Gone to the dogs: Seven Offaly winners

What an exciting week we had with valuable finals the order of the day. Big money events were decided in Newbridge, Mullingar, Shelbourne, Kilkenny and Galway. In all over €70k was dished out in some super racing around the tracks. The quarterfinals of the Easter Cup were the highlight in Headquarters and when you add in the reopening of  Lifford dog track that has been closed for some time now, it has turned out to be a most positive week for racing.

Early Week Racing

Monday, in Enniscorthy, in the second round of the Future Champion and Michael Fortune Memorial Open unraced stake, eight heats with some blistering runs delivered by some well bred pups. Glengar Martha set the standard for Pat Buckley in 28.72 (20 slow) by three lengths. Toffee Man was next fastest on the clock for Peter Cronin in 28.85 (20 slow) by four lengths.

Friday Racing

First Offaly winner of the week was in Dundalk, in an A7 525, Carrick Aldana made it two wins from two starts for Edenderry owner Thomas Glynn in 29.18 by eight lengths with David Murray training. First final of note was in the Showgrounds with the running of the Galway Greyhound Stadium A3 stake, won last year by Headford Honey for Seamus Leahy. The €4K first prize stayed in Galway as Crafty Orlando (Skywalker Canny - Dower Bud) won in 28.79 (10 slow) for Shane Divilly by three lengths at 4/5 fav. As one stake finished in Galway another got underway with the first round of the Ann Cheevers Memorial A5 stake, won last year by Lissatouk Peggy for James McMahon. Six heats with Banker Blitz going fastest for Peadar O’Dwyer in 29.24 (10 slow) by five lengths at 6/4.

Kilkenny hosted the final of one of their main events of the year, the Frightful Flash McCalmont Cup A1 stake, won last year by Zoom for Murt Leahy.  Lynchy Boy (Confident Rankin - Boozed Bubble) proved to be king of the A1 stakes as this was his fourth to win, having already won the Paula Bergin Memorial in Waterford, an A1 550 in Clonmel and the Greyhound and Petworld A1 in Cork, he skated home in this one to win by two lengths in 29.46 (40 slow) at 3/1. The €5k first prize here has brought his career earnings to over €21k. This is a super training feat by his handler Paraic Campion who always seems to have this dog in top order on finals night. In the final of the Atom Browne Memorial A3 stake, also in the Marble City, Knockdrinna Celt (Droopys Jet - White Star) was first home and received a cheque for €1.5k for his trainer Thomas Leahy in 29.48 (40 slow) by one length at 5/1.

In the final race on the card in Shelbourne Park, Tullamore owner Niall Deegan had Blue Rumble on the winners pedestal for the eleventh time in an A1 race in 28.85 by three lengths at 2/1. In Newbridge, they also had one of their main events of the year, the Brownstown Tango and NTSC Open unraced bitch stake, another fine crowd as always in the well supported Kildare track. The €6.5k first prize went to Chelms Ramona (Ballyhimikin Jet - Slaneyside Polly) in 28.49 by four lengths at 7/4 for joint owners Billy Dunne and Lee Martin Harris. A very popular winners name on the trophy taking over from Tullymurry Faith and Damien McGinn last year. Boylesports Coco was second for Dolores Ruth and received a purse of €3k.

Saturday Racing

Thurles, final of the Borna Kennels A4 stake, Kilvil Robert (Ballymac Best - In A Heartbeat) won the €2k first prize for the Kilvil Syndicate in 29.63 (20 slow) by one Length. One Offaly winner on the supporting card, in the first race, an ON2 unraced, Ollys Ten was an impressive winner for Banagher owner Mary Moran when first over the line by a wide margin of twenty lengths in 29.20 (20 slow). 

