Bockos Diamond Is Seeking a Second Irish Greyhound Derby
Bockos is back for more Irish Greyhound Derby glory, but the history books suggest the big guns could struggle.
Greyhound racing in Ireland never fails to draw big crowds for its major finals.
Key Facts:
- Win machine Bockos Diamond is favourite to win his second Irish Greyhound Derby.
- Four of last year’s Derby finalists are back to chasing the coveted prize.
- British star, Proper Heiress, has the right credentials but needs to rewrite the record books.
Boasting an impressive €125,000 first prize, the Boyle Sports Irish Greyhound Derby is Irish greyhound racing’s centrepiece event. The 550-yard competition is also classified as one of the world’s greatest greyhound races.
Greyhound Racing Ireland has promised that 2025’s Derby will deliver top-tier racing before huge crowds at the newly upgraded Shelbourne Park Stadium in Dublin.
The action takes place over six August and September weekends, culminating in a live televised final.
A €5 million grandstand renovation project meant last year’s Irish Greyhound Derby was raced in October and throughout November.
A return to its traditional late summer slot should theoretically benefit the defending Derby champion, Bockos Diamond.
When successful in last year’s decider, Bockos Diamond completed his 15th successive race victory. He has raced only seven times since, winning four more times. Most recently, he finished runner-up in the English Greyhound Derby final at Towcester.
Four of the Best From 144 Runner Field
Boasting an exceptional record of 20 race victories, two runner-up finishes and a third-placed effort from 23 career starts – winning over €155,000 in the process – Bockos Diamond’s place at the top of the Irish Derby ante-post betting lists was inevitable.
Following entries closing – the competition has attracted 144 runners – and the first-round draw made, the leading online sports betting sites installed the Graham Holland-trained greyhound as the 11/2 market leader.
Kennelmate Cheap Sandwiches, the runner-up in last year’s Irish Derby and fourth in this year’s English Derby, is trading as the competition’s 14/1 second favourite. Other familiar names from last year’s competition include Derby third, Callaway Knegare, and Boylesports Bob, who is 66/1 to win the title by going four places better than he did in 2024.
Irish Greyhound Derby Dates
- First Round: Friday 22nd & Saturday 23rd August
- Second Round: Friday 29th & Saturday 30th August
- Third Round: Saturday 6th September
- Quarter Finals: Saturday 13th September
- Semi-Finals: Saturday 20th September
- Greyhound Derby Final: Saturday 27th September
Diamond Needs Polished Performance for Historical Double
Bockos Diamond Bockos has history against him. Not since 1955 has a greyhound won the Irish Derby in consecutive years.
That dog was the legendary Spanish Battleship who won the competition three times. His 1954 Irish Greyhound Derby trophy will be displayed in Shelbourne Park’s Museum throughout this year’s competition.
Proper Heiress, trained by Mark Wallis in the UK, also has some history to overcome. The last British-trained dog that won the Irish Greyhound Derby was Toms The Best in 1997. This great champion completed the English/Irish Derby double in 1998.
Nevertheless, as the winner of the Coral Sussex Cup, the Olympic (also sponsored by the famous betting company and raced at Hove, a track it owns), the Winter Derby and Kent Plate at Central Park, Proper Heiress has outstanding credentials. He may be underestimated by the bookmakers offering him on 25/1 odds.
The English/Irish Derby double could be repeated in 2025 as the 2023 English Derby winner, De Lahdedah, will tackle the Irish Derby for a third time. The big race sponsoring site – a stablemate of the popular Boylesports Casino – rates his chances at 40/1.
