Gone to the dogs: Eight Offaly winners

The third round of the Star Sports/TRC English Derby in Towcester with the Irish dogs to the fore once again, the semifinals of the Irish Oaks in Shelbourne and a night of finals in Cork dominated this weeks racing. Some quality Offaly winners in the mix too in another super week of Greyhound racing.

Early week racing

One stake was finishing up in Enniscorthy on Thursday with another getting underway.
In the final of the Lough Kennels A1 600 yard stake, Foxmount Lough (Droopys Sydney - Lough Saoirse) was first across the line for Lester Power in 32.96 (20 slow) by seven lengths at 5/4 with a cheque of €1.5k to the winner. The rest of that card was dominated by the first round of an A2 sweepstake, eight heats with Hard To Figure going fastest for local trainer Joe Devlin in 29.01 (20 slow) by six lengths at 5/4.

First Offaly winner of the week was in Shelbourne, also on Thursday. in the first race on the card, an ON2 unraced, Blundel Trixy was an impressive five length winner for Edenderry owner Timmy Ennis with Paul Cronin training in 29.17 at 1/1 fav.

Friday racing

Clonmel, in the final of the GRI Spring A5 Guys and Dolls Stake, Buttons Bolger (Ballymac Bolger - Diggers Rest) won the €3k first prize for Waterford trainer Declan Byrne in 29.40 (10 slow) by just a neck.

Some top class action in Kilkenny, in the final of the Mary Ramsbottom Memorial ON2 unraced stake, class won out as Barefoot Amber (Pestana - Ballygur Pearl) made it three wins from three starts for Paul Hennessy in 29.22 (30 slow) by one length at 4/7 with €1.4K going his way.

In the semifinals of the Coolavanny Hoffa @ Stud A1 competition, Laois trainer Karol Ramsbottom won both heats, Kapuka Warrior in 29.07 (30 slow) by one length at 2/1 and Deadly Crusader in 29.14 (30 slow) by one length at 5/4.

Shelbourne, in the final of the Barking Buzz App A3 575 stake, Ratchies Kodi (Good News - Swift Dessert) won the €1.75 first prize for P.J. Peacock in 31.63 by three lengths at 6/1.
In the first round of the RCETS A3 525 sweepstake, four heats,  Highview Sab was fastest of the four for Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman in 28.73 by three lengths at 3/1.

Tralee hosted the semi-finals of the Callaway Rambler Race Of Champions, three heats with two qualifying from each for final. This stake was won last year by Bockos Budsit for Graham Holland. Three cracking contests with the first going to Magical Kuba for Pat Guilfoyle in 29.51 by a head at 6/4 fav. The second went to the ever consistent Ballinabola Ed, recent winner of the Open 600 stake in Shelbourne in May for Pat Buckley in 29.73 by eight lengths at 4/6 fav. The final heat went to current Oaks champion Rafa Mofo for Murt Leahy in 29.65 by a short head at 11/4. It’s a super line up for Friday final and forecasting the winner an impossible task.

Saturday Racing

Super crowd in Curraheen Park in Cork to witness a fine card with two finals and the first round of one of the most sought after open unraced stakes.

In the final of the Deadly Kennels Open 750, all six had credentials to take the crown from last years winner Ballybough Champ and Murt Leahy. It turned out to be a messy affair as dogs seemed to collide at every corner with Kinturk Road (Ballymac Cashout - Ballymac Arminta) winning the €5k first prize in a slow 42.04 by one length at 5/4. Laughil King was second for Kilcormac owners Mary and Paul Jennings and received a purse of €1.8k.

In the final of the Dan and Sheila Buckley Memorial A3 stake, the €1.8k pot went to local trainer Kieran Lynch as Bartlemy Sham (Ballymac Bolger - Bartlemy Eve) proved to strong for his rivals in 28.80 by one length at 4/1.

In the first round of the Denis Linehan Solicitors Open unraced stake, won last year by Droopys Rocker for John Linehan, six heats of the highest standard all won in fast times. Jetara set the fastest time of the six for Owen Mckenna in 28.33 by eight lengths at 5/4. 

Dundalk hosted the first round of the Paddy and Eamonn Carroll Memorial A3 stake, won in 2022 by Mrs Chatter for Barney Curley.

Seven heats with Offaly dog Carrick Aldo going fastest for Edenderry owner Thomas Glynn, in 28.56 by eight lengths, with Mullingar trainer David Murray at the helm. 

Two more Offaly winners in Mullingar, in an S6 350 yard sprint, Nearly No Risk won for Ballycommon owner Peter Raine in 19.94 (20 slow) by a short head at 2/1. In the final race on the card, an A3 grade, Thousand Island was on way home first for Edenderry trainer David Hanlon in 29.77 (50 slow) by two lengths at 2/1. 

