Laurels (Irish greyhounds)

This page is about the Irish Greyhound Race. For the British race, see Laurels (greyhounds).

Irish Laurels

Location	Curraheen Park
Inaugurated	1944
Sponsor	Irish Independent
Race information
Distance	525 yards
Surface	Sand
Purse	€30,000 (winner)

The Laurels is a greyhound racing competition held annually at Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium located in Bishopstown, west of Cork, County Cork, Ireland.[1]

It was hosted by the old Cork Greyhound Stadium from 1944–1999[2] but inevitably continued to be held at the new track after it opened.

It is a prestigious event targeted by many of Ireland's leading greyhounds and is an integral part of the Irish greyhound racing calendar.[3]

Clonbrien Hero owned by Ms. Kay Murphy of Athlacca, Co. Limerick set a new record for the final of The Laurels when he won by three lengths in a time of 28.10 on 22 July 2017.

Past winners

[4]

Year	Winner	Breeding	Time	Trainer	SP	Notes
1944	Robeen Printer	Printer – Deoc Deireannach	28.98
1945	Munster Hotel	Highland Rum – Ballinspittle	29.20
1946	Ballinrea Express	Rebel Express – Champion Queen	28.80
1947	Careless Border	Ruby Border – Volcut	28.80
1948	Double Shadow	Dark Shadow – Grosvenors Lady	28.33
1949	Spanish Chestnut	Rebel Abbey – Cordal Moonlight	28.55
1950	Spanish Chestnut	Rebel Abbey – Cordal Moonlight	28.70
1951	Knockrour Favourite	Bellas Prince – Favourite Tip	28.85	Jack Lynch
1952	Tragumna Dasher	Dark Shadow – Bran Cream	28.70
1953	Templenoe Rebel	Ballymac Ball – Templenoe Medora	28.55
1954	Come on Bella	Lucky Tanist – Knockrour Bella	28.90
1955	Spanish Battleship	Spanish Chestnut – Ballyseedy Memory	28.35
1956	Rather Grand [5]	The Grand Champion – Ashbrook Gift	29.00
1957	Kilcasey Streak		28.80
1958	Brook Prancer	Glittering Look – Shaggy Dancer	28.43
1959	Celbridge Chance	Eridanus – Avril	28.50
1960	Last Lap	The Grand Champion – Dooniskey Lass	28.15
1961	Round Tower Rose	Champion Prince – Knockdrina Rose	29.80
1962	Dark Baby	Knockrour Again – Ronnoc Miss	29.40			Track record
1963	Powerstown Proper	Hi There – Faoide	29.75
1964	Tanyard Heather	Oregon Prince – Clonbanin Chariot	29.20	P Cashman
1965	Boro Parachute	Crazy Parachute – Anjone	29.60
1966	Westpark Ash	Hi There – Westpark Ballet	29.40
1967	Philotimo	Booked Out – Pride of Corrin	29.65	C Kelleher
1968	Flaming King	Market Green – Maglin Lady	29.25	S Moran
1969	Skipping Tim [6]	Myross Again – Right On Time	29.50	Dave Cashman
1970	Gabriel Boy	Yanka Boy – Gabriel Star	29.25	Ger McKenna
1971	Ivy Hall Flash	Proud Lincoln – Ivy Hall Rose	29.15	Paddy Keane
1972	Dublin Eily	Maryville Hi – Right Champion	29.70	J Buckley
1973	Kilbracken Style	Kilbelin Style – Maggie Ann	29.10	Paddy Keane
1974	Silent Thought	Ivy Hall Flash – Oulartwick Jane	29.50	Paddy Keane
1975	Moonshine Bandit	Yanka Boy – Westpark Roma	29.30	Christy O'Callaghan
1976	Nameless Star	Ritas Choice – Itsastar	29.30	Ger McKenna
1977	Ashleigh Honour	Kudas Honour – Miss Ashleigh	29.15	Dave Cashman
1978	Knockrour Girl	Bright Lad – Knockrour Last	29.40	Denis Lynch
1979	Knockrour Slave	Sole Aim – Knockrour Exile	29.45	Ger McKenna
1980	Knockrour Slave	Sole Aim – Knockrour Exile	29.00	Ger McKenna		Track record
1981	Knockeen Master	Laurdella Fun – Knockeen Guest	29.50	Christy O'Callaghan
1982	The Stranger [7]	Dark Mercury – Lovely Blend	28.95	Christy O'Callaghan		Track record
1983	Back Garden	Knockrour Slave – Sweeping Billy	29.66	Ger McKenna
1984	Rugged Mick	Ceili Band – Blueberry Pet	29.09	Ger McKenna
1985	Follow A Star	Under Par – Float A Loan	29.42	Ger McKenna
