Monarch remains unbeaten as Irish Derby final field complete

BOUNCING MONARCH will go into Saturday's €125,000 BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby final boasting the only unbeaten record in the event having produced another terrific all-round performance at Shelbourne Park.

Michael O'Donovan's star was 8/11 favourite to continue his winning run in the second semi-final and broke well from four but was challenged on the run to the bend by both Sleight Of Hand and Wi Can James on his inside.

However, the Kirby Memorial champion was unfazed and drove into the turn to take command, opening up a lead of soe four lengths along the back straight.

Sleight Of Hand chased hard throughout and was closing on the winner at the line but Bouncing Monarch was never threatened as he scored by two lengths in 29.35sec for the 550 yards with Wi Can James short-heading Priceless Romeo for the vital third qualifying position seven and a half lengths back.

The second semi was a thriller with the lead changing hands on no fewer than four occasions before the Graham Holland-trained Bockos Gold (6/1) finally prevailed.

He had shown initially from traps before being passed by Hackney Dancer into the bend, Puppy Derby champion Im Here then sweeping past the pair of them to lead into the back straight.

The trio were never separated by much more than a couple of lengths from that point onwards, Hackney Dancer going on again entering the run-in only for the final surge of Bockos Gold on his inside to prove decisive.

At the line, Bockos Gold was half a length to the good of Hackney Dancer in posting 29.37sec with Im Here holding third a further length away.

Saturday's €125,000 BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby final