Meath trainer Ian Reilly remains firmly on course for one of the biggest successes of his career after Droopys Unreal produced a stunning performance in the semi-finals of the BAR 1 Betting Irish Greyhound Laurels at Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night.

Representing the Actingdamaggot Syndicate, the son of King Sheeran and Droopys Meteor lived up to his billing as the 4-5 favourite in the opening semi-final. Breaking smartly from trap five, Droopys Unreal showed tremendous early pace to assert on the run to the opening bend and quickly put daylight between himself and his rivals.

Once in front, the outcome was never in serious doubt as the Ian Reilly-trained star continued to power clear. Chasing rivals Magical Jet and Ballycowen Moon crossed the line together in second place, with the judge unable to separate them in a dramatic dead-heat finish for the remaining qualifying position. The dead heat set up a unique re-run on Tuesday morning, with Magical Jet emerging victorious to claim the final place in next weekend’s Laurels decider.

For Droopys Unreal, however, it was mission accomplished in emphatic fashion. Stopping the clock in a brilliant 28.20, the Meath-trained runner booked his place in the final and enhanced his reputation as one of the leading contenders for one of Irish greyhound racing’s most prestigious prizes.

The remaining semi-finals were won by Ballymac Setanta for Kerry trainer Liam Dowling and Slick Sanctuary for Laois handler Karol Ramsbottom, ensuring a high-quality line-up for the showpiece event. Greyhound racing supporters across Meath will now be hoping Droopys Unreal can complete the job and bring the coveted BAR 1 Betting Irish Greyhound Laurels title and €30,000 top prize back to the Royal County.

For those unable to travel to Cork, the BAR 1 Betting Irish Greyhound Laurels Final will be broadcast live on Virgin Media 2 from 9.00pm to 10.00pm. Gates at Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium open from 6.00pm, with full event details available at www.CurraheenParkGreyhoundStadium.ie.

 Pictured above; Droopys Unreal winner of The 2026 BAR 1 Betting Irish Greyhound Laurels Semi-Final with Billy Reilly, Aoife Dunphy and connections.

2026 BAR 1 Betting Irish Laurels Finalists

From a track record in the opening round to a dramatic dead heat in the Semi-Finals, the 2026 BAR 1 Betting Irish Laurels has certainly brought the drama. Following Tuesday morning’s re-run, Magical Jet secured the final place in Saturday night’s Laurels Final by defeating Ballycowen Moon. The six finalists for the 2026 BAR 1 Betting Irish Laurels are Slick Sanctuary, Sure Exile, Droopys Unreal, Ballymac Setanta, Ballymac Kamala and Magical Jet.

Following the conclusion of the re-run, the draw was made for Saturday night’s €30,000 Final.

2026 BAR 1 Betting Irish Laurels Final Draw

1 Slick Sanctuary
Owner: K. R. Allsop
Trainer: Karol Ramsbottom
Breeder: Peter Comerford

2 Sure Exile
Owner: Andrew Lynch
Trainer: Andrew Lynch
Breeder: Andrew Lynch

3 Droopys Unreal
Owner: The Actindamaggot Syndicate
Trainer: Ian Reilly
Breeder: Sean Dunphy

4 Ballymac Setanta
Owner: Liam Dowling
Trainer: Liam Dowling
Breeder: Liam Dowling

5 Ballymac Kamala
Owner: Liam Dowling
Trainer: Liam Dowling
Breeder: Liam Dowling

6 Magical Jet
Owner: Patrick & Donal Guilfoyle
Trainer: Patrick Guilfoyle
Breeder: Patrick Guilfoyle