Gone to the dogs: Six Offaly winners on another good week

The quarter-finals of the Greyhound and Petworld Juvenile Classic in Tralee, semifinals of the Cork Cup and the final of the Gold Cup in Shelbourne were the highlights of a fantastic week of racing around the tracks. Attendances are certainly back up to pre pandemic numbers with most tracks having full houses. The luck of the Offaly trainers continued with some quality winners occurring in the latter part of the week.

Friday Racing

First Offaly winner of the week was in the Showgrounds in Galway. Geashill trainer  Margaret Bolton made the trip with Like A Biscuit to win an A7 race in 29.46 (10 slow) by four lengths.

In Newbridge, in the semifinals of an A4 sweepstake, Lodgefield Kash won the first heat for Jennifer Traynor in 29.36 by three lengths at 4/5 fav. The second semi went to Cash Gal in a faster 29.00 by two lengths at 2/1 for Clonard trainer Kevin Losty.

In Shelbourne, in the final of the This Runs Deep S1 350 yard Sprint stake, a good Offaly winner here as So Its Rapid (Rossbirr Ranger - Classy Ebony) was first home for Birr owner Paul Pardy in 18.89 by two lengths at 6/4 with €1.25k going his way. Vincent McKenna was trainer here.

In an A2 final, Delightful Izzy (Droopys Sydney - Urban Time) won this contest for Rathangan owner Reggie Roberts in 28.49 by eight lengths at 5/4 fav with a cheque for €1.6k going to the Kildare owner.

In the semi-finals of the Talking Dogs ON2 unraced stake, Hawkfield Blue won the first for Keeley McGee in 28.76 by four lengths at 4/6 fav. The other heat went to Bluejig Baron for Mullingar trainer David Murray in 29.27 by one length at 3/1.

Tralee staged the quarter-finals of the Greyhound and Petworld Juvenile Classic Open unraced stake. Four cracking heats with some super young dogs on view which we expect to hear a lot more of over the next couple of years. Fastest of the four was once again Ryhope Beach for Michael O’Donovan in an identical time of last week of 28.12 by seven lengths at even money fav. Liam Dowling won two of the heats with Ballymac Marino in 28.32 and De Lahdedah in 28.42. The final heat went to Terezas Meduza for Pat Buckley in 28.34.

In the final of the RCETS Novice sprint, Flying Sparks (Droopys Sydney - Murlens Maura) made it three wins from three starts in 17.60 winning by four lengths at even money fav with €750 again going to his trainer O’Donovan.

Saturday Racing

Kilcohan Park, Waterford, in the final of the This Runs Deep ON2 unraced stake, Droopys Denis (Loughteen Blanco - Droopys Berry) won by a head for Rathangan trainer Robert Gleeson in 29.26 at a very short 2/5 fav with €850 the first prize here. In the Quarterfinals of the Paddy and Ciara Sharkey Bookmakers and WTSC A2 525 stake Mulan Champ set the standard in 28.81 by three lengths at 3/1 for Patsy and Patrick Sutton. 

In Thurles, in the final of the Thurles Racecourse A4 575 stake, Lisdalen Range (Out Of Range ASB - Boherna Sophie) won for Brendan Everard in 32.61 (20 slow) at 2/1 with €1.5k also to the winner here.

Curraheen Park in Cork held the semi-finals of the This Time Greyhound Nutrition A1 Cork Cup, two great semis with one one hundred of a second separating the two winners, Galloping Tulip won the first for Pat Creed in 28.57 by two lengths at 5/1 with Shonas Marshall the second for David Harrington in 28.56 by a neck also at 5/1.

In Limerick, in the semi-finals of the Talking Dogs A3 600 yard stake, Four Bullets was first across the line in the first for Gerald O’Connell in 32.87 by one length at 6/1 with Beaming Becca winning the second for Corona Ryan in 32.80 by two lengths at 5/2.

In Mullingar, in the quarter-finals of the Kilbride Kennels A2 550 Midlands Derby, Beepers Grace set the bar here when stopping the clock for Ian Reilly in 30.53 (60 slow) by four lengths at 2/1. One Offaly winner on the night, in the first race on the card, an A9 grade, Horseleap Zoe won for Sean McGuinness in 30.52 (60 slow) by two lengths at 3/1. 

The first big final of 2023 was in Shelbourne with the conclusion of the Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings AAO Gold Cup. A bit of a surprise here as Bogger Hunter (Skywalker Farloe - Bottle Of Banter) won the €16k first prize at 9/1 in 28.52 by one length, again, for Ian Reilly. Rathdown Molly set the early pace for Marie and Skippy Gilbert with Bogger on her tail down back straight, the other four were never in contention as trouble at first bend, at the third bend he took the lead to hold on for a comfortable win. €6.5k went to Rathdown, in second with Stream Of Sydney getting €3.5k in third for Pat Buckley. The competition itself was a huge success and a special thanks going to Wexford native Paddy Kehoe for Sponsoring.

In the semi-finals of an AO stake earlier on the card, Capitan Garfio won the first for Kenneth Busteed in 28.69 by two lengths at 5/2 with McNeill the second for Paul Hennessy in 28.82 by one length at a huge price of 18/1 outsider. 

Sunday Racing

Three Offaly winners at the matinee meeting in Mullingar, all for Clara owner P.J. Cleary. In an A7 race Lahinch Dolly won in 30.02 by three lengths at 9/4. In an A4 grade Lahinch Sandy stopped the clock in 29.51 by six lengths also at 9/4 and in the final race on the card Lahinch Jake was first back in kennels in 30.23 by two lengths at 7/4. All races in Mullingar were rated .50 slow. 

Upcoming Events

Friday, final of A4 stake in Newbridge, final of Talking Dogs ON2 unraced in Shelbourne and semifinals of Greyhound and Petworld Juvenile Classic in Tralee. Saturday, final of the Cork Cup in Curraheen Park, final of the A3 600 in Limerick, final of the Paddy and Ciara Sharkey Bookmakers stake in Waterford, final of the AO stake in Shelbourne and Semifinals of the Midlands Derby in Mullingar. Some super action to look forward to this coming week. 

Tribune Offaly dog of the Week.

So Its Rapid get the nod this week for Birr owner Paul Pardy for winning the final of an S1 sweepstake in Shelbourne on Friday in a super 18.89 by two lengths. 

Offaly Winners

Six Offaly winners this week. Congratulations to everyone connected in any way.