Irish Greyhound Laurels Guide: Tips, Prices and Contenders

The 2026 Irish Greyhound Laurels is under way at Curraheen Park in Cork , where the opening round was run on Saturday 26th September, and the 525-yard classic builds towards the final on Saturday 17th October. Known as the “ Derby of the South ”, the Laurels was first run in 1944 and remains the jewel of the Cork racing calendar, with €30,000 going to the winner.

The reigning champion is Magical On Fire , who landed last year’s final for owner, trainer and breeder Pat Guilfoyle , just pipping Liam Dowling ’s Solo And Go on the line in 27.93, the fastest winning time in the history of the final, and handing Guilfoyle his second Laurels title.

Dowling has come back with a powerful hand in 2026, and the opening round went firmly his way. Hot favourite Ballymac Setanta smashed the 525-yard track record and Solo And Go made all to win his heat in style, while Sober Barry , Cill Dubh Cothal , Droopys Monk and English Derby champion Lennies Eddie also won their heats as the field was cut down for the quarter-finals on Saturday 3rd October.

Laurels Schedule

Irish Greyhound Laurels Dates

1st Round: Saturday 26th September Quarter-Finals: Saturday 3rd October Semi-Finals: Saturday 10th October FINAL: Saturday 17th October

Outright Odds

Irish Greyhound Laurels Odds

Laurels Favourites

Irish Greyhound Laurels Favourites

Ballymac Setanta

Ballymac Setanta – 5/2

Ballymac Setanta is the clear favourite with BOYLE Sports at 5/2, odds that give him a 28.6% chance of making amends for last year’s final defeat and handing Liam Dowling his first Laurels.

Bred, owned and trained by Dowling , the son of Ballymac Kingdom and Ballymac Art could hardly have made a bigger statement on Saturday night. Following an exceptional break of 3.23 from trap one, he made every yard of the running, won by almost ten lengths and lowered the Curraheen Park 525-yard track record to a blistering 27.75.

That was a fifth straight win, a sequence that includes an unbeaten run through the Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate at Shelbourne Park , where he clocked a flying 29.15 in the final. He went through last year’s Laurels unbeaten before finishing fifth in the decider behind Magical On Fire , and Cork clearly brings out the very best in him.

Earlier this year he was ante-post favourite for both the English and Irish Derby , and on Saturday’s evidence he is the one they all have to beat at 5/2.

Ballymac Setanta @ 5/2

Solo And Go

Solo And Go – 5/1

Second in the betting at 5/1 is Solo And Go , the dog who came closest to giving Liam Dowling that elusive Laurels win 12 months ago, when he was just caught on the line by Magical On Fire .

Owned by the Kingdoms Palace Syndicate , which includes Kerry football stars David and Paudie Clifford , he returned to Cork looking at the peak of his powers on Saturday, making all to beat kennelmate Ballymac Lix by four and a half lengths in a smart 28.05.

After finishing runner-up in last year's final, he’s already sampled the atmosphere of a Laurels final night at Curraheen Park , and with that experience on his side he rates the obvious danger to his stablemate at 6/1, with each-way appeal at the very minimum.

Solo And Go @ 5/1

Droopys Monk

Droopys Monk – 10/1

Next in the market at 10/1 is Droopys Monk , whose price gives him a 9.1% chance of landing the Laurels for trainer Barry Clancy .

Curraheen Park is clearly a happy hunting ground for him. His superb front-running 28.20 success on Saturday made it three wins from four starts at the Cork venue, and the ability to get to the opening bend in front is exactly what tends to win Laurels .

Less exposed at this level than the market leaders, he is a genuine dark horse who should have plenty of improvement in him, and at 10/1 he is an interesting option for those looking to take on the Dowling pair.

Droopys Monk @ 10/1

Ballymac Kamala

Ballymac Kamala – 14/1

Another from the powerful Dowling kennel, Ballymac Kamala is priced at 14/1, a 6.7% chance.

The Champion Stakes winner is proven at the highest level and has already shown she loves Curraheen Park . She won the final of the Laurels Trial Stake here on 5th September by seven lengths in 28.10, the fastest run of the night, and earlier in the summer she strung together five straight wins at Shelbourne Park .

With that kind of early pace and course form, she has the tools to go deep in the competition, but at 14/1 I don’t think she’s shown enough consistency to be backed at that price.

Ballymac Kamala @ 14/1

Lennies Eddie

Lennies Eddie – 14/1

The most decorated dog in the field is English Derby champion Lennies Eddie , available at 16/1 with BOYLE Sports , a 5.9% chance.

Paul Hennessy ’s charge was handed a tricky draw in trap five for his heat and started slowly, but he showed the class of a Derby winner to work his way to the front and lead home kennelmate Coloursaregreen , also 16/1, in 28.88.

That time leaves him with ground to make up on the clock against the likes of Ballymac Setanta and Sober Barry , but he will be sharper for the run, and a Derby winner at 16/1 makes plenty of each-way sense.

Lennies Eddie @ 14/1

Sober Barry

Sober Barry – 16/1

Heading the 16/1 group is Sober Barry , who posted one of the most eye-catching runs of the opening round for trainer Karol Ramsbottom .

He flew out of the traps with a joint-fastest 3.20 first split and powered home more than six lengths clear of Graham Holland ’s former UK star Romeo Alliance in 28.01, the second-quickest time of the night behind Ballymac Setanta ’s record.

That early speed is a huge weapon around Cork , and anything close to a repeat puts him right in the mix. At 16/1, he is one of the more appealing prices in the market.

Sober Barry @ 16/1

*Prices are subject to fluctuation.

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