IRISH DERBY CHAMP SPEARHEADS EXCEPTIONAL LEGER ENTRY

Peter Farrell

The opening-round heats of the 1XBet Irish St. Leger get underway at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night and, with some of the country’s finest talent set to line out across eleven heats, the 2026 renewal promises to be one of the strongest in recent memory.

Spearheading the star-studded entry is reigning BOYLE Sports Irish Derby champion Bockos Gold, who is clearly in fine fettle ahead of his return, having posted a sensational 27.85 in a preparation trial last time out. The Graham Holland-trained powerhouse has been drawn in the concluding heat of the night, where he faces a mouthwatering showdown with Ballymac Setanta. Widely regarded as two of the fastest greyhounds on the planet, their clash promises to be worth the admission fee alone and should provide a fitting conclusion to the opening round.

Another fascinating contest comes in heat six, where Solo And Go locks horns with Irish Derby consolation winner Low Profile. The former is perfectly housed in red for Liam Dowling and, given his blistering early speed, is likely to set a scorching gallop from the outset. Indeed, Dowling holds a particularly strong hand in this year's renewal, with Ballymac Deniro another leading contender. Having posted a scarcely believable 17.03 for the 325 yards at Tralee, the talented speedster looks ideally placed to make every yard in heat eight.

English Derby winner Lennies Eddie will also take his chance in heat five, where he faces the likes of Slippery Felix and Ballyhooly Cliff. Meanwhile, kennel companion Lennies Dynamic lines out in heat four, with Irish Derby finalist Hackney Dancer among his opposition in what promises to be another fiercely competitive affair.

Elsewhere, the depth of quality throughout the competition is quite remarkable, with a host of established stars bidding for Classic glory. The likes of Wi Can James, Ballymac Gwennie, Bills Harbour, Roaming Shelby, Glengar Silent, Getup The Boy, Crowdon Avenger, Daleroad Magic, Singalong Magic, Ballyea Warrior, Priceless Romeo, Jaykay Fly, Swords Style and Newinn Uganda are just some of the notable names hoping to make their mark over the coming weeks.

A full preview of the opening round heats of the 1XBET Irish St. Leger will be on Talking Dogs on Saturday morning.

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