Tipperary reigns at Irish Greyhound Derby Final with four finalists

Tipperary will have a major presence in next Saturday’s €125,000-to-the-winner BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby Final at Shelbourne Park, with three county trainers responsible for four of the six finalists.

Golden-based five-time Derby-winning trainer Graham Holland, Tipp Town handler Michael O'Donovan, and Cloughjordan trainer Pat Guilfoyle all enjoyed a memorable night at Shelbourne Park on Saturday as their stars secured places in the blue-riband decider.

Two of the county’s leading hopes, Bockos Gold and Bouncing Monarch, emerged as semi-final winners, while Hackney Dancer and Wi Can James also safely negotiated their way into the final six.

Holland's Gold Strikes Again

The opening semi-final saw Graham Holland's Bockos Gold continue his impressive Derby campaign with a brilliant late burst to land the spoils.

The Golden-trained runner found himself in a fierce battle throughout with fellow Tipperary representative Hackney Dancer, trained by Michael O'Donovan in Tipp Town.

Both greyhounds broke sharply and were prominent from the outset before Kilkenny-trained Im Here briefly took command heading down the back straight.

As the race approached its conclusion, however, Bockos Gold spotted an opening along the rails and showed tremendous acceleration to power through and score by half a length in 29.37 for the Jolly Good Company Syndicate.

Hackney Dancer ran another excellent race to finish second, ensuring O'Donovan would also be represented in the final.

Monarch Continues Unbeaten Charge

The second semi-final produced another standout performance from Derby favourite Bouncing Monarch, who maintained his perfect record through this year's competition.

The Michael O'Donovan-trained star had to work hard from a difficult draw but showcased his trademark early pace to seize control approaching the opening bend.

Once hitting the front, the son of Deerjet Sydney and Lemon Elsa never looked in danger and stretched clear to score comfortably in 29.35.

Behind him, Monaghan-trained Sleight Of Hand qualified in second, while Cloughjordan trainer Pat Guilfoyle had reason to celebrate as Wi Can James produced a determined late run to snatch third place and secure his spot in next Saturday's showpiece.

For O'Donovan, it was a particularly memorable evening, with both Bouncing Monarch and Hackney Dancer safely through to the Derby Final.

Four Tipperary Finalists

Remarkably, four of the six finalists will travel to Shelbourne Park next Saturday under the care of Tipperary trainers:

•Bouncing Monarch (Michael O'Donovan, Tipp Town)

•Hackney Dancer (Michael O'Donovan, Tipp Town)

•Bockos Gold (Graham Holland, Golden)

•Wi Can James (Pat Guilfoyle, Cloughjordan)

The achievement underlines Tipperary's status as one of the strongest greyhound racing counties in Ireland, with three of the sport's most respected trainers now preparing their charges for the biggest night of the season.

Derek Frehill, Director of Racing, Greyhound Racing Ireland commented "The quality of racing throughout this year's BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby has been exceptional and Saturday night's semi-finals certainly lived up to expectations. To have four of the six finalists trained in Tipperary is a tremendous achievement and reflects the outstanding standard of greyhound training within the county. Bouncing Monarch has captured the imagination with his unbeaten run through the competition, but the final is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent years. All six finalists have earned their place and, with such quality throughout the field, supporters can look forward to a truly memorable BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby Final at Shelbourne Park."

2026 BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby Final

Trap 1: Sleight Of Hand

Trap 2: Bouncing Monarch

Trap 3: Wi Can James

Trap 4: Hackney Dancer

Trap 5: Bockos Gold

Trap 6: Im Here (Wide)

With four Tipperary-trained runners set to line out in the final and Bouncing Monarch carrying an unbeaten record into the decider, local greyhound supporters have every reason to look forward to what promises to be a memorable night at Shelbourne Park.

Doors at Shelbourne Park open from 4.30pm on Saturday, with racing scheduled to commence at approximately 7.36pm. The BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby Final will be broadcast live on Virgin Media Two, while further information is available at www.ShelbourneParkGreyhoundStadium.ie