The best race in Thurles was the final of the Gri A4 Spring Stakes, the €1.6k prize went to Ballysloe Lola (Boyhero - Road Queen) for Paraic Campion in 29.04 (20 slow) by four lengths at 6/4 fav.

In Kilcohan Park in Waterford, in the final of the GRI Spring A5 stake, Barntown Sand (Pestana - Minnie’s Kursk) received a cheque for €2.4K for trainer George Roche in 28.92 by two lengths at 2/1.

Another bumper crowd in Shelbourne Park to see some brilliant racing and another super Offaly winner. In the semifinals of the Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks the first heat went to last week’s Offaly dog of the week as Droopys Timing who showed super early pace to lead a star studded field, and was never threatened to win in 28.43 by one length at 4/1, for Edenderry owner Paul Cronin. Brilliant victory. The second semi went to the ever consistent Bobsleigh Dream who was winning her twenty second race for Pat Buckley in 28.47 by one length at 1/1 fav.

If the Cronin bitch can break as sharply again in the final she will take a lot of catching. Here’s hoping.

In the final of the RCETS A1 575 stake, Music Glideaway (Newinn Taylor - Glideaway Magic) won for Pat Guilfoyle in 31.00 by one length at 4/5 fav with the €4K pot going to his owners The Pension Plan Syndicate.

In the semif-inals of the GRI Summer AO stake, Hawkfield Blue won the first for Newbridge owner Jerry Connors in 28.62 by five lengths at 4/6 fav with Keeley McGee training. The second semi went to Cork trainer Denis Fitzgerald as Churchtown Syd ran out a five length winner in 28.39 at 2/1. 

English derby

Forty eight dogs went to traps for the third round of the Star Sports/TRC English Derby, eight heats with four of them being  won by Irish dogs.

Swords Rex remains the only unbeaten dog in the stake for Graham Holland when winning his heat in 28.93, Holland also had another winner with Romeo Hanzo in 29.19. Ballymac Marino won for Liam Dowling in 29.24 at 5/1 while Burj Khalifa won his heat for Brendan Mathews in 29.14.

Of the twenty four dogs remaining ten are from this side of the Irish Sea.Unfortunately last years winner Romeo Magico was unluckily eliminated when his race certainly didn’t go his way.

Leading Irish bookmaker has now installed Swords Rex as 11/4 fav to lift the English blue ribbon event with Ballymac Marino on 5/1, Clona Duke and Romeo Command on 6/1, 10/1 bar. All still to play for. Quarterfinals should be interesting. 

Sunday racing

Two Offaly winners at the matinee meeting in Mullingar, in an A6 race, Killeshill Lilac was first across the whitewash in 30.34 (50 slow) by a head at 2/1 for Daingean owner Vincent Lynch. In an A3 contest, Lingrawn Focus won for Moneygall owner Liam Jones in 29.56 (50 slow) by two lengths at a decent 6/1.

Three evening meetings on Sunday. In Lifford, in the final of the Ballymac Stud A1 Trophy Stake, the €2k first prize went to Old Fort Major (Pestana - Allen Comet) for Austin Maxwell in 28.74 by two lengths at 4/1.

Clonmel staged the second round of the National Produce Stakes, six heats with Sober Glory setting the bar highest in 28.34 (10 slow) by seven lengths with Ramsbottom training.

The entire card of eight races in Enniscorthy on Sunday was given to the first round of the Time Greyhound Nutrition Open unraced stake, Boderan Bernie went fastest for Jason O’Grady in 29.11 (20 slow) by five lengths at 3/1. Long way to go in this valuable stake yet.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, quarter-finals of A2 stake in Enniscorthy.

Friday, final of the Coolavanny Hoffa @ Stud A1 in Kilkenny, Semi-finals of an A1 stake in Shelbourne and final of the Callaway Rambler Race Of Champions in Tralee.

Saturday, quarter-finals of the Denis Linehan Open unraced in Cork, quarterfinals of the Paddy and Eamonn Carroll Memorial in Dundalk, quarterfinals of the English Derby in Towcester, final of the Summer AO and final of the Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks in Shelbourne Park.

Sunday, quarter-finals of the National Produce Stakes in Clonmel and quarterfinals of the Time Greyhound Nutrition Open unraced in Enniscorthy.

Tribune Offaly dog of the week

Easy decision this week, for the second week in a row Droopys Timing gets the nod. She won the semifinal of the country’s biggest event of the year for the female greyhounds, the Sporting Press Irish Oaks for Paul Cronin in Shelbourne on Saturday night. Super win. 

Offaly Winners

There were eight Offaly winners this week in total. Great to see the Faithful County dogs to the fore in such abundance. Congrats to all involved in any small way.