Ramsbottom pair shine bright in opening round of Irish Derby

LAOIS trainer Karol Ramsbottom emerged as one of the standout performers from the opening round of the 2026 BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby, sending out two impressive winners as the sport's greatest prize began its six-week journey towards the final at Shelbourne Park.

The 2026 BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby burst into life at Shelbourne Park last weekend, with 24 high-quality opening round heats showcasing the very best of Irish greyhound racing and setting the stage for what promises to be another thrilling renewal of the classic.

Featuring the sport's leading trainers, established champions, emerging stars and some of the most exciting young talent in training, the opening round provided drama, outstanding performances and plenty of talking points before the prestigious final on Saturday 12 September.

A total of 96 greyhounds safely negotiated the opening round, although several fancied runners saw their Derby ambitions ended at the first hurdle, underlining once again the fiercely competitive nature of the Blue Riband event.

For Laois greyhound racing supporters, however, the weekend belonged to Karol Ramsbottom, who enjoyed an excellent return from Shelbourne Park with a pair of opening-round winners and several other qualifiers safely through to the second round.

Saturday night's action proved particularly memorable for the highly respected Laois handler.

In Heat 17, recent Juvenile Derby runner-up Kapuka Coley produced an outstanding display over the 550-yard trip. Showing all his trademark strength, the son of Sober Glory and Assarula Runner reeled in kennel companion Sober Barry to lead home a memorable Ramsbottom one-two.

Kapuka Coley swept to the front approaching the third bend before powering clear to score by three lengths in 29.35, immediately marking himself down as a greyhound capable of making a deep run through the competition.

Ramsbottom then doubled his tally in dramatic fashion in the final heat of the opening round when Amidus Hulk caused one of the shocks of the weekend.

Sent off at 20/1, Amidus Hulk made a flying start before grabbing control of the race early. Avoiding trouble while several of the leading contenders encountered traffic, he took full advantage to lead throughout and score in 29.65. The victory was particularly noteworthy as the race also saw several highly fancied runners struggle to qualify, highlighting the unpredictability and excitement that makes the Irish Derby such a special competition.

The Irish Greyhound Derby now moves into its next phase with the remaining contenders returning to Shelbourne Park for two nights of second-round heats tonight and tomorrow night.

With Kapuka Coley and Amidus Hulk safely through, Laois supporters will be eagerly anticipating the next chapter as Karol Ramsbottom's Derby challenge gathers momentum.