IT was no surprise that a prize fund of € 26,500 should have drawn a class field to Tralee Track for the Greyhound and Petworld Kingdom Derby and, judging by the times produced in the first-round heats last Friday night, this is an event that is going to generate a huge amount of excitement at the Oakview venue over the next few weeks.

The fastest heat winner, on 28.34 was Burnpark Champ and he will command particular attention when the second-round heats are run off this Saturday night, but quite a few other greyhounds shone as well and, for sure, there will be a very worthy winner when the event climaxes on December 18.

Burnpark Champ (Honcho Classic – Burnpark Circle) is owned by Ballymacelligott trainer, Liam Dowling, and there is a real story attached to him in that, after being injured when racing in England, there was an acceptance that he would never race again. Liam Dowling bought him as a stud proposition and, indeed, an advertisement for Burnpark Honcho at stud was carried in last week's Sporting Press, the bible of the greyhound industry.

Burnpark Honcho has already been responsible for a couple of litters, but, having given him a few months of relaxing time in his Ballymacelligott paddocks, Liam Dowling decided that maybe, by some chance, the May '06 whelping, which had won seven of his only eight races and was viewed as something of a flying machine, might be able to run to a decent level again. As it turned out, Burnpark Champ ran highly-promising trials and so Liam Dowling entered him in Coursing Clubs Together Tralee 2009: Centre of photo John O'Keeffe representing sponsors the Lixnaw Coursing Club presents the winning trophy to Marie Keane after Pony Sheila won the LIAM Foley Memorial 525 at the Coursing Clubs Together Tralee 2009 in the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium Tralee on Saturday night. Included in photo from L-R: Brian Divilly (President of the Irish Coursing Club), Philip Regan, D.J. Liston (Sec/ I.C.C.) P.J. Keane (Jt/Owner Abbeydorney), Paudie Lyons, Declan Dowling (Geneneral Manager KIngdom Greyhound Stadium), Anthony O`Connell (Jt/Owner Abbeydorney), Martin Galvin, Sean O'Keeffe and Julianne O'Keeffe the Kingdom Derby.

It would have been a story in itself if Burnpark Park had won one of the first-round heats, but to come along and clock an amazing 28.34 was something else altogether. Drawn in trap 5 in heat 7, Burnpark Honcho showed exactly why so much was thought of him in his early career and he completely left everything else in the shade when making all to score by eight and a half lengths from Mileheight Crash.

He runs from trap 6 in heat 2 of the second round this Saturday night and another great run can be expected from him, though he does come up against another hugely impressive first-round heat winner in Oran Legend ( Tyrur Ted – Frazzled), from the Co Meath kennels of John McGee. Oran Legend had run without success in the 2009 Race of Champions at Tralee, but he had enjoyed no luck in running that night behind the winner, Cash Dream. This time, he appeared to have it all to do again when last at the second bend, but he produced a turbo-charged run to come through and score by half a length from Deerfield Sam in 28.51. It was, quite simply, a breathtaking performance and it will be fascinating to see how his battle with Purnpark Champ works out.

John McGee also brought another of his kennel stars to Tralee, namely Contador, and he, too, could be making a strong bid for outright glory in the Kingdom Derby. However, Contador was unable to cope with Burgess Og in heat 4 last Friday night and he lost out to him by four and a half lengths in 28.58.

Burgess Og (Droopys Scolari – Maxgrove Mist) is jointly owned by Sheila Spillane and JJ Fennelly, of Killeagh, Co Cork, and he was making it seven wins from just nine starts, underlining the kind of quality that the Kingdom Derby has captured.

Two great favourites at the Oakview venue, Cashen Zig and Biddys Boy, won the opening two heats, in 28.90 and 28.64 respectively, while Liam Dowling initiated a great training double on the night by winning heat 5 in 28.77 with Ballymac Bull, which is owned by his son, Shane.

The other heat winners were Killacolla Glory (28.66) and Headleys Jake (29.10), the former winning a heat in which 2009 Race of Champions winner, Cash Dream, finished unplaced. The draw for the second-round heats this Saturday night resulted as follows (trap order):