Gone to the dogs: Great week for Offaly greyhounds

The Leger in Limerick got down to the business end last weekend, with twelve still in line to win and still all to play for moving into this weekend semifinals.There were some top class finals this week both in Shelbourne and around the provincial tracks with some quality Offaly winners to boot. It turned out to be a cracking week for the Faithful dogs.

Early Week Racing

First two Offaly winners of the week, were in Shelbourne on Thursday.  They were two real good wins. In the final of the Barking Buzz ON2 unraced stake, the Classicly bred Derrygar (Ballymac Bolger - Maceske) was way too good for his  rivals winning by seven lengths in the fastest time of the night in 28.87 at 4/5 fav  with the cheque for €1.5k going to Edenderry owner Thomas Glynn and  David Murray training. Murray was back in the winners enclosure in the next race as Laughil Oscar won for Kilcormac owners Mary and Paul Jennings in an A4 contest in 29.47 by eight lengths also at 4/5 fav.

Friday Racing

The cream came to the top in the Showgrounds as Rafa Mofo (Droopys Sydney - Clares Queen) won the GRI Galway Oaks adding this one to the National Oaks she won in June . Her winning time of 28.52 wasn’t as fast as her two previous runs when she twice broke the track record, however, she still managed to win by four lengths at 2/5 fav with the super pot of €6k going to trainer Murt Leahy and owner Marissa Molloy. This was Rafa’s eleventh career win and has now amassed over €37k in prize money. Magical Poppy was second for Pat Guilfoyle and received a purse of €2k.

In Kilkenny, in the final of the Burgess Kennels ON2 unraced stake, the €1.6k purse went to Blackstone Bobby (Droopys Sydney - Calzaghe Jan) in 28.96 (20 slow) by four lengths at 6/4 taking the right night to win his first race in this competition after four starts with Michael O’Donovan training.

In Newbridge, in the final of the Marianne Fogarty Memorial A4 stake, the €1.7k first prize went to Heathcliff (Droopys Jet - Higher Level) for Paula Heffernan in 28.71 by three lengths at 5/2. Two Offaly winners on the supporting card, in an A5 race Susie Chaperal won for the Twenty Eight - Eighty Two Syndicate consisting of Offaly GAA hero Seamus Darby and a few mates in 29.24 by two lengths at 2/1 with Jerry Melia training. In a tricky A1 575 Dark Design won for Rhode owner Sean Cocoman coming from off the pace to stop the clock in a fast 31.91 by one length at 5/2.

In Shelbourne Park, in the final of 2022 Gold Collar A1 550, (won last year by Noel Hehir's Coolavanny Blaze)  Millridge Dolly Droopys Sydney - Sign On Katie) is the new name on the trophy, when winning by two lengths at 4/1, in 30.20 with the €3.5k going to owner Donal O’Mahony. In the semifinals of an A2 sweepstake, Brakes Are Off won the first for Gerard Barber in 28.82 by a neck at 4/1. The second semi went to Outback Pearl for Northern Ireland trainer Frank Courtney in 28.70 by two lengths at 3/1.

Saturday Racing

Curraheen Park in Cork, staged the semifinals of the Davy O’Brien memorial A3 550, won last year by Satin Cora for Eugene Sweeney. Last week’s fastest heat winner won the first, Droopys Rampant stopped the clock in 30.05 (10 fast) by a neck at 4/7 fav for John Linehan. The second semi went to Timmys Rover for master Tim Cliffe in 29.85 (10 fast) by seven lengths at 6/4 fav. 

Two Offaly winners in Mullingar, in the first race on the card, an A9 525, Lahinch Sandy was first home in 30.92 (50 slow) by five lengths at 2/1 for Clara owner P.J. Cleary. In the semifinal of an A3 stake, Horseleap Misty won by two lengths for Sean McGuinness in 29.86 (50 slow) by two lengths at 4/6 fav. 

Kilcohan Park in Waterford hosted the first round of the Slaneyside Kennels Solutions and WTSC ON2 unraced stake, five heats with Billenicay Joe looking the most impressive when winning his heat in 28.86 by nine lengths for local trainer Peter Cronin.  The highlights of a good card in Shelbourne were the semifinals of the IGOBF National Puppy stake, Up The Style was fastest of the two for Rathangan trainer Robert Gleeson in 28.39 by three lengths at even money. The remaining semi went to Graham Holland as Romeo Kodi in 28.63 by two lengths at 7/2. Going into Saturday’s final, Holland has two of the six finalists, with Gleeson, Paul Hennessy, Liam Dowling and Marie and Skip Gilbert with one each.  In the final of the Talking Dogs AAO stake, Ballymac Finn (Droopys Sydney- Ballymac Petsy) was an easy three length winner at 7/2 with a cheque of €2.5k going to Kerry and Dowling.

St. Leger

Twenty four of the top dogs in Ireland went to Limerick for the quarter-finals of the Matchbook Betting Exchange Irish St. Leger. It was a night of thrills and spills as some very fancied dogs including Bockos Budsit, Ballinabola Ed and Vincenzo exiting the competition. Four good winners but interesting to see will any of the four get their name on this prestigious trophy. 

Wi Can Dream won the first for Pat Guilfoyle in 29.74 by six lengths at 7/4, Bobsleigh Dream the second for Pat Buckley in 29.44 by four lengths at 3/1, the next heat went to Mustang Jet for Dolores Ruth in 29.99 by one length at 9/2 with the final heat going to Ballymac Run for Dowling in 29.49 by five lengths at 9/4. Each of these trainers have just the one remaining dog except Dowling who has two in the stake, the remaining seven are made up of Holland and Rachel Wheeler with two each, with Nelius O’Connell, Peter Cronin and Evan McAuliffe having one each. Semi-finals Saturday should be  a cracker.  Of the twelve remaining, progeny of leading stud dog Droopys Sydney has four with eight different dogs having one each. Having won four of the five final up for grabs last week it shows just how dominant and in demand Sydney is. Who his successor will be is extremely difficult to know as no one young dog is close to dominating yet.

Sunday racing

Five Offaly winners at the matinee meeting in Mullingar, with three for the Jones’s in Moneygall.

In an A5 contest, Lingrawn Angie won in 29.99 by one length at 7/4 for Kevin Jones. In an A4 grade, Lingrawn Focus was first home also in 29.99 by two lengths at 6/4 fav for Liam Jones. Their final winner was in an A5 race, this time for Mary Jones as Lingrawn Lola won in 30.15 by three lengths at 4/5 fav.

In the second race, an A6, Ollys Mary was first across the line in 30.17 by one length at 2/1 for Banagher owner Mary Moran. Our final winner of the week was in the best race on the card an A1 grade, Horseleap Nelly won in a career best run of 29.19 by two lengths at 13/8 fav for Sean McGuinness. All races in Mullingar were rated  .50 slow.

Upcoming events

Friday, final of an A2 sweepstake in Shelbourne. Saturday, semifinals of the Davy O’Brien memorial in Cork, quarter-finals of the Slaneyside Kennels unraced in Waterford, final of the National Puppy stakes in Shelbourne and semifinals of the Leger in Limerick. Loads of top class action this week. Please get out and support if possible.

Tribune Offaly dog of the week

Derrygar gets the nod this week for Edenderry owner Thomas Glynn winning an unraced stake in Shelbourne on Thursday in the fastest time of the night in 28.82 by seven lengths. 

Offaly winners

A great eleven Offaly winners this week. Congratulations to all involved in any way.