GreyhoundRacingResults.com.auIrish Greyhound Derby
Group 1 · Shelbourne Park · Ireland · 550y (525yd) · August–September · €125,000 to the winner
About the Irish Greyhound Derby
The Irish Greyhound Derby at Dublin's Shelbourne Park is the richest race in Irish greyhound racing, with a six-figure winner's prize and a final that stops the nation each September. The modern era belongs to Graham Holland, whose 2025 winner Cheap Sandwiches gave him a record five Irish Derbies (2016, 2019, 2020, 2024, 2025), lifting him past legends Tom Lynch and Gay McKenna. Recent champions have dominated across the Irish Sea too — Bockos Diamond went close in the 2025 English Derby final — while the last UK-trained winner of the Irish classic remains Toms The Best in 1997. After a 2024 calendar shift for Shelbourne's €5 million redevelopment, the Derby returned to its traditional late-summer slot in 2025.
Recent winners
- 2025 — Cheap Sandwiches: 4/5 favourite and a record fifth Irish Derby for trainer Graham Holland
- 2024 — Bockos Diamond: Won for Graham Holland, then chased home in the 2025 English Derby final
How to punt the Irish Greyhound Derby
Follow the Holland kennel — Riverside Kennels' dominance means their runners are bet accordingly, so value hunters should look at the second and third strings in the ante-post market, which historically outperform their odds. Round-by-round sectionals at Shelbourne matter more than winning margins; the 525-yard trip rewards strong finishers who can slot through late. Cross-channel form cuts both ways: Irish open winners travel to Towceston well in June, and English form translates back for the September classic.
Shelbourne Park track profile · Latest Shelbourne Park results
More Group 1 races
- Melbourne Cup — Sandown Greyhounds, Australia
- Golden Easter Egg — Wentworth Park, Australia
- Million Dollar Chase — Wentworth Park, Australia
- Sandown Cup — Sandown Greyhounds, Australia
- Bold Trease — Sandown Greyhounds, Australia
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Irish Greyhound Derby held?
The Irish Greyhound Derby is held at Shelbourne Park in Dublin, with the final in late September each year after rounds through August and early September.
Who won the 2025 Irish Greyhound Derby?
Cheap Sandwiches won the 2025 Irish Greyhound Derby as the 4/5 favourite, giving trainer Graham Holland a record fifth title in the race.
Who has trained the most Irish Greyhound Derby winners?
Graham Holland holds the record with five Irish Derby wins: Rural Hawaii (2016), Lenson Bocko (2019), Newinn Taylor (2020), Bockos Diamond (2024) and Cheap Sandwiches (2025).
How much does the Irish Derby winner get?
The 2025 Irish Greyhound Derby carried a total purse of €300,000 with €125,000 to the winner.