BoyleSports launched their 2022 Irish Greyhound Derby this morning with this year’s renewal expected to be one of the most exciting in recent years. Full crowds will be allowed to fill the stands again at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium.
The bookmaker renewed its sponsorship of the Irish Greyhound Derby in 2021 with a three-year €1m commitment. The renewed deal will take BoyleSports’ sponsorship of the event to 10 years, with the value of its sponsorship over this time set to exceed €3m.
The BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby is the most prestigious race on the Irish greyhound calendar and the 2022 running of the event was launched at Ireland’s premier greyhound stadium, Shelbourne Park by Greyhound Racing Ireland CEO Dearbla O’Brien and the Boylesports sponsorship team of Leon Blanche, Sarah Kinsella and Eimhear Breen.
“The BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby continues to be the highlight of the racing calendar with an impressive first place prize of €125,000 up for grabs,” said O’Brien.
“While the past two years were hosted during the strange atmosphere of Covid restrictions, this did not take from the worldwide interest in this prestigious event.”
“The interest in this year’s event is already building and we anticipate a fantastic six weeks of racing.”
“This is now our ninth year sponsoring the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby and it’s one we are relishing, especially with a full crowd returning to Shelbourne Park bringing back the unrivalled atmosphere so synonymous with this iconic race,” added Blanche, Communications Director with Boylesports.
“We pride ourselves on our continued commitment to Irish greyhound racing and can’t wait for what is certain to be another highly competitive battle to be crowned the 2022 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby champion.”
The early betting market has Pat Buckley’s Ballinabola Ed as the 12/1 joint-favourite alongside the exciting Coolavanny Hoffa for Michael J O’Donovan while his kennelmate Coolavanny Calvin is 14/1. The 2022 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial winner Sword Rex and original ante-post favourite Twoinarow are both 16/1.
