 1 Irish Plate.
Sunday: RD 2 Kyle Champion Working Members Stake. RD 1 Greenmount Stakes. RD 2 Select Bitch Stakes. RD 3 Irish Purse. RD 2 Irish Plate. RD 4 Irish Cup. Interval – All Semi-Finals – Interval – All Finals.
IMPORTANT NOTICE – CAR PARKING
Please be aware when attending the 2026 IRISH CUP that recent ground works on the top field mean that parking and viewing from vehicles is very restricted. Parking in this area is limited to Greyhound Trainers and Co. Limerick CC members only. The organisers kindly ask all attendees to respect and follow the instructions of the parking attendants and to use the main racecourse parking facility.