Gone to the dogs: Nine Offaly winners

Highlights of this week's racing included the final of the Sporting Press Irish Oaks where we had a big Offaly interest on Saturday in Shelbourne, the final of the Race Of Champions in Tralee and the semi-finals of the Produce Stakes in Clonmel dominating the racing scene on this side of the Irish Sea.

In the UK the quarter-finals of the Star Sports and TRC English Derby attracted a huge crowd to Towcester where it was another super night for the Irish hounds. Numerous other interesting sweepstake action around the country with plenty of Offaly winners also in the mix.

Early Week Racing

Monday, Enniscorthy, semi-finals of the Elite Black @ Stud May Open Unraced Stake, Blackhill Jack won the first for Anton Butler in 29.30 (20 slow) by a short head with the second semi going to Fairly Giddy for Margaret Stafford in a faster 29.19 (20 slow) by four lengths.

Thursday, also in Enniscorthy, in the final of the Wexford GAA Cairde Loch Garman Club A3 stake Cushie The Best (Allforthebest-Fatboyz Storm) won the €2.5k first prize for John Codd and Diana Brodie in 28.80 (20 slow) by three lengths at 4/1.

Friday Racing

First Offaly winners of the week were in Galway. In an A7 525 Crinkle Chief won for Birr owner Gerard Milne in 29.96 (20 slow) by one length. In an S5 325 race Seekers Jet was on the winners podium for Geashill trainer Margaret Bolton in 18.17 (10 slow) by one length.

The best two races in Kilkenny were the semifinals of the Billy and Mary Ramsbottom Memorial ON2 Unraced stake. The two winners were litter brothers with both for Karol Ramsbottom as Sober Secret won the first in 29.42 (20 slow) by four lengths at 4/1 and Sober Hero the second in 29.34 (20 slow) by five lengths at 3/1.

Newbridge staged the first round of the Track Supporters A2 stake, four heats with Offaly dogs winning two of them. Heat one went to Syrax who was having her fourteenth career win for Edenderry owners Paul and Chloe Cronin in 29.15 by one length at 2/1. Heat three was won by Dalgan for Ballinagar owners the Euro-Dollar-Syndicate and Iggy Daly in 29.34 also by one length at a well backed 7/4.

Tralee held one of their biggest nights of the year with the final of the Callaway Pro Am @ Stud Race Of Champions 550 won last year by Ballinabola Ed who was plying his trade in the quarterfinals of the English Derby on Saturday  for Pat Buckley. Buckley was again on the winners rostrum this year as Coolavanny Otto (Droopys Sydney-Westwind Jet) took the €15k first prize in fine style when taking up the running at the third bend to win in 29.34 by two lengths at 11/2. Track record holder Dashing Toro was second for the Twice A Day Everyday Syndicate and received a cheque for €4K.

Saturday Racing

Curraheen Park in Cork held the first round of the Denis Linehan Solicitors Open Unraced stake won last year by Droopys Flytline for Robert Gleeson. Five heats with Callaway Knegare for Owen McKenna in a fine 28.17 by one length at 4/5 fav. Margaret Bolton had her second winner of the week in Galway as Echo Faith won an A6 race in 29.73 by three lengths.

Nearly the entire card was in Mullingar was given over to the first round of the Pat Curtin Memorial A4 stake, ten heats with Clonfert Annie for John Young in 29.58 (50 slow) by two lengths at 6/4 fav. One Offaly winner on the supporting card as Jaffa Cake won an ON3 unraced for Edenderry trainer David Hanlon in 29.83 (50 slow) by one length at 5/4. 

The entire card of twelve races in Limerick was in the second round of the Time Greyhound Nutrition A4 Derby comprised the entire race card in Limerick. A dozen cracking races with Sing Hallelujah going fastest for Paul Hennessy in 28.53 by six Lengths. 

