Ballymac Setanta sent out a serious statement of intent in the opening round of the BAR 1 Betting Irish Greyhound Laurels at Curraheen Park on Saturday night, smashing the track record in a stunning display.
The Liam Dowling-trained star produced a devastating performance from trap one in heat five, rocketing from the boxes and quickly putting daylight between himself and his rivals. The son of Ballymac Kingdom and Ballymac Art never looked in danger thereafter, powering to victory in a sensational 27.75.
A finalist in last year’s BAR 1 Betting Irish Greyhound Laurels, Ballymac Setanta had previously shared the Curraheen Park record after clocking 27.81 in 2024. He went even quicker this time, shaving six spots off the previous mark to leave his name at the top of the track-record charts.
The performance further cemented his position as the ante-post favourite and set the standard for what promises to be a thrilling Laurels campaign. Ballymac Setanta is now a rock-solid 5/2 favourite for Laurels glory. The final takes place on Saturday, October 17, and will be broadcast live on Virgin Media Television, with coverage hosted by Ivan Yates and Ian Fortune.
There was more to celebrate for Liam Dowling in heat nine as Solo And Go, the runner-up in last year’s Laurels, made his own statement with a dominant performance.
Sent off as the heavily backed favourite for the Kingdoms Palace Syndicate, which counts Kerry senior footballers David and Paudie Clifford among its members, Solo And Go was quickly into his stride and never gave his rivals a chance.
He controlled the race from the front before powering across the line in 28.05, recording a decisive four-and-a-half-length victory over kennel companion Ballymac Linx.
It was another authoritative performance from a greyhound who came agonisingly close to Laurels glory 12 months ago, and Dowling now has two major contenders safely through the opening round. Solo And Go is 6/1 to go one place better than last year and win the competition outright.
With the first-round fireworks setting the standard, the race for BAR 1 Betting Irish Greyhound Laurels glory is already beginning to heat up. Racing fans won’t have long to wait for the next instalment, with the action returning to Curraheen Park on Saturday, October 3.
BAR 1 Betting Irish Laurels 2026 Outright Prices
Updated prices for the Irish Laurels can be found in all BAR 1 Betting shops throughout the duration of the competition. Find your nearest BAR 1 Betting shop.
