Setanta tops the Kirby betting as Dowling bids for his first victory
BALLYMAC SETANTA, currently favourite for both the English and Irish Greyhound Derbys, is the star name in a stellar field for the €80,000 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial which starts with 13 first round heats over 525 yards at Limerick on Saturday (live on sisracing.tv).
Liam Dowling's charge, who won his first seven four-bend races before a first defeat in the final of the Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park last November, rounded off his first campaign with a brilliant run behind Irish Derby champion Cheap Sandwiches at Shelbourne's Winter Racing Festival and is two from two in 2026.
He is quoted at 11/4 by bookmakers to give Dowling a first victory in the 13th running of an event that has quickly established itself as perhaps the biggest competition outside of the aforementioned Derbys.
Generously sponsored by JP and Noreen McManus, the competition is widely recognised for its unique community element, which sees every Limerick GAA club assigned a greyhound in a special Nominator Competition.
The clubs whose greyhounds reach the final on Saturday 18th April will share in a €20,000 prize fund, with the winning nominating club receiving €10,000 and a complimentary benefit night at Limerick Greyhound Stadium.
Every race in every round of the Kirby Memorial is live on sisracing.tv over the next five Saturdays.
Kirby Memorial outright betting (final Saturday 18th April): 11/4 Ballymac Setanta, 10 Bockos Gold, Lennies Dynamic, Newinn Spot, 12 Ballymac Deniro, Ballydoyle Tina, Lennies Eddie, 14 Button It, 16 Berlin Trilogy, Blackstone Lexus, 20 Ballycowen Frank, 25 Ballymac Malinas, Ballymac Ralf, 28 Ballymac Duffle, Getup The Boy, 33 bar (e-w 1/4 1,2,3,4,5,6).
Jonathan Kay
