Today marks the beginning of the highly anticipated Bar One Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park, with a €30,000 prize awaiting the winner. The ante-post market has the field priced at 8/1, making for an open and competitive event.
With 12 races on the card, Saturday promises to be action-packed, featuring all heats of the Laurels. Tribal Syd, trained by Murt Leahy, currently tops the betting as the favourite. Recently, he secured a 28.07 (+20) win on this track, indicating he's in prime form after placing second in the Time International and winning the Tipperary Cup.
Close behind in the odds is Crafty Shivoo, a top-tier performer who claimed the Irish Oaks and has been one of the standout females in the UK over the past year. Under the guidance of Pat Norris, she’s a strong contender to take the title.
High Trend, trained by Graham Holland, is the defending champion. Last year, he dominated the competition, winning four of five rounds and clocking his best times of 28.23 in the second round and 28.31 in the final.
2023 Irish Derby champion, The Other Kobe, also poses a threat. Though he didn’t fare as well in the Bar One Sprint, which was shorter than his preferred distance, he still managed to reach the third round and beat Tribal Syd at Limerick’s St Leger final night. However, he couldn’t repeat that performance in Cork last week.
Main Contenders – Current Odds:
- 8/1 Tribal Syd
- 10/1 Crafty Shivoo
- 12/1 Ower Cracker, Romeo Taylor, Superfast Gordon, Untold Dollar
- 14/1 Faypoint Harvey, High Trend, Road Exile
- 16/1 Ardera Sam, Barefoot On Fire, The Other Kobe
- 20/1 Droopys Carbine, Evolution, Radical Harry, Romeo Control
Saturday's racing promises to deliver thrilling action as these top greyhounds compete for the prestigious title.