In Shelbourne, the final of the Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks attracted a huge crowd to the Ringsend venue. The final was a messy affair with a collision on the first bend leaving the outsider of the field Fleadh Saraide (Ballymac Best-Fleadh Romona) at 14/1 a long way in front for Murt Leahy but was caught just on the line for a deadheat with A Lucky Julie (Ballymac Bolger-Julies Paradise) for Jerry Melia at 3/1 in a moderate 28.53. Both sets of owner receiving a cheque for €16.25k. Droopys Edel was third for Ian Reilly winning a purse for €3.5k. Rhode owner P.J. Cocoman’s Short Grip was one of the casualties of the first bend finished down the field but came off the track safely. See plenty of this super bitch over the coming year. 

The first round of the 2024 Corn Cuchalainn Open 750 also got underway at Headquarters, won last year by Kinturk Road for Liam Dowling. Four heats with Tuono Charlie fresh from winning the Deadly Kennels Open 750 in Cork two weeks ago recording the fast clock in a magnificent 41.01 winning by ten lengths at a short 1/2 fav.

Another Offaly winner later in the night, in an AAO 550 Highview Splash won for Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman in a career best run of 29.63 by a neck at 3/1.

Thurles staged on of their biggest stake of the year the Centenary Agri Tipperary Cup Open 525, won in 2023 by Pape De Oro for Pat Buckley. Seven heats with the  fastest run been done in heat one by Seven Beach for Jennifer O’Donnell in 28.64 (20 slow) by eight lengths at 1/1 fav. 

English Derby

Four very exciting heats in the quarter-finals of the Star Sports and TRC English Derby in Towcester on Saturday night. Thirteen of the twenty four dogs were Irish and we were left with six of the remaining twelve after proceedings. Two Irish dogs won their heats, Boylesports Bob for Paul Hennessy and Ballymac Slick for Liam Dowling. As well as Slick, Dowling has three in total in the semifinals with De Lahdedah and Ballymac Gizmo. Graham Holland has two remaining in the competition with The Other Kobe and last year’s winner Gaytime Nemo. Paul Hennessy makes up the sextet with Boylesports. With a rub of the green we could have at least four in the final. Here's hoping. 

English Derby Betting

Before Saturday's quarter-finals leading Irish bookmaker Paddy Power had the English dog King Memphis favourite at 3/1, with The Other Kobe at 7/2 for Holland and De Lahdedah at 6/1 for Dowling.  After the four heats they still had King Memphis as favourite but shortened to 2/1. The other Kobe was shortest of the Irish dogs at 7/2 with De Lahdedah at 4/1 and Boylesports Bob at 9/2. 10/1 bar. 

Sunday Racing

Two more Faithful County winners at the matinee meeting in Mullingar. In an A5 contest Over The Top was an easy three length winner for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch in 30.21 (50 slow) at 3/1.

Our last Offaly winner of the week was in the final race on the card an A4 grade. White Toe Butler won for Elaine and Anthony O’Grady in 29.67 (50 slow) by four lengths at 5/2. 

At the evening meeting in Clonmel in the semifinals of the Kasco National Produce Stake, again two very hard won races. Graham Holland won the first  semi as Romeo Taylor won in 28.44 by three lengths at 1/1 fav. The second heat went to Brendan Maunsell as In Good Time stopped the stop watch in 28.73 by one length at 2/1

Upcoming Events

Friday, final of the Billy and Mary Ramsbottom ON2 unraced in Kilkenny and semifinals of the Track Supporters A2 stake in Newbridge. Saturday, semifinals of the English Derby in Towcester, quarterfinals of the Denis Linehan Solicitors Open Unraced in Cork, second round of the Pat Curtin Memorial A4 Stake in Mullingar, semifinals of the Corn Cuchalainn Open 750 in Shelbourne, quarterfinals of the Centenary Agri Tipperary Cup in Thurles and third round of the Time Greyhound Nutrition A4 Derby in Limerick.

Sunday, final of the Kasco National Produce Stakes in Clonmel.

Loads of top class action to look forward to this week.

Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week

Highview Splash gets the nod this week when stopping the timer in a fine 29.63 in an AAO 550 yard trip in Shelbourne on Saturday night having his seventh career win for Gerry Merriman. Fine performance. 

Offaly Winners

Nine Offaly winners this week, well done to all involved.