SHELBOURNE PARK takes centre-stage tonight with the quarter-finals of the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby - live on SIS - and Bockos Diamond, the exceptional new track record holder, has another chance to shine.
However, before we concentrate on events across the Irish Sea, Oxford have an early start for a batch of open races given the Betgoodwin Series Maiden Sprint kicks off as part of brand new series of events at the Cowley track backed by the bookmaker - fair play to them.
Pick of the bets in the sprint heats could be Chris Hamblin's Black Gent (12.12), while other Oxford fancies today are Sean White's Broadway Murty (11.21) - the pride and joy of the White family (see below) - and Matt Dartnall's Long Fellow (11.54), who has run some of his best races at Oxford and can regain the winning thread.
So to Ireland and the quarter-finals of the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby where Bockos Diamond (9.54) is impossible to oppose in the fourth quarter-final after setting new figures for the 550yd trip last week, albeit expect better from Calloway Knegare, especially given the red-box pitch tonight for the latter.
UK challenger March On Freddie (9.06) bids for a place in the semi-finals when he goes in heat one and, while qualification is still the name of the game, victory is not beyond the realms tonight after a trip home in midweek might see him fresher for his return, albeit English Derby hero De Lahdedah remains the one to beat.
Other quarter-final fancies are the well-pitched Graham Holland-trained Untold Dollar (9.24), who rates a a value alternative to kennelmate Cheap Sandwiches in the second quarter-final, and David Murray's Carrick Aldo (9.39) who could be drawn for a big run in the third quarter-final given his outside pitch.
Back to the UK and Monmore also stages a classy open-race card tonight with the feature event being the Ladbrokes.com 480 Final - Patrick Godfrey's Arthur Cornflake (9.04) gets the vote to come forward for last week's heat run after his luckless trip to Shelbourne Park for the Irish Derby. He could be the value to edge out the rails-heading Millbank Boiler.
Earlier, Nathan Hunt's Seaview Sydney (7.39) catches the eye in a battle with Crossfield Enzo. A faster start from the black jacket could seal the lead - and the win.
*A GOFUNDME page has been set up for Tommy White, son of trainer Sean White, after an accident in September left him with life-changing injuries.
Tommy loves his greyhounds and keeping tabs with the progress of the Broadway-prefixed runners handled by his dad at their south London home - including the family's runners at Oxford today - will act as inspiration for his rehabilitation.
Read Tommy's story and donate please via https://www.gofundme.com/f/tommy-whites-recovery-rehabilitation-fund
*THERE are five nominations for the Time Greyhound Nutrition Greyhound of the Month for October.
They are Kent Derby winner Droopys Display (Maxine Locke), Oaks champion Druids Say Go (Patrick Janssens), Champion Stakes heroine New Destiny (Mark Wallis), Scurry Gold Cup winner Rioja Oisin (Kevin Hutton) and Steel City Cup winner Wicky Ned (Jimmy Fenwick).
*NOTTINGHAM stages six heats of the Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse over 500m on Monday - the entry featuring reigning champion Newinn Syd.
The £20,000-to-the-winner final will feature as part of the third Gone To The Dogs - Live! broadcast from the Colwick Park track on Monday, November 25.
