The Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Stakes is a greyhound racing competition held annually at Limerick Greyhound Stadium at Greenpark, Dock Road, Limerick, Ireland.

Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Stakes
Feature race
LocationLimerick Greyhound Stadium
Inaugurated2013
Race information
Distance525 yards
SurfaceSand
QualificationJuveniles only
(26 months old and younger)
Purse€80,000 (winner)

The competition quickly established itself as one of the leading feature events in the Irish racing calendar due to the significant prize money on offer.[1]

It boasted a record €80,000 to the winner in 2014 making the competition one of the biggest prizes in greyhound racing and the richest juvenile race in the world.[2] It was sponsored by J. P. McManus & Noreen McManus, and named in honour of Noreen McManus's parents, who had close ties with the old Limerick Markets Field Greyhound Stadium.

A series of trial stakes are run at different locations in preparation for the competition.[3]

Venues and distances

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  • 2013-present (Limerick 525y)

Past winners

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Year Winner Breeding Time Trainer SP Notes
2013 Roxholme Bully [4] Shaneboy Lee – Roxholme Sue 28.65 Owen McKenna 11-8f
2014 Boylesports Hero [5] Top Savings – Cabra Midget 28.31 Brendan Matthews 5-4f
2015 Cable Bay [6] Foleys Folly – Toms Delight 28.11 Brendan Matthews 6-1
2016 Droopys Roddick [7] Droopys Jet - Droopys Start 28.09 Pat Buckley 7-2
2017 Bentekes Bocko [8] Tullymurry Act - Tullig Paula 28.39 Pat Buckley 2-1f
2018 Droopys Davy [9] Droopys Nidge - Droopys Loner 28.10 Pat Buckley 4-5f
2019 Toolmaker Josie [10] Pat C Sabbath – Lemon Bolt 28.37 Robert Gleeson 6/1
2020 No race due to (COVID-19 pandemic)
2021 Stonepark Leo[11] Ballymac Best – Adamant Gem 28.38 Mark O'Donovan No SP No SP due to COVID-19
2022 Swords Rex[12] Droopys Sydney – Starry Display 28.27 Graham Holland 9/4f
2023 Clonbrien Treaty[13] Pestana – Clonbrien Millie 28.05 Graham Holland 5/2
2024 Knockeen Dazzler[14] Laughil Blake – Love Island 28.10 Daniel O'Rahilly 5/2

References

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  1. ^ "Irish Greyhound Board Has published the classic and feature events calendar for 2016". Irish Greyhound Board. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Con Annie Kirby Worlds Richest Puppy Race". Ilovelimerick.ie.
  3. ^ "Slayed by slade". Greyhound Star. 28 February 2015.
  4. ^ "2013 final". Irish Greyhound Board.
  5. ^ "2014 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Stake Final (Grade : AA0)". Irish Greyhound Board.
  6. ^ "2015 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Stake Final". Irish Greyhound Board.
  7. ^ "2016 Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  8. ^ "Kirby Memorial". Irish Greyhound Board.
  9. ^ "Kirby Memorial Final". Irish Greyhound Board.
  10. ^ "2019 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Final". Irish Greyhound Board.
  11. ^ "2021 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial 525 Final". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  12. ^ "2022 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial 525 Final". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  13. ^ "2023 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  14. ^ "2024 Con/Annie Kirby Memorial Final". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 9 May 2024.