Laurels (Irish greyhound race)

For other uses, see Laurels (disambiguation).

The Laurels is a greyhound racing competition held annually at Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium located in Bishopstown, west of Cork, County Cork, Ireland.^[1]

Irish Laurels

2005 finalist Vancouver Sparky
Class	Feature
Location	Curraheen Park
Inaugurated	1944
Sponsor	Bar One Racing
Race information
Distance	525 yards
Surface	Sand
Purse	€30,000 (winner)

It was hosted by the old Cork Greyhound Stadium from 1944 to 1999^[2] but inevitably continued to be held at the new track after it opened.

It is a prestigious event targeted by many of Ireland's leading greyhounds and is an integral part of the Irish greyhound racing calendar.^[3]

Clonbrien Hero, trained by Graham Holland and owned by Ms. Kay Murphy of Athlacca, County Limerick set a new record for the final of the Laurels (at Curraheen Park) when he won by three lengths in a time of 28.00 on 22 July 2017.^[4]

Venues & Distances

• 1944–1960 (Cork, Western Road, 500 yards)
• 1961–1999 (Cork, Western Road, 525 yards)
• 2000–present (Cork, Curraheen Park, 525 yards)

Sponsors

• 1979–1981 (Cashmans)
• 1985–1986 (Joe Donnelly)
• 1987–1991 (Kantoher Co-op)
• 1992–1992 (Michael McCarthy)
• 1993–1994 (Michael Crowley)
• 1995–2003 (Co-op Superstores)
• 2004–2009 (Cashmans Bookmakers)
• 2010–2011 (Pat Hennerty Sales)
• 2012–2014 (Connolly's Red Mills)
• 2015–2019 (Irish Independent)
• 2023–2023 (Bar One Racing)

Past winners

^[5]

