2024 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Odds & Favourites

In this post, we bring you the latest 2024 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby betting, odds plus a look at the prospects of the market favourites.

We are into the business end of Irish greyhound racing’s biggest event with the semi-finals to come this weekend. The action will continue over the next two weeks until a winner is crowned on the 23rd of November.

Some of the quickest hounds from Ireland and the UK are battling it out at Shelbourne Park for the most prestigious race in Greyhound Racing – the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby.

The reigning Champion is The Other Kobe who was trained by Irish-based trainer Jennifer O’Donnell. That win was remarkably her second successive training victory in the event following Born Warrior’s title in 2022.

2024 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Odds

BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Dates

Round 1: 18th & 19th of October

Round 2: 25th & 26th of October

Round 3: 2nd of November

Quarter Final: 9th of November

Semi-Finals: 16th of November

Final: 23rd of November

BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Favourites

Bockos Diamond – 5/4

The Graham Holland-trained hound Bockos Diamond has now been CUT into 5/4 from 6/4 to become the 4th Holland-trained Irish Greyhound Derby winner after Rural Hawaii (2016), Lenson Bocko (2019) and Newinn Taylor (2020).

The son of Dorotas Wildcat and Seaglass Shadow made his racing debut in Kilkenny last May where he ran up four rounds of the Champion Unraced 525 Final stopping the clock in 28.85.

He has since rattled up a prolific career record of 14wins and 1 runner-up finish from his 15 races. In the opening round of the Derby, he justified his status as the Ante Post favourite showing sensational speed from just before the first bend to leave his rivals in the dust winning in 29.23 from a 16.85 to the third bend.

In the second round Bockos Diamond went even quicker to justify his status as favourite for the competition winning in 29.03 the second fastest 550 time ever recorded in Ireland and a sensational 16.68 to the third bend.

The third round saw Bockos Diamond dominate Shelbourne Park again this time showcasing a pace literally never seen before at the track from a 3.30 start and 16.63 middle section run he went on to post a Track Record run of 28.94 for the 550.

Buckos Diamond continued to assert his dominance in the quarter final of the competition though from a slightly slower 3.4 sectional he still made all to be leading at the first bend winning in 29.19 coming 4.5 lengths ahead of runner-up Callaway Knegare.

This dog is simply breathtaking and it's hard to see anyone beating him in landing the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby even at odds of 5/4.

Bombay Pat – 8/1

The joint second favourite is another trained by Graham Holland. This time the son of Pestana and Bayliss Gee is an 8/1 chance to land the BoyleSports Irish Derby for Graham Holland after being cut from 12/1 at the beginning of the competition to now to 8/1.

Bombay Pat is another new star to the racing scene making his debut in Kilkenny last May. However, on just his third start on track showcased tremendous agility clocking 27.96 in Curraheen Park for the 525 and ahead of the Derby he won his maiden 550 in Shelbourne stopping the clock in 29.21.

His first-round victory clocking 29.34 to come 5.5 lengths ahead of runner-up Carmac King caught the eye of several punters due to being less exposed than the other dogs and perceived more room for improvement.

In the second round Bombay continued his unbeaten start to the competition stopping the clock in 29.41 from a sectional of 3.47 coming 4 lengths ahead of runner-up Down To Business.

The third round saw him cross the winning line again this time in 29.30 coming 2.5 lengths ahead of runner-up Short Grip and at the weekend his form continued this time winning in 29.19 coming 6 lengths ahead of Ballinbola Jim.

His career record to date from 12 races is 8 wins and 2 runner-up finishes and with him continuing to grow in the competition improving on his clocks almost every week, he is certainly a major player in this competition.

Cheap Sandwiches – 8/1

The other joint second favourite is another trained by Graham Holland. This time the son of Burgess Buck and Hearthill Josie who is the major market mover after the third round being CUT from odds of 14/1 to 10/1 and then to 8/1 to land the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby.

Cheap Sandwiches only began his racing career last March when he ran up an ON2/ON3 Sprint Stakes before finishing runner-up 4 lengths back of winner Satellite Monroe in 17.40. Following a few trio finishes he showed off his remarkable potential Pre-Derby clocking 28.34 in a trial around Curraheen Park and now has 6 wins, 8runner-up finishes and 3 thirds from 20 races.

In the opening round, he finished 3 lengths back of winner Benalmadena Puma after overcoming a messy race. In round two he established his credentials for the Derby albeit in a 4 dog race winning in 29.20 and coming 4 lengths ahead of Hot Wood.

