The 2022 Irish Greyhound Derby Starts Next Week in Dublin

by Roy Brindley, 11 August 2022

The Irish Greyhound Derby will get underway next weekend. The valuable annual competition was first staged in 1928. It has taken place exclusively at Dublin’s Shelbourne Park since 1970. Spanish Battleship won the race for three consecutive years during the 1950s.

Shelbourne Park, in the shadow of the Aviva Stadium, will stage the Irish Greyhound Derby during August and September. ©GreyhoundRacingIreland

There has never been a repeat winner before or since Spanish Battleship’s heroics. History will not change in 2022 as the defending Derby champion, Susie Sapphire, has been retired to the breeding paddocks.

Only one greyhound has won both the English and Irish Greyhound Derby, that was Toms The Best in 1997/1998. This summer, the English Greyhound Derby was won by Romeo Magico. He will attempt to bolster his career winnings by an additional €125,000 by emulating that former champion.

Magico Is 25/1 for the Derby Double

Trained in Ireland – by Englishman Graham Holland – Romeo Magico impressively landed the quarter-final, semi-final and decider of the UK’s showpiece event. The three-year-old also won a round of last year’s Irish Greyhound Derby. It is therefore surprising Irish Greyhound Derby sponsors, BoyleSports are offering 25/1 about Romeo Magico.

Ballinabola Ed is the Irish Greyhound Derby favorite ahead of the first-round draw that will be made on Monday. The best Irish Greyhound Derby betting sites have the two-year-old top-priced at 12/1.

Very lightly raced, the Pat Buckley-trained greyhound fluffed his lines at the quarter-final stages of the English Derby and has not raced since. Then – with 24 greyhounds still in contention – he was a 7/4 favorite to win the competition. Displaying his current well-being, Ballinabola Ed recorded a rapid 28.18-seconds in a solo trial over 525-yards at Shelbourne Park in late July.

Crowds Will Be Back in Force

The leading greyhound betting sites have varying opinions. But the best odds available about the other leading contenders are: 14/1 Swords Rex, 16/1 Coolavanny Hoffa, 16/1 Explosive Boy, 16/1 Vincenzo, 16/1 Tullig Cyrname, 18/1 Kildare, 20/1 Coolavanny Duke, 20/1 Coolavanny Calvn, 20/1 The Other Kobe and 25/1 bar.

Whichever greyhound lands the coveted prize, connections are sure to be well received. As Leon Blanche, Head of Communications for big-race sponsors BoyleSports, stated at a Derby launch event: “This is now our ninth year sponsoring the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby and it’s one we are relishing, especially with a full crowd returning to Shelbourne Park bringing back the unrivaled atmosphere so synonymous with this iconic race.”

A Case to Be Made for Two at Big Prices

Making a confident Irish Greyhound Derby selection is not easy. With each-way terms of 1/4 the odds for reaching the final, Unibet is dangling a 33/1 carrot about One Time Only. Last weekend the greyhound earned connections €20,000 for landing the BoyleSports Champion Stakes. A year ago, the Thomas O’Donovan-trained dog won the €30,000 Laurels final.

The 18/1 about Kildare is also of interest. While still a puppy, Peter Cronin’s greyhound started favorite for every round and final of the English Greyhound Derby. The youngster finished second in the decider after leading until the halfway point.

His age suggests this exceptionally fast greyhound will improve further, and he too has been kept ticking over with solo trials at the Derby venue in recent weeks.

Irish Greyhound Derby Dates