The 2023 Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby took place during July, August and September 2023, with the final being held on 2 September at Shelbourne Park. The competition was sponsored by BoyleSports and the prize money purse was €300,000, of which €125,000 went to the winner.
The winner was a black dog called The Other Kobe, trained and bred by Jennifer O'Donnell and owned by Mr Brian Clare and Mr David L'Estrange. It was O'Donnell's second consecutive Irish Derby victory, having won the event in 2022 with The Other Kobe's brother Born Warrior. The Other Kobe and Born Warrior were not only the first full siblings to win the Derby but they were also from the same litter.
Details The first round was held on 28 & 29 July, second round on 4 & 5 August, third round on 12 August, quarter finals on 19 August and semi finals on 26 August.
In the antepost betting three greyhounds headed the market at 10/1; they were Coolavanny Hoffa, Ballinabola Ed and Clona Duke. They were closely followed by Kirby Memorial champion Clonbrien Treaty, Easter Cup champion Swords Rex and Ballymac Marino at 14/1. Other big names to compete were 2023 English Greyhound Derby champion Gaytime Nemo, 2022 English Greyhound Derby champion Romeo Magico, St Leger champion Bobsleigh Dream, Champion Stakes winner Trinity Junior and the recent Dundalk International winner Raha Mofo.
Quarter finals
Heat 1 (Aug 19)PosName SP Time 1st De Lahdedah7/429.312nd Seven Beach9/129.803rd Raha Mofo6/129.814thTommys Hewick11/229.885th Garfinney Blaze40/129.906th Scaglietti6/4f29.97
Heat 2 (Aug 19)PosName SP Time 1st Bens Teddy2/1f29.392nd Bockos Crystal9/429.703rdThreesixfive16/129.774th Clonbrein Treaty4/129.915th Droopys Nice One11/129.926th Droopys Bro4/130.06
Heat 3 (Aug 19)PosName SP Time 1stThe Other Kobe5/129.152nd Trinity Junior11/229.363rd Coolavanny Hoffa11/10f29.464th Mr Chelm7/229.535th Ballymac Marino6/129.676th Dromana Dano50/129.85
Heat 4 (Aug 19)PosName SP Time 1stClonroosk Sydney3/129.552nd Well Met10/329.563rd Music Gildeaway11/129.584th Undulation6/129.755th Bobsleigh Dream6/5f29.826th Millridge Levi40/130.10
Semi finals
First semi final (Aug 26)PosName of Greyhound SP Time Trainer1stMusic Glideaway5/129.32Guilfoyle2nd Well Met15/829.60Jones3rd Threesixfive11/129.63Phelan4th Clonroosk Sydney8/130.02Harte5th Seven Beach8/130.12O'Donnell6thTrinity Junior7/4f30.26Cronin
Second semi final (Aug 26)PosName of Greyhound SP Time Trainer1stThe Other Kobe5/129.58O'Donnell2nd Bens Teddy10/129.635Buckley3rd Bockos Crystal7/129.70Holland4th Coolavanny Hoffa2/129.75O'Donovan5thDe Lahdedah6/4f30.00Dowling6thRaha Mofo20/1 30.03 Leahy
Final At Shelbourne Park (over 550 yards): PositionGreyhoundBreedingTrapSectionalSPTimeCommentTrainer1stThe Other KobeBallymac Best – Mountaylor Queen23.413/129.11FAw, ALedJennifer O'Donnell2nd Bockos CrystalDroopys Sydney – Vigorous Hilary53.444/129.14ChlRunIn, FinWellGraham Holland3rd Bens TeddyDroopys Sydney – Beechgrove Bell33.5311/4f29.21Imp3, StrFinPat Buckley4thThreesixfiveDroopys Sydney – Dunquin Anna43.5428/129.42SAw, ClrRunScott Phelan5thWell MetBallymac Best – Corduff Flame13.5111/229.77Rls1&2,FcdToCk3John Jones6th Music GlideawayNewinn Taylor – Glideaway Magic63.467/229.84Crd½, RnOnPatrick Guilfoyle
Distances neck, 1, 3, 5, 1 (0.07 sec = one length)
Competition report The most notable incident in round one was the elimination of Swords Rex and the second round also saw two major shocks, with the eliminations of Gaytime Nemo and Ballinabola Ed. Scaglietti was fastest in the second round with a 29.26 heat win and 2022 runner-up Ballymac Finn was a non runner.
Bobsleigh Dream started round three with a 29.29 win and this was followed by a very fast 29.12 winner in De Lahdedah. Scaglietti won in fine style again but the competition ended for Clona Duke and Romeo Magico.
In the first quarter final De Lahdedah was an easy winner (29.31) in a heat that saw Scaglietti knocked out. Bens Teddy won the next in a time of 29.39, Clonbrien Treaty and Droppys Nice One were both eliminated. The Other Kobe recorded a fast 29.15 to defeat Trinity Junior and Collavanny Hoffa but Ballymac Marino could only manage fifth. The final heat was won by Clonrook Sydney in 29.55 and also saw the elimination of Bobsleigh Dream.
Few would have predicted the remaining 12 greyhounds for the semi finals as many new names lined up attempting to reach the grand final. The trend continued as Music Glideaway, Well Met and Threesixfive finished in the first three places of the first semi final, the trio missed the trouble out of the traps that accounted for Trinity Junior. In the second semi final the shocks continued as The Other Kobe defeated Bens Teddy and Bockos Crystal, while Coolavanny Hoffa, De Lahdedah and Raha Mofo all disappointed and went out.
In the final, The Other Kobe made an impressive start out of the traps and led all the way for a deserved victory, despite a very late challenge by Bockos Crystal. Bens Teddy finished well but had given the leaders too much of a lead, which also applied to Threesixfive. Well Met found a little crowing at the third bend but was beaten at this stage anyway and Music Glideway never got into the race.
See also 2023 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
References