In the third round, he posted his quickest run to date winning in 29.18 and coming 3 lengths ahead of runner-up Hawkfield Blue. In the quarter-final he posted a slightly slower sectional of 3.44 and ended up finishing a 1/2 a length behind winner A Lucky Julie in 29.34.

This is clearly a pacey greyhound but at odds of 8/1, I'd prefer others in the market.

BoyleSports Bob – 10/1 

The Paul Hennessy-trained dog for John Boyle is the son of Good News and Roanna Bess and is priced at 10/1 to win the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby.

BoyleSports Bob has been on the racing scene since debuting in the first round of an unraced at Kilkenny in May 2023 where he finished 4th. However, the dog has gone form strength to strength since winning 6 times, finishing runner-up 8 times and third on 5 occasions from 25 races. The highlight performance was when he was runner-up in the English Greyhound Derby earlier this year.

He opened his Irish Greyhound Derby campaign with a 29.25 victory to come 2.5 lengths ahead of runner-up Short Grip. It's no surprise he did his running from behind to lead near the line and win. In the second round he was baulked at the first bend but ran on strongly to qualify in third place.

In the third round, he put in his stereotypical strong running run but was unable to make up the distance to Undulation who was fast ahead eventually finishing 1 length behind the 29.16 winner.

BoyleSports Bob again earned all-important qualification at the weekend finishing 0.5 lengths behind winner Carrick Aldo in 29.15. If Bob can break faster he has serious claims at 10/1 though I'm not sure he will in the remaining rounds.

Callaway Knegare – 12/1

The Owen McKenna-trained tracker Callaway Knegare is priced at 12/1 to win the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby which would be McKenna's third success in the competition after 2004 and 2021.

The son of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Sweet made his racing debut in Curraheen Park last May where he ran up four rounds of the Denis Solicitors Open Unraced 525 finishing third in the final 10 lengths back of winner Droopys Plunge and 1 behind Romeo Control in second. Callaway Knegare is only 10 races into his racing career but he has already won the 2024 Juvenile Derby at Shelbourne Park winning the final in a sensationally fast 27.96 coming 3.5 lengths ahead of runner-up Innfield Destiny.

From his 13 races, he has 6 victories, 2 runner-up finish esand 3 third-place finishes in 2024. Callaway overcame a bad break to qualify in 3rd last weekend on the opening weekend of the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby coming 5 lengths behind winner Tarsna Maasai.

In the second round, he overcame trouble to stay on well in the second round again this time as runner-up coming 9.5 lengths back of winner Ballinbola Jim. In the third round, he broke better though with a 3.432 but was only good enough for third 3.5 lengths behind Bombay Pat and 1 back of Short Grip.

In the third round he qualified in third after being sandwiched in the first bend and being cut off at the final bend finishing 3.5 lengths behind 29.30 winner Bombay Pat. Last weekend he booked his Semi ticket coming 4.5 lengths behind winner Buckos Diamond who left his rivals for dust again!

While the dog has pace to burn he doesn't have the early pace to justify being 12/1 for me.

Outside Bet!

March On Freddie – 14/1

The British-trained March On Freddie by David Mullins is a full litter brother to Derby favourite Bockos Diamond at odds of 12/1 after drifting from 8/1 before the third round.

The son of Dorotas Wildcat and Seaglass Shadow made his racing debut in Clonmel last May stopping the clock in a fast 28.44. Following two races in Limerick, he made the move to England and has since gone on to break the 500m Track Record in Nottingham (29.00) and won the Puppy Classic. From 17 races he has 10 wins and has only been outside the money positions 3 times.

Ahead of the first round, I said that March On Freddie was flying under the radar at odds of 14/1 to become the first British-trained winner since Nick Savva with Tom's The Best in 1997. However, that's not the case anymore following his 29.19 victory in the opening round he was CUT to 6/1 second favourite.

March On Freddie continued his unbeaten start to the competition in the second round victory coming 2 lengths clear of Ballyhimikin Leo in 29.53 from a 3.52 sectional and in the third round overcame being badly baulked at the first bend to stay on and finish 1/2 a length behind winner Extra Gain in 29.82

He again earned all-important qualification at the weekend comin third albeit 10 length back of winner Bombay Pat. The last British chance in the competition and though he has gears, I don't think he's a backable prospect at 14/1.

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