Year	Winner	Breeding	Time	Trainer	SP	Notes
1944	Robeen Printer	Printer – Deoc Deireannach	28.98
1945	Munster Hotel	Highland Rum – Ballinspittle	29.20
1946	Ballinrea Express	Rebel Express – Champion Queen	28.80
1947	Careless Border	Ruby Border – Volcut	28.80
1948	Double Shadow	Dark Shadow – Grosvenors Lady	28.33
1949	Spanish Chestnut	Rebel Abbey – Cordal Moonlight	28.55
1950	Spanish Chestnut	Rebel Abbey – Cordal Moonlight	28.70
1951	Knockrour Favourite	Bellas Prince – Favourite Tip	28.85	Jack Lynch
1952	Tragumna Dasher	Dark Shadow – Bran Cream	28.70
1953	Templenoe Rebel	Ballymac Ball – Templenoe Medora	28.55
1954	Come on Bella	Lucky Tanist – Knockrour Bella	28.90
1955	Spanish Battleship	Spanish Chestnut – Ballyseedy Memory	28.35	Tom Lynch
1956	Rather Grand [6]	The Grand Champion – Ashbrook Gift	29.00		7-1
1957	Kilcasey Streak		28.80
1958	Brook Prancer	Glittering Look – Shaggy Dancer	28.43
1959	Celbridge Chance	Eridanus – Avril	28.50
1960	Last Lap	The Grand Champion – Dooniskey Lass	28.15
1961	Round Tower Rose	Champion Prince – Knockdrina Rose	29.80
1962	Dark Baby	Knockrour Again – Ronnoc Miss	29.40			Track record
1963	Powerstown Proper	Hi There – Faoide	29.75
1964	Tanyard Heather	Oregon Prince – Clonbanin Chariot	29.20	P Cashman
1965	Boro Parachute	Crazy Parachute – Anjone	29.60
1966	Westpark Ash	Hi There – Westpark Ballet	29.40
1967	Philotimo	Booked Out – Pride of Corrin	29.65	C Kelleher
1968	Flaming King	Market Green – Maglin Lady	29.25	S Moran
1969	Skipping Tim [7]	Myross Again – Right On Time	29.50	Dave Cashman
1970	Gabriel Boy	Yanka Boy – Gabriel Star	29.25	Ger McKenna
1971	Ivy Hall Flash	Proud Lincoln – Ivy Hall Rose	29.15	Paddy Keane
1972	Dublin Eily	Maryville Hi – Right Champion	29.70	J Buckley
1973	Kilbracken Style	Kilbelin Style – Maggie Ann	29.10	Paddy Keane
1974	Silent Thought[8]	Ivy Hall Flash – Oulartwick Jane	29.50	Paddy Keane	2-1
1975	Moonshine Bandit	Yanka Boy – Westpark Roma	29.30	Christy O'Callaghan
1976	Nameless Star	Ritas Choice – Itsastar	29.30	Ger McKenna
1977	Ashleigh Honour	Kudas Honour – Miss Ashleigh	29.15	Dave Cashman
1978	Knockrour Girl	Bright Lad – Knockrour Last	29.40	Denis Lynch
1979	Knockrour Slave	Sole Aim – Knockrour Exile	29.45	Ger McKenna
1980	Knockrour Slave	Sole Aim – Knockrour Exile	29.00	Ger McKenna		Track record
1981	Knockeen Master	Laurdella Fun – Knockeen Guest	29.50	Christy O'Callaghan
1982	The Stranger [9]	Dark Mercury – Lovely Blend	28.95	Christy O'Callaghan		Track record
1983	Back Garden	Knockrour Slave – Sweeping Billy	29.66	Ger McKenna
1984	Rugged Mick	Ceili Band – Blueberry Pet	29.09	Ger McKenna
1985	Follow A Star	Under Par – Float A Loan	29.42	Ger McKenna	10-1
1986	Big Oran[10]	Oran Jack – Big Deposit	29.78	Ann Wade
1987	Yellow Bud[11]	Yellow Ese – Budweiser	29.28	Donal O'Regan	10-1
1988	Odell King[12]	Sail On II – Odell Tansy	28.98	Ned Power	7-2
1989	Airmount Grand[13]	Daleys Gold – Airmount Jewel	28.82	Gerald Kiely		Track record in final, sf and 2nd Rd
1990	Adraville Bridge[14]	Im Slippy – Milltown Gem	28.78	Mossy O'Connor	9-4jf	Track record
1991	Terrydrum Tico	Tico – Gentle Sarah	28.86	Davy Lennon	2-1f
1992	Market Rascal[15]	Coral Town – Twins Petra	29.58
1993	Lisglass Lass[16]	Quare Rocket – Machern	28.97	Francie Murray
1994	Clounmellane Oak[17]	Ravage Again – Rosehip Joy	29.44	John Lynch	6-1
1995	Standard Image[18]	Murlens Slippy – Simply Elite	29.04	Christy O'Callaghan	5-1
1996	Deerfield Bypass[19]	Daleys Gold – Black Adraville	29.12	Ger McKenna	7-2
1997	Mr Pickwick	Trade Union – Terrys Whisper	29.16	Paul Hennessy	1-2f
1998	Mr Pickwick	Trade Union – Terrys Whisper	29.29	Paul Hennessy	4-5f
1999	Lumber Boss	Batties Rocket – The Other Joy	29.42	Frances O'Donnell	5–1	dead-heat
1999	Tigers Eye	Coalbrook Tiger – Swift Comment	29.42	Nicky Turner	10–1	dead-heat
2000	Barefoot Ridge	Some Picture – Cailin Dilis	28.69	Paul Hennessy	6–1
2001	Sonic Flight [20]	Frightful Flash – Westmead Flight	28.41	Dolores Ruth	4–1
2002	Annual Award	Smooth Rumble – Heres Steppie	28.33	Eddie Wade	7–1
2003	Nikita Billie	Split the Bill – Nikita Doll	28.34	Jack Walsh	9–2
2004	Boherduff Light[21]	He Knows – Travelling Light	28.14	Owen McKenna	2-1jf
2005	Tyrur Ted[22]	Top Honcho – Watch the Market	28.33	PJ Fahy	4-6f
2006	Ardkill Jamie[23]	Top Savings – Fast Issue	28.35	Paul Hennessy	5–2
2007	Catunda Harry[24]	Elite State – Your So Vain	28.18	Owen McKenna	5-4f
2008	Cashen Legend[25]	Balintore Brave – Fergus Gold	28.74	Chris Houilhan	14–1
2009	Sevenheads Bay[26]	Ballymac Maeve – Travara Daisy	28.50	Graham Holland	4–1
2010	Tyrur Enda[27]	Razldazl Billy – Regards To Alice	28.42	PJ Fahy	4-6f
2011	Razldazl Rioga[28]	Brett Lee – Razldazl Pearl	28.32	Dolores Ruth	7–2
2012	Knockglass Billy[29]	Ballymac Maeve – Knockglass Lady	28.30	Graham Holland	2-1f
2013	Lassa Expedition[30]	Crash –Lassa Experience	28.39	Rachel Wheeler	3–1
2014	Vimmerby[31]	Winetavern Oscar – Wee Rose Garden	28.56	John Kavanagh	3–1
2015	Midtown Raffa[32]	Kinloch Brae – Raffa Baby	28.31	Maurice O'Connor	2-1f
2016	Skywalker Manner[33]	Leeview Jet – Jibberish	28.29	Graham Holland	5–1
2017	Clonbrien Hero[4]	Razldazl Jayfkay – Trout or Salmon	28.00	Graham Holland	5–2	Curraheen Park final record
2018	Rockybay Foley[34]	Sparta Maestro – Ironically	28.37	Kieran Lynch	4/5f
2019	Rockybay Foley[35]	Sparta Maestro – Ironically	28.57	Kieran Lynch	7/4f
2020	Runninta Seeya[36]	Laughil Blake – Droopys Harbour	28.48	John Linehan	-	No SP due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions
2021	One Time Only[37]	Droopys Sydney – Mags Image	28.17	Thomas O'Donovan	3/1
2022	Good Cody[38]	Definate Opinion – Soho Ark	28.20	Patrick Guilfoyle	5/1
2023	High Trend[39]	Droopys Sydney – Beaming Smasher	28.31	Graham Holland	8/1