2026 looks set to be a big year for the Harlequin Syndicate

Pictured is Harlequin Taluka, the Greyhound of the Month at Central Park for November, trained by Barry O'Sullivan. He won four times in the month, A2, S2, A1 and an OR.

Harlequin looking for a big 2026

The Harlequin Syndicate blasted through the 150 winners mark in 2025 when Harlequin Topgee won at Yarmouth last week - and organiser Dave Wilson is looking forward to a fruitful 2026 with two new recruits into its ranks catching the eye.

Harlequin Libby signed off her Irish career when winning over 525yd at Shelbourne Park in 28.54sec last week, while Harlequin Messi is also heading to the UK after impressing with success over 750yd at the Dublin venue.

“Harlequin Libby is heading to Seamus Cahill’s at Hove,” said Wilson. “She’s a very strong-running type who still did 28.54sec at Shelbourne despite getting held up in running. She won three times at Shelbourne and Newbridge.

“Harlequin Messi destroyed a 750yd field at Shelbourne and is going to Barry O’Sullivan’s at Central Park. He looks a huge eight-bend runner in the making.

“When he won at Shelbourne it was a lot slower than they had it and, if anything, was going faster after the line, so the stiffer the test for him the better it seems.

“He’d been running on well in four-bend races at Newbridge and Shelbourne, but 750yd definitely brought out better in him - and there’s more to come. His dam is Crafty Kokoro, a Corn Cuchulainn winner, whose thrown some nice winners. In fact, Messi is a litter brother of Crafty Prospero, who's won some nice races for Michelle Brown.

“Scott Phelan trained both Libby and Messi and, as ever, has done a fantastic job."