English Greyhound Derby winner, Jaytee Jet, was in Shelbourne Park yesterday to launch the 2016 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby. Trained by Paul Hennessy in Kilkenny, the dog is bidding to become only the second greyhound ever to win both the English and Irish Derby, and the first in the same year.
The Irish Greyhound Derby is Ireland’s richest Greyhound racing event with a prize fund of €240,000. BoyleSports have returned as title sponsor of the prestigious event for the third year of a three-year agreement.
“Greyhound racing is ingrained in our sporting history and BoyleSports are proud to give our support to its greatest tradition of The Derby,” Said Boylesports CEO John Boyle
“We are looking forward to sponsoring Ireland’s richest greyhound race for our third year. No doubt it will be another thrilling competition culminating in what can only described as the best night on the racing calendar.”
“There has been a surge of interest from overseas based bookmakers in coming to Ireland to support events in recent years,” added spokesman Leon Blanche, pictured above. “We see it as an important statement though that the crown jewels of Irish sport, if they are to be sponsored by players in the betting sector, should be so by an Irish company.”
“The eyes of the Greyhound world will shortly be focused on Shelbourne Park again for the Irish Greyhound Derby, and we’re delighted and thankful to have BoyleSports return as title sponsor for the third year,” added Irish Greyhound Board Chairman Phil Meaney.
“The competition will be made all the more exciting with Jaytee Jet aiming for an English and Irish Derby double, something which has never been done in the same year before.”
“The field for the Derby is traditionally a very strong one so I have no doubt that he will face some stiff competition, perhaps even from some of the Finalists he faced in Wimbledon earlier this month.”
Discussions around a renewal of the Boylesports sponsorship will get underway at the conclusion of this year’s event.
Attendances at Greyhound stadia have been strong during the first six months of the year, ahead of last year and among the best at the biggest tracks in the past ten years.
The BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby begins with regional Trial Stake events across Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland tracks in the coming week. The main competition in Dublin’s Shelbourne Park gets underway on 11th August. The BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Final takes place on Saturday 17th September.
