Greyhound racing is no different to any other sport or industry in the fact that January is a touch quieter than the remainder of the year. That said, it has been better in recent years with many in the service industry, which is extremely at the end of the year, using greyhound racing facilities for belated Christmas parties for their staff.
The general public it seems are also looking for something different to do early in the year and, as a result, the crowds in the early weeks of January have actually crept up in recent years.
The greyhound racing calendar is now all-year round. While the first major competitions of the year won’t kick off or a few weeks, there is still plenty to keep the average greyhound racing enthusiast more than happy and tonight’s action at Shelbourne Park is a perfect example.
The entire twelve-race card is made up of opening round heats of the valuable Dublin Cup. Worth €7,500 to the winner, there is a fine entry and it should develop into a cracking stake.
The last two renewals have been won by specialised early pacers and speed to the corner is again likely to be a vital ingredient in the early season competition. One man with a strong hand in the stake is Ollie Bray.
The Derby winning trainer sends out Sitandsteer in the penultimate heat and he is nominated as the best bet of the night. A progressive youngster with tremendous pace and power from the second turn, he need only avoid early traffic, to emerge as the one to beat.
Bray also sends out Gallant Queen. She has hinted that there is a big run to come from her in the near future and, from a kind draw in the stripes, she too can take some stopping in Heat 10.
Others that appeal in their respective assignments include Miami Prince, Ballybough Carol, Zippy Canning and Hey Champ.
Elsewhere, the Nolan CRVT Test Centre Kerry Oaks will commence at Tralee this evening. It may be an A1 competition but there are some notable names amongst the entry including former Kingdom Derby winner and Laurels runner-up Ballymac Whispa.
She is undoubtedly the classiest runner in the field but her running style does leave her vulnerable to speedier types. None will be finishing faster than Ballymac Whispa and she is likely to progress through the stake.
Outside of the two aforementioned competitions, there is plenty of open racing on offer throughout the country over the coming days. Most of the biggest names in the sport are on the sidelines but a few will reappear over the next weekend or two with the likes of the Gold Cup set to commence in the early days of February.
