A couple of weeks after the least interesting week in living memory, Irish racing surpassed itself with two outstanding performances of the week.
First up was a rare English winner of the Dundalk International with the narrowest of victories for the fastest dog over the English Derby course this year, Droopys Verve.
That was followed by an Irish Laurels win for the dog who has dominated the Cork selections this year, Rockybay Foley. A top class greyhound must be able to consistently produce the times and performances from any trap and Foley with 16 wins from 20 races, and from five different traps, Kieran Lynch’s dog ticks every box.
Elsewhere Skywalker Rafa went quickest in the heats of the Tipperary Cup at Thurles.
| CLONMEL | 29.12 | KINGSLEY PARK | (Ballymac Eske-Affection, Mar 15) |
| CURRAHEEN PARK | 28.27 | ROCKYBAY FOLEY | (Sparta Maestro-Ironically, Aug 15) |
| DERRY | 28.22 | COOLATEE MOLLY | (Superior Product-Thrill A Minute, Aug 16) |
| DRUMBO PARK | 28.94 | RAHINA JUDY | (Paradise Madison-Ridgedale Hawk, Jun 16) |
| DUNDALK | 29.39 | DROOPYS VERVE | (Loughteen Blanco-Droopys Cyclone, Jun 16) |
| ENNISCORTHY | 29.17 | ENABLE | (Laughil Blake-Groupie Doll, May 16) |
| GALWAY | 28.89 | ROCKMOUNT TOUCHE | (Head Bound-Satin Diva, Sep 15) |
| KILKENNY | 29.61 | GRADING AXIS | (Scolari Me Daddy-Droopys Axis, Jan 17) |
| LIFFORD | 29.00 | TIC TOK BLISS | (Slippery Robert-Above And Beyond, Mar 15) |
| LIMERICK | 29.86 | KILBRIDE WARRIOR | (Skywalker Puma-Wee Bee, Aug 16) |
| LONGFORD | 29.02 | LAUGHIL ABBY | (Romeo Recruit-Laughil Laura, Aug 16) |
| MULLINGAR | 29.44 | KNOCKMANT ROBIN | (Tyrur Big Mike-Mineola Talent, Feb 16) |
| NEWBRIDGE | 29.24 | BURNT OAK BETH | (Greenwell Hulk-Burnt Oak Becky, Oct 16) |
| SHELBOURNE PARK | 41.69 | DROOPYS LAGOON | (Laughil Blake-Droopys Safina, Dec 15) |
| 28.30 | BALLYDOYLE FLASH | (Paradise Madison-Dark Matter, Jun 16) | |
| THURLES PARK | 28.74 | SKYWALKER RAFA | (Laughil Blake-Coolavanny Royce, Dec 15) |
| TRALEE | 28.74 | VARVATOS | (Ballymac Best-Aguasantas, Dec 16) |
| WATERFORD | 28.65 | RAYTOWN AMY | (Tullymurry Act-Market Glory, Aug 16) |
| YOUGHAL | 17.67 | MYLANE DADDY | (Scolari Me Daddy-Sparta Fantasy, Sep 16) |
