PICTURES: Big crowds at Con and Annie Kirby Memorial at Limerick Greyhound Stadium

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FOR the second week in a row a huge crowd of greyhound racing fans and Limerick GAA clubs descended on Limerick Greyhound Stadium in support of the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial.

Sponsored by JP and Noreen McManus in memory of Noreen’s late parents, the competition is now in its 11th year and consistently attracts the very best in young greyhound talent to Limerick in search of a slice of the €150,000 greyhound prize money.

The second-round heats of the classic took centre stage at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night and it proved a night of shocks as numerous big-hitters went crashing out of the classic.

Ballymac Danica had set the standard the previous week with an exceptional track-record breaking display, however, things did not go her way this week and she, along with Rushy Meadows, Carrick Keano, Hanover Sky, Fashion Model, Ballymac Senan and Coolavanny Otto, were eliminated on Saturday night.

And just like that the 2024 renewal of the richest Juvenile Classic was blown wide-open as the competitions heads into the quarter-finals stages next weekend.

Despite many of the market front-runners making an earlier than anticipated exit from the Kirby, this didn’t take away from the quality on offer and the standard was set on the night by the John Kennedy-owned Epic Chick.

Running in heat four. Stonepark King has been threatening a serious performance since debuting at Clonmel earlier this year and it looks like Michael O’Donovan and Michael Sean O’Dwyer might have another Kirby finalist challenger on their hands after the victory of Stonepark Leo in 2021.

Graham Holland(who has landed the past two Kirby Memorials titles) and Romeo Kingpin looks hell-bent in his attempt to seal an historic third straight classic. Drawn in heat five in trap one, the 5/4 emerged from a level break to show fine early dash on the rails before dominoing his rivals aside to take an unassailable lead into the back.

Striding out majestically, the son of Superman and Buckos Lass, owned by Dave Firmager, never relented thereafter as he powered to a seven length victory over Merits Inclusion in second. The time was a serious 28.24. The Golden, Co Tipperary trainer was to seal a heat double on the night as Faypoint Sean, another opening round winner, landed heat five.

Pat Buckley is chasing a fourth Kirby Classic and he has a strong hand heading into next week’s quarter finals if the performance of Ower Cracker was anything to go by. He built on his performance from the previous week with a victory in heat six.

Daniel O’Rahilly is getting a fine tune out of Knockeen Dazzler and he made it back-to-back wins in the Kirby in heat one. All about early speed, the son of Laughil Blake and Love Island was fluently into stride from six and he paced around his rivals to lead across the finishing line.

Radical Harry set tongues wagging on debut as he posted an exceptional 28.18 and he got back to winning ways in heat two for Ger Hutton and Thomas O’Donovan. Taking full control entering the back straight, the son of Epic Hero and Vita Bella, a 4/1 chance, was always holding In Good Time thereafter and he pulled clear in the closing stages to win comfortably, by three lengths. The time was 28.50.

There was a 50/1 shock in the final heat and a very popular one at that as Clare based Tom Fitzgerald’s Ocean Tesla took full advantage of skirmishing up front.

A bitch that packs an almighty finishing kick, ‘Tesla’ completely fluffed her lines at trap rise, however, was given a second opportunity rounding the opener as the closely knit pack bunched together up front.

Displaying a fine turn of back straight pace, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ocean Olive did not require a second invitation as she stormed to the front at the penultimate turn and that was all she wrote thereafter. Drawing clear to win by three and a half lengths from Serene Rex in second, the time was 28.90 as Barefoot On Fire also progressed in third. The action continues this Saturday with the quarter-finals of the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial 2024.

Gates open at 6.30pm and the night will feature a nationwide bucket collection in aid of the Dillon Quirke Foundation.
Fans are being encouraged to wear their club or county jerseys to show their support on the night.