Gone to the dogs: Five Offaly winners

The highlights of an exceptional week of racing, this week, included the first round of the Sporting Press Irish Oaks, the final of the Champion 550, semifinals of the Islandbridge Open Sprint all in Shelbourne, the semifinals of the Champion Open Unraced in Kilkenny and the semifinals of the Lee Strand A3 550 in Tralee. Another good week of Offaly winners with some interesting ones again catching the eye.

Early Week Racing

Monday, Enniscorthy, semi-finals of April Open Unraced Stake. Johnnys Dilemma made it three wins from three starts in this competition in 29.08 (20 slow) by three lengths at 5/4 fav. The second semi went to Ballybreesutumn in 28.85 (20 slow) by six lengths at 7/4 for John O’Connor and Johnny Somers.

Friday Racing

Kilkenny, semifinals of the Champion Open Unraced. This stake was previously known as the Redmills Unraced, now strangely  without a sponsor but still valuable with €32k in total for prize money. The first semifinal went to Moanteen Wildcat for Rachel Wheeler in 29.05 (20 slow) by one length at 5/4 fav. The second semifinal was also won by the favourite as Broadstrand Syd won by six lengths in 28.79 (20 slow) by six lengths for John Linehan at 2/1 fav.

Newbridge staged the semi-finals of the Friends Of Newbridge A1 Derby 550. The first heat was won by Leeloo for Croghan owner Nuala Lynch in 30.02 by two lengths at 6/4 fav. The second semi went to Coonough Paddy for Barry Clancy in 30.00 flat by one length also at 6/4 fav.

One other Offaly winner on the supporting card, in the first race, an A8 contest Sallagh Swing won for Mick Lynch in a decent 29.01 by five lengths at 4/5 fav.

In Shelbourne, the semi-finals of the Islandbridge Open Sprint were the two best races on a decent card at Headquarters. The two heats were both won by champion trainer Graham Holland, the first heat went to Ballinakill Alf who was having his sixteenth career win in 18.47 by three lengths at 1/2 fav. The remaining semi went to Romeo Taylor in 18.41 by five lengths at 6/4 fav.  In the final of the Talking Dogs A4 stake the €1.75k first prize went to Uncle Frankie (Ballymac Cashout-Dark Ava) for Mark Robinson by three lengths in 28.71 at 1/1 fav. One Offaly winner later in the card as Highview Katy won in an A2 grade for Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman in 28.87 by one length at 3/1.

In Tralee, there were three semi-finals of the Lee Strand A3 550 Stake with two qualifying from each heat for Friday's final. The first heat went to Deadly Choice for Michael O’Donovan in 29.74 by three lengths at 5/4 fav. The second heat went to Summerfield Air for Galway trainer Gerry Holian in 29.67 by five lengths at 6/4 fav. The remaining semi-final winner was Unanimouspanther for Pat Buckley in 29.76 by one length at 1/1 fav. Only a length separating all three heat winners which should lead to a cracking final on Friday in the Kingdom.

Saturday Racing

First Offaly winner on Saturday was in Thurles, in the first race on the card, an ON3 unraced, So Its Bono won for Birr owner Paul Pardy in 29.30 (20 slow) by four lengths. 

Another Faithful County winner in Mullingar as Killeshill Glam won an A7 contest in 30.38 (50 slow) by a head at 5/2 for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch.

Curraheen Park in Cork held the first round of the Deadly Kennels open 750 won last year by Kinturk Road for Liam Dowling. Four heats with Tuono Charlie going fastest in the final heat in 41.57 by eight lengths at 1/1 fav.

A huge night of racing in Shelbourne with the first round of the Sporting Press Irish Oaks and final of the Shelbourne Champion 550.  Ten heats in the first round of the Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks won last year by Crafty Shivoo for Peter and Brian Divilly. The Oaks was first run in 1930. However in 1932 it became an official stake on the racing calendar under the auspices of the IGB. 1932 and ‘33 it was run in Clonmel before being shared for next few years between Harolds Cross and Shelbourne.

During the second world war it was shared between Cork and Limerick but in ‘45 it was back in the capital being shared annually between the two city tracks. In 1992 it made a permanent home in Shelbourne where it has remained ever since. Some remarkable bitches have won this competition down the year and added immensely to the majestic bloodlines that has made the Irish greyhounds the best in the world. In 2021 the great Susie Sapphire won this stake, in ‘15 Ballydoyle Honey, ‘09 Skywalker Queen, 2003 Axle Grease, in ‘01 Marinas Tina, 1987 the great Yale Princess and in 1983 one of the greatest of all times Quick Suzy. These are but a few of quality champions that have won and worn the ribbon of Oaks winner.

10 heats on Saturday with a double for Murt Leahy. Fastest of the ten was Droopys Mandolin who stopped the timer in a magnificent 28.12 by four lengths at 1/2 fav. The Robert Gleeson trained black will take some beating in this stake as she has now won twelve of her fifteen starts including the Champion Unraced in Shelbourne last August, the  Galway Oaks and won the Winter Festival night in December. Two Offaly trained bitches both qualified with neither getting any luck in running. Highview Treat for Gerry Merriman and anti post favorite to win this stake Short Grip for P.J. Cocoman, expect both to improve dramatically this Saturday.

The most valuable stake final of the week also took place in Shelbourne on Saturday, The Shelbourne Champion 550, the €7.5k purse went to Carmac King (Droopys Sydney-Peters Queen) who has now won his last six races and this final in a super 29.34 by three lengths at 1/1 fav. This Owen McKenna trained hound will surely now be heading all guns blazing for the Irish Derby and if he can retain current form he’ll take some stopping. Interesting times ahead.

Sunday Racing

For the second week in a row there was no Faithful County winner at the matinee meeting in Mullingar or any of the evening meetings.

Upcoming Events

Friday, final of the Champion Open Unraced in Kilkenny, final of the Friends Of Newbridge A1 Derby, final of the Islandbridge Open Sprint in Shelbourne and final of the Lee Strand A3 550 in Tralee.

Saturday, semi-finals of the Deadly Kennels Open 750 in Cork and second round of the Sporting Press Irish Oaks.

The first round of the English Derby gets underway this week with fifty one Irish dogs all vying to retain the trophy won so majestically last year by Gaytime Nemo and Graham Holland. Heats are on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week

Leeloo gets the nod this week for winning in the semifinal of The Friends Of Newbridge A1 Derby on Friday night in a fine 30.02 for Croghan owner Naula Lynch.

Offaly Winners

Five Offaly winners this week, well done to all connections.