Gone to the dogs: Five Offaly winners

A huge crowd turned up in Limerick on Saturday for the final of the Willwego.com Irish St. Leger where over €70k was on offer to winning connections. It was a night of favorites winning which must have pleased the punters and lightened the bookies satchels. Some decent money was up for grabs in Shelbourne Park and Galway while some fancied Offaly winners had a successful night.

Early Week Racing

Enniscorthy, Thursday, in the semi-finals of the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust Open unraced stake, the first semi went to Roanna Turbo for Robbie O’Neill in 29.65 (20 slow) by two lengths at 6/4. The second semi went to Kit Man in a faster 29.30 (20 slow) by three lengths at 1/3 fav for Waterford trainer Peter Cronin.

In Shelbourne also on Thursday, in the final of an A5 sweepstake, Whisper Kada (Pestana-Black Buzey) won the €1.75k cheque for Jamie and Ciara Doyle in 28.98 by two lengths at 2/1.

Friday Racing

A fine card was put together in Galway with nine of the ten races having a pot of €1k to the winner to coincide with the final of the 2023 Fonez Galway Oaks which had a €7.5 first prize. Class won out here as Droopys Mandolin (Laughil Blake-Droopys Curio) added to her already impressive CV by winning the €7.5k top prize here in 28.49 (10 slow) by five lengths at 1/1 fav with Rathangan trainer Robert Gleeson training. Glengar Jasmine was second for Corona Ryan and received a pot of €2.75k.

In Kilkenny, in the semi-finals of the Deadly Kennels A2 525 stake, last year's winner of this competition Cheque For Sir won the first for Karol Ramsbottom who had his sixteenth career win in 28.96 (20 slow) by three lengths at 6/4 fav. The second semi was won by Bogger Copper for Liam Peacock in 29.17 (20 slow) by six lengths at 3/1.

Two final in Shelbourne last Friday, in the Jim McCann Memorial A4 stake, the €2k first prize purse went to Lima Rose (Droopys Sydney-Silver Penny) in 28.89 by one length at 5/4 fav for Navan trainer Oliver Bray. In the final of the RCETS ON2 unraced stake, the €1.75k pot went to Tory Abbie (Droopys Sydney-Droopys Matilda) for Adam Dunford in 28.68 by eight lengths at 5/4 joint fav. Two Offaly winners on the supporting card, both for Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman and both in the A3 grade. Highview Katy was first back in kennels 28.97 by two lengths at 5/4 fav and Highview Smart won her race in 28.84 by a neck at 6/1.

Saturday Racing

All roads led to Limerick for the final of the Willwego.com Irish St. Leger. It was a super line up that would have done the Derby proud. There was also a great supporting card with ten races which had €2k to the winners and one with €3k to the winner. Some of the €2k winners included the open 550 went to Sogna In Grande for Jack Kennelly in 29.71, open 750 to Clonbrien Ollie for James and Kay Murphy in 42.09, open sprint 350 yards went to Road Exile in 18.41 and the open bitch race 525 went to Annual Coco in 28.77 for Graham Holland. In the final of the Con Murphy Bookmaker A1 stake, the €3k purse went to Barefoot Awesome (Goid Cody-Drifting Abbie) for Paul Hennessy in 28.50 by one length at 11/4.

The final itself went to the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial winner Clonbrien Treaty (Pestana-Clonbrien Millie) for Holland and owners James and Muireann Murphy who has now amassed over €117k after the €30k Saturday in his twelve career wins. His winning time of 29.51 was top class with a winning margin of one length at 5/4 fav.

Holland also had the runner which was 2022 Kirby winner Swords Rex got himself €8k. Sober Glory was third for Karol Ramsbottom and received €4K. It was another great Leger with another super winner who will have all guns blazing for next year's Derby and under Holland’s guidance you wouldn’t back against him.

In Mullingar, one Offaly winner as Optic Bucks won an ON2 unraced contest in 30.25 (60 slow) by two lengths at 6/4.

Waterford staged the final of the Gertie Power and Joyce O’Regan Memorial A2 stake, Banba Brightside (Pestana-Surfer Sal) won the €2.55k first prize for Fiona Goff in 28.60 (10 fast) by one length at 3/1.

In Shelbourne, in the semifinals of the IGODF National Puppy Stakes, Whyaye Bunnylad won the first for Robert Gleeson again in 28.47 by two lengths at 4/1. The second heat went to Scooby Countess for Jennifer O’Donnell in 28.46 by six lengths at 5/4 fav.

Sunday Racing

Two Offaly winners at the matinee meeting in Mullingar. In an A1 grade, Lahinch Jake won for Clara owner P.J. Cleary in 29.61 (50 slow) by five lengths at a very generous 10/1. Our final winner of the week was in an A7 race as Horseleap Betty won her first race in eleven starts in 29.96 (50 slow) by three lengths at 1/1 fav.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, final of the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust Open unraced in Enniscorthy. Friday, final of the Deadly Kennels A2 525 in Kilkenny.
Saturday, final of the National Puppy Stakes in Shelbourne.

Tribune Offaly dog of the week

Lahinch Jake gets the nod this week for winning the best race on the card on Sunday which was in the A1 grade in 29.61 (50 slow) by five lengths for P.J. Cleary.

Offaly Winners

Five Offaly winners this week. Congratulations to all involved.