The 2013 Irish Greyhound Derby took place during August and September with the final being held at Shelbourne Park in Dublin on 14 September 2013.
The winner Slippery Robert won €120,000 and was trained by Robert Gleeson, owned and bred by Larry Dunne. The race was sponsored by the UK-based independent finance company Enterprise Target Solutions (ETS).
Final result At Shelbourne, 14 September (over 550 yards): PositionWinnerBreedingTrapSectionalSPTimeTrainer1st Slippery Robert Hondo Black - Steamy Windows 63.46 5-1 29.49 Robert Gleeson2nd Cabra Buck Big Daddy Cool - Cabra Belle 53.34 5-2 29.63 Graham Holland3rd Tyrur Sugar Ray Top Honcho - Maireads Fantasy 23.46 6-4f 29.77 Conor Fahy4th Carrowgarriff Westmead Hawk - Wicked Marita 3 3.39 25-1 30.08 Ollie Curtin5th Ballymac Vic Kinloch Brae - Ballymac Vicky 1 3.45 3-1 30.12 Liam DowlingN/R Kereight King Droopys Maldini - Quam Celerrime 4 Pat Curtin (Ireland)
Distances 1¾, 1¾, 3¾, ½ (lengths)
Competition Report Defending champion Skywalker Puma, Ballymac Vic, Droopys Jet and recent Champions Stakes winner Paradise Madison were the leading contenders for the 2013 Irish Derby. The English threat came in the form of Holdem Spy. A mandatory first round acted as a trial because only 16 from 120 would be eliminated which was lucky for Ballymac Vic who could only finish fifth but still qualified.
In round two only Paradise Madison, Kereight King and Tyrur Sugar Ray remained unbeaten. Skywalker Puma who had impressed in the first round finished badly lame and was withdrawn. Kereight King posted the best third round time and became the new favourite but all the major names also progressed. The event was set for very competitive quarter finals but suffered a double blow before they started. The English hope Holdem Spy had suffered a hock injury when winning previously and Ballymac Vic gashed his foot at his home kennels.
The first three quarter finals were won by Cabra Buck, Hawaii Kinsale and Isabels Boy win the first three heats, Droopys Jet was eliminated but Ballymac Vic qualified but ran under par with his patched up foot. The fourth heat contained Kereight King, Paradise Madison, Ringtown Snowy and Tyrur Sugar Ray and it was Kereight King confirming his favourite tag who won the race. Tyrur Sugar Ray ran well again to finish second but Paradise Madison and Ringtown Snowy failed to progress. Pat Curtin's Kereight King was now clear favourite.
The semi-final were as expected, Tyrur Sugar Ray won the weaker heat from Slippery Robert and Carrowgarriff and Cabra Buck continued his good run defeating Kereight King and Ballymac Vic. After the draw for the final it was revealed that Kereight King had broken a toe and Ballymac Vic had split his foot again. It meant a five dog final and Ballymac Vic would not be at his best.
If the unnecessary first round had been cancelled it would have been likely that both Kereight King and Ballymac Vic could have competed in the final at their best. The five runner race saw Slippery Robert gain victory after taking the lead at the third bend from Cabra Buck. The under par Ballymac Vic held up the gambled Tyrur Sugar Ray at the first bend ending his chances.
Quarter finals
Heat 1 (Aug 31)PosName SP Time 1st Cabra Buck 5-1 29.992nd Droopys Adler 7-1 30.043rd Ballymac Vic 6-4f 30.184th Ballyana Foxtrot 5-1 30.365th Hot Pursuit 11-4 30.376th Fairhill Paddy 12-1 30.58
Heat 2 (Aug 31)PosName SP Time 1st Hawaii Kinsale 5-4f 30.082nd Slippery Sooty 7-4 30.183rd Carrowgarriff 14-1 30.294th El Flutter 4-1 30.435th Fridays Carroll 8-1 30.95N/R Holdem Spy
Heat 3 (Aug 31)PosName SP Time 1st Isabels Boy 4-1 30.332nd Melodys Diamond 4-1 30.353rd Borna Gem 4-1 30.404th Droopys Jet 2-1f 30.585th Holycross Gerry 6-1 30.636th Nothing Simple 10-1 30.80
Heat 4 (Aug 31)PosName SP Time 1st Kereight King 7-4f 29.872nd Tyrur Sugar Ray 3-1 30.013rd Slippery Robert 6-1 30.024th Glenanore Dancer 12-1 30.195th Paradise Madison 4-1 30.446th Ringtown Snowy 12-1 30.51
Semi finals
First Semi Final (Sep 7)PosName of Greyhound SP Time 1st Tyrur Sugar Ray 5-2jf 29.872nd Slippery Robert 5-2jf 30.083rd Carrowgarriff 33-1 30.184th Hawaii Kinsale 7-1 30.225th Droopys Adler 6-1 30.296th Isabals Boy 7-2 30.46
Second Semi Final (Sep 7)PosName of Greyhound SP Time 1st Cabra Buck 5-1 29.652nd Ballymac Vic 2-1 29.723rd Kereight King 7-4f 30.004th Borna Gem 5-1 30.215th Melodys Diamond 8-1 30.246th Slippery Sooty 16-1 30.73
See also 2013 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
References