The third round of the 2026 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby delivered plenty of drama last Saturday night, with several leading contenders strengthening their claims while others saw their hopes fade.
The night started well for the bitches as Bombay Special pulled off a surprise victory as the odds-on chance Low Profile could only finish third.
In the next, there was disappointment for supporters of Bockos Diamond who weakened slightly after challenging for most of the race.
His kennelmate Bockos Gold reached the front on the run-in as another 6/1 shot triumphed for Graham Holland.
His bitch Ballydoyle Tina also missed out in fourth place.
Impressive form
The unbeaten Hackney Dancer proved too good in heat three as the favourite Im Here had to settle for the runners-up spot again.
It was plain sailing once more for Bouncing Monarch who never saw another rival after his customary pace out of the traps.
He looks the real deal but can he maintain his impressive form in the rest of the event as his price has shortened to about 5/2 in response to this latest performance.
Wi Can James proved a popular winning jolly in heat five in a fastest of the night 29.10, three spots quicker than Bouncing Monarch.
Only a Sept ‘24 dog but is hitting peak form at the right time.
Unfortunately, Ballymac Kamala housed in trap 1 was very slow away and no coming back from such a tardy break in this quality field.
The following heat saw Coloursaregreen return to winning ways at the expense of favourite Sleight Of Hand.
The well-fancied Lennies Dynamic was eliminated as the field bunched in the second half of the contest.
The penultimate heat featured another impressive winner named Waitingforastar – it seems like we already have one and he looks a big danger to Bouncing Monarch based on his progressive unbeaten record in the competition.
The last heat proved that an early leader at the opening bend can prove difficult to catch as Harvard Square did just that in another fast 3.40 split.
His previous 3.32 sectional time remains the quickest in this year’s Irish Derby. Solo And Go (4/9F) qualified in second but was still four lengths adrift at the end of the race.
Quarter-final
The subsequent draw has potentially given Wi Can James a tricky trap placement to overcome as the only inside seed out widest of all in five.
If he gets held up, Coloursaregreen is capable of taking advantage if the opportunity does arise.
The second quarter-final sees Bouncing Monarch in red.
He has the resurgent Bockos Gold for company but should he repeat his previous performances, it’s him against the clock.
He does have the early speed of middle seed Harvard Square to contend with yet it’s unlikely to stop his winning streak.
Onto the third quarter with Hackney Dancer as the sole winner yet on paper appears to be the tightest race with very little to choose between most of the trackers.
In a level break, you would rather be nearest the fence so the aforementioned railer is preferred over Sleight Of Hand and Getup The Boy.
Im Here has a string of second finishes yet cannot be discounted if he gets loose from a wide berth in six.
The last heat includes Bombay Special as the only bitch remaining in the stripes.
She has the talented Waitingforastar who may lack a little early dash compared to his rivals but is still the one to beat.
Providing he gets a clear run, his customary strong finish should see him in front when it matters.
Ratings
No change at the top of the leaderboard as Bouncing Monarch retains his superiority rating-wise.
If you are holding ante-post bets at double-figure odds before the first round, it’s all going to plan so far.
The biggest improver is Waitingforastar and at around the 6/1 mark is now a viable alternative to prevent the Monarch reigning supreme.
Good luck to all connections as it is now only two rounds to go before the final.
Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate
The Derby Plate competition commenced last Friday and the top two in the betting both won their respective races in emphatic fashion.
Ballymac Deniro had to work hard to get to the front after a moderate start.
There were no such issues with Ballymac Setanta who quickly asserted and won in a rapid 29.19 finishing time.
He sets the standard and is priced accordingly at a best 7/4 mark but has the chance to put his Derby first round exit behind him.
An alternative each-way option is Swords Style (14/1) who bounced back to form as he led all the way from a fast start.