Shelbourne, the quarter-finals of the Bresbet Easter Cup Classic dominated a decent card in front of another huge crowd at Headquarters. Graham Holland took two of the four heats with Galloping Sydney winning by a neck in 29.88 at even money fav and Romeo Magico being fastest of the four in 29.52 by seven lengths at 8/11 fav. Liam Dowling took heat two with Ballymac Finn crossing the line in 29.68 by three lengths at 5/4. The final heat went to Storys Cashout for Murt Leahy in 29.98 by one length at 8/1.

The best race of the weekend down south was the final of the Apex Global Resources LTD Cork Oaks in Curraheen Park. Another prolific winner here as Maries Wedding (Droopys Sydney - Ballymac Petsy) won the €5k first prize pot, in 28.31, by five lengths at 5/4, taking Tamara Butlers bitch career earnings to over €25k. 

Twelve cracking heats in the first round of the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial AAO stake in Limerick. This is the second most valuable stake in the country only behind the Irish Derby with a first placed prize of €80k to the winner, again sponsored by Noreen and J.P. McManus. Seventy two dogs went to traps all trying to get the name on the trophy won last year by Swords Rex for Holland. It was a Holland dog who set the standard as Clona Duke was the standout hound when finishing six lengths clear of a strong field in a super 28.07 at even money fav. A treble in the stake for Pat Buckley with all the other top trainers having one each. Long way to go yet in this contest and finding the winner at this time an impossible task.

Three Offaly winners in Mullingar, in the first race on the card, an ON2 unraced contest. Affable Aoife was an impressive seven length winner on debut for Cappincur owner Gemma and Justin Colgan in 29.80 (50 slow) at a well backed 1/2 fav. Looks a prospect this one.  In an A3 race, Lingrawn Grace win for Moneygall owner Kevin Jones in 29.65 (50 slow) by five lengths at 4/1.

The final race in the card was also the best, an AO grade, Mullingar specialist Horseleap Nelly stole an early lead and was never threatened when winning by five lengths in 29.02 (50 slow) at 5/4 fav for Sean McGuinness.

Sunday Racing

One of the top events in Mullingar happened at the matinee meeting with the running of the final of the RPGTV Irish Cesarewitch Open 600. A super field with a super €6k to the winner who happened to be one of the fastest females in training Bobsleigh Dream (Droopys Sydney-Bobsleigh Jet). The Pat Buckley trained bitch rocketed from traps and was never in danger coming home with seven lengths in hand in 32.79 (60 slow) at 9/4. Having already won the Tipperary Cup and the Irish St. Leger Bobsleigh has now gone over the €50k mark for winning prize money. Jacktavern Bella was second for Holland and received a cheque of €1.5k.

One Offaly winner on the supporting card, in an A4 race, Lingrawn Focus won for Liam Jones in 30.11 (50 slow) by one length at 7/4.

The reopening of Lifford track on Sunday evening was a great boost to the North-Western part of the country which has always been steeped in Greyhound racing. A fine, modern stadium with excellent catering facilities and comfortable surroundings. It has been a shame to see it’s door closed for so long but with proper marketing there no reason why it can’t keep going. On Sunday, eight races went to traps with the highlight being the semifinals of the Len McKinnley Transport A1 stake, Deadly Thunder won the first for Stephen Radcliffe in 28.90 by ten lengths at even money fav with Cloneden Flash the second for Paddy Kehoe and Enda Corrie in 28.93 by one length at 6/4 fav. 

Upcoming Events

Friday, quarter-finals of the Ann Cheevers A5 stake in Galway. Saturday, semifinals of the much anticipated Bresbet Easter Cup in Shelbourne and second round of the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial in Limerick. Sunday, final of the Len McKinnley Transport A1 in Lifford. 

Tribune Offaly dog of the week

Blue Rumble once again gets the nod for winning an A1 race in Shelbourne on Friday night for Tullamore owner Niall Deegan in 28.85 by three lengths at 2/1. 

Offaly Winners

In what was a super week of racing, there were seven Offaly winners. Well done also to all connections.