Venue: Shelbourne Park
Date: Saturday, December 1st, 2012
Irish Greyhound Racing received a massive fillip when it was announced this week that a Breeders’ Cup style spectacular is to be staged at Shelbourne Park on Saturday, December 1st. The meeting will be a Celebration of the Greyhound Year with all the stars over all distances competing for massive prizemoney in what promises to be one of the greatest nights ever for the sport in Ireland.
The Night of Stars has been promoted and organised by an independent Night of Stars Committee, consisting of enthusiasts from all branches of the sport. There will be Eight Championship Races on the night with total prizemoney of €92,000.
There will be a fund of €11,500 for each of the one-off races of which the winner will receive €10,000, the runner-up €1,000 and the third €500. The Champions of each category will bid for glory in this terrific end of year celebration over 350, 525, Bitch 525, 550, 575, 600, 750 and 850 yards.
The format will be that the winners of the major track competitions will receive automatic invitations and the remaining places will be filled on a best available basis. It will result in the cream of the greyhound talent all being in action for the first time on the one night. The remaining four races on the all championship card will be the quarter finals of the Comerford Cakes National Puppy Stake.
The Night of Stars was officially launched by Minister Shane McEntee at Shelbourne Park and he proudly pronounced: “This is a fantastic idea and I will be the first to buy my own €100 tickets”.
The meeting will be funded by eight individual sponsorships, a Club Membership scheme as well as Irish Greyhound Board funding. The Club Membership tickets will cost €100 and will include Dinner & Wine in Dobbins Grandstand Restaurant in a fantastic atmosphere with the proceeds going towards the prizemoney and the operational expenses.
Speaking at the launch, the Night of Stars Committee Chairman Pat O’Donovan said: “This is an idea that was born over a few drinks, the right people heard it and suddenly we are up and running. We have little doubt that this will be one of the great sporting occasions in Ireland this year and hopefully it will become a permanent fixture into the future.
Queries regards Sponsorship, Club Membership or other matters should be directed to:
NIGHT OF STARS, Shelbourne Park, Greyhound Stadium, Dublin 4
Or by Email to: news@igb.ie