First Round Draw

“The Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Stake”

The hugely anticipated Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Stake will start this Saturday 11^th March at Limerick Greyhound Stadium. With a total prize fund of €160,000, this is the richest event ever staged at an Irish Greyhound Stadium outside of Shelbourne Park.  The event is kindly sponsored by JP & Noreen McManus, and also offers local GAA Clubs the opportunity to share in a €20,000 nominators prize fund. 

A new incentive is on offer this year with the inclusion of The Last Bitch Standing where €5,000 is on offer to the last remaining bitch in the competition. Again this year all losing first round greyhounds will receive a consolation prize of €100. This initiative helps to make the event accessible to all owners and trainers, both large and small scale, in their quest to win the €80,000 first prize.

Liam Kennedy Racing Manager at Limerick Greyhound Stadium commented “We are really looking forward to this premier stake, welcoming top class greyhounds from around the country. It always draws great interest from far and wide”.

A spokesperson from Martinstown Stud also commented that “We are delighted to see an increase on last year’s entries and Greyhounds from all over the country taking part. We are really looking forward to a great month of racing here at Limerick”.

72 Greyhounds are running in the stake and all are vying for the coveted first prize of €80,000. The first round will comprise of 12 heats on Saturday 11^th March, with the 1^st 4 dogs qualifying for Round 2 on Saturday 18^th March. 

  

Each Greyhound running in the stake is also linked to a GAA club from County Limerick.  As the Greyhounds progress through the rounds, so too do the nominated GAA Clubs, until just six remain in the Final on Saturday 8^th April. The winning nominator club on that night will receive €10,000 and the opportunity to hold a fundraising night for their club at Limerick Greyhound Stadium. The second and third placed clubs will win €5,000 and €2,000 respectively with the three unplaced nominators winning €1,000 each.