Irish Performance of the Week - 1 September 2026
Another week into the BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby and another sensational performance from a dog who has been quickest in three of the four rounds at Shelbourne.
Monarch makes it three quickest times in four rounds of the Derby
Four weekends into the BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby and Bouncing Monarch has been quickest of the week in there of them. He has been absolutely spectacular through the competition to this point, unbeaten in some serious style. Things will get harder but the outright favourite for the competition has shown week in and week out that he is the one that they all have to beat.
At Cork it was Desert Flower who produced a new fastest time of the year for the 575y distance. There have only been 10 quicker times over the last two years combined, so it is effort that stacks up well with the pick of the runs over the trip. Arguably the previous best run in her career had come over six bends so the longer four-bend trip clearly suited her well.
Seefin Dot is now the second quickest over Clonmel's 300y distance this year. The only dog that has gone quicker is Limerick sprint track record holder Stonepark Browne and the one that was previously in second was a Bar 1 Irish Sprint Cup finalist! It was a clear career best effort on just his second start over two bends.
Another sprinter to take over the number two spot for the year is Hyde The Fiddle who made her race debut at Galway last week. It was a stunning way to kickstart her career, and the daughter of Irish Oaks winner Raha Mofo should have no problem getting four bends when she is required to in time.
In just 13 career starts, Monalee Haruto has already passed the line in front on eight occasions. He had been producing some consistent efforts of late but his win at Enniscorthy last week was a big step forward on the rest of his form, with a new quickest of the year over the 525y distance there.
