WILLIE RIGNEY, leading owner and big-race sponsor, is looking forward to a huge weekend of racing at Shelbourne Park given his company Time Greyhound Nutrition is sponsoring the Juvenile Derby which kicks off on Friday – the eve of the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Final.
Rigney and his business partner John Fox launched Time earlier this year and vowed to support the greyhound industry on both sides of the Irish Sea with big-race sponsorships including the Select Stakes at Waterford, the Dundalk International, the A4 Derby at Limerick, a valuable invitation race on English Greyhound Derby Final night at Towcester, plus the 3 Steps To Victory at Sheffield. Time has also backed races at Romford and Crayford this year and further announcements are expected soon.
Monday’s victory in the JenningsBet Select Stakes at Nottingham for Clona Duke completed a notable double given the Graham Holland-trained star had won the Time Select Stakes at Waterford. Tipperary-based Holland is a Time client and Rigney was delighted to see the Select Stakes double landed.
“It’s another slice of greyhound racing history for Graham, being the first Irish-trained winner of the UK Select Stakes – and landing a unique double having won the Time Select Stakes in April,” he said, “and, remember, Clona Duke also won last year’s Juvenile Derby. Hopefully we’ll see him on Time Juvenile Derby Final night.”
However, Rigney is now very much concentrating on two days of incredible sport at Shelbourne Park, beginning with the heats of the Juvenile Derby on Friday.
For 72 greyhounds and restricted to September 21 whelps and younger, the 525yd Time Juvenile Derby offers total prize-money of €41,400 with €25,000 for the winner on Saturday, September 30. RPGTV will broadcast the action on final night.
On the sponsorship Rigney added: “Time Greyhound Nutrition is delighted to be sponsoring one of the great competitions for younger greyhounds – the Irish and English Derby class of the future – as Clona Duke showed last year.
“When we worked with Gain we supported some of the sport’s major events and since we launched Time our plan was to increase sponsorship even further.
“By supporting the Juvenile Derby, we are investing in future greyhound talent and hopefully owners and trainers will see the benefits of our products in getting their young dogs to reach their potential.”
Time Greyhound Nutrition Juvenile Derby – 525yd, Shelbourne
Round 1: Friday, September 1
Round 2: Saturday, September 9
Quarter-Finals: Saturday, September 16
Semi-Finals: Saturday, September 23
Final: Saturday, September 30
