Hi °C | Lo °C AT least 36 names will go into today's draw for the SIS Live Gold Cup, which kicks off at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night.
While entries will be taken up to 12.0, Frances O'Donnell's Night Of Stars winner Ardfert Thunder is likely to be the ante-post favourite for the 525-yard competition.
Among the entries received so far were Dragon Shield, Killinan Cash, Five Stars Bomber, Hillcroft Champ, Shelbourne Geoff, Holloway Road, Fahy Legend, Swanley Champ, Stay Thirsty and Tyrur Gilmore.
In association with the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Puppy Stake, which kicks off on March 1 at Limerick, JP and Noreen McManus have also pledged an additional €20,000 prize fund for an associated nominator event, which will see each greyhound taking part in the competition assigned to a GAA club in the county. The winning club will receive €10,000 and the opportunity to hold a fundraising night.
There will also be a runners-up prize of €5,000 and €2,000 for the club whose dog finishes third, as well as €1,000 for each of the other finalists.
Meanwhile, the Irish Greyhound Board has decided to adopt the draft report into the Mays Hurryonboy incident at Dundalk in June 2009 – which uncovered a result-rigging scheme involving falsified trial histories and ringer dogs – and implement its recommendations nationally.
In a statement, the IGB said: "New evidence subsequently came to light, which showed the need for further investigation.
"Bord na gCon's Independent Control Committee referred the case to the gardai who referred it back to Bord na gCon."
Bord na gCon referred it to Frank Melville, former chief executive of the UK National Racing Club, who recommended a new investigation.
The statement continued: "This revealed discrepancies in the marking of the greyhound in question as recorded by the photo finish and those as recorded in the official identify card or 'greyhound passport'.
"Furthermore, among other things, it revealed how the race management system was manipulated to undermine industry regulations.
"Mindful of recent global publications regarding sport and integrity challenges, the board and the executive are confident that the implementation of these recommendations, some of which are already in place, will ensure more robust industry integrity measure."
Valentine's treat
ALL women arriving at Shelbourne Park before 8.0 tonight will be admitted free.