1986	Big Oran	Oran Jack – Big Deposit	29.78	Mrs A Wade
1987	Yellow Bud	Yellow Ese – Budweiser	29.28	Donie O'Regan
1988	Odell King	Sail On II – Odell Tansy	28.98	M McCarthy
1989	Airmount Grand	Daleys Gold – Airmount Jewel	28.82	Gerald Kiely		Track record
1990	Adraville Bridge	Im Slippy – Milltown Gem	28.78	Mossy O'Connor		Track record
1991	Terrydrum Tico	Tico – Gentle Sarah	28.86
1992	Market Rascal	Coral Town – Twins Petra	29.58
1993	Lisglass Lass	Quare Rocket – Machern	28.97	Francie Murray
1994	Clounmellane Oak	Ravage Again – Rosehip Joy	29.44
1995	Standard Image	Murlens Slippy – Simply Elite	29.04
1996	Deerfield Bypass	Daleys Gold – Black Adraville	29.12	Ger McKenna
1997	Mr Pickwick	Trade Union – Terrys Whisper	29.16	Paul Hennessy	1-2f
1998	Mr Pickwick	Trade Union – Terrys Whisper	29.29	Paul Hennessy	4-5f
1999	Lumber Boss	Batties Rocket – The Other Joy	29.42	Frances O'Donnell	5–1	dead-heat
1999	Tigers Eye	Coalbrook Tiger – Swift Comment	29.42	Nicky Turner	10–1	dead-heat
2000	Barefoot Ridge	Some Picture – Cailin Dilis	28.69	Paul Hennessy	6–1
2001	Sonic Flight [8]	Frightful Flash – Westmead Flight	28.41	Dolores Ruth	4–1
2002	Annual Award	Smooth Rumble – Heres Steppie	28.33	Eddie Wade	7–1
2003	Nikita Billie	Split the Bill – Nikita Doll	28.34	Jack Walsh	9–2
2004	Boherduff Light	He Knows – Travelling Light	28.14	Owen McKenna	2-1jf
2005	Tyrur Ted	Top Honcho – Watch the Market	28.33	PJ Fahy	4-6f
2006	Ardkill Jamie	Top Savings – Fast Issue	28.35	Paul Hennessy	5–2
2007	Catunda Harry	Elite State – Your So Vain	28.18	Owen McKenna	5-4f
2008	Cashen Legend	Balintore Brave – Fergus Gold	28.74	Chris Houilhan	14–1
2009	Sevenheads Bay	Ballymac Maeve – Travara Daisy	28.50	Graham Holland	4–1
2010	Tyrur Enda	Razldazl Billy – Regards To Alice	28.42	PJ Fahy	4-6f
2011	Razldazl Rioga	Brett Lee – Razldazl Pearl	28.32	Dolores Ruth	7–2
2012	Knockglass Billy	Ballymac Maeve – Knockglass Lady	28.30	Graham Holland	2-1f
2013	Lassa Expedition	Crash –Lassa Experience	28.39	Rachel Wheeler	3–1
2014	Vimmerby	Winetavern Oscar – Wee Rose Garden	28.56	John Kavanagh	3–1
2015	Midtown Raffa [9]	Kinloch Brae – Raffa Baby	28.31	Maurice O'Connor	2-1f
2016	Skywalker Manner [10]	Leeview Jet – Jibberish	28.29	Graham Holland	5–1
2017	Clonbrien Hero [11]	Razldazl Jayfkay – Trout or Salmon	28.00	Graham Holland	5–2	Final record
2018	Rockybay Foley [12]	Sparta Maestro – Ironically	28.37	Kieran Lynch	4-5f
2019	Rockybay Foley [13]	Sparta Maestro – Ironically	28.57	Kieran Lynch	7-4f

Venues & Distances

• 1944–1999 (Cork, Western Road)
• 2000–present (Cork, Curraheen Park)

References

1. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing, page 285. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
2. Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, page 322. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
3. "Feature Events" (PDF). Irish Greyhound Board.
4. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, page 170. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
5. "Greyhound Star (Remember When November 1956)". Greyhound Star.
6. "Greyhound Star (Remember When - April)". Greyhound Star.
7. "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1982) September edition". Greyhound Star.
8. "Remember When – October". Greyhound Star.
9. "2015 Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
10. "2016 Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
11. "2017 Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
12. "Laurels final meeting". Irish Greyhound Board.
13. "2019 Laurels final". Irish Greyhound Board.