Gone to the dogs: Six Offaly winners

All roads led  to Cork's Curraheen Park on Saturday for the final of the Bar One Racing Irish Laurels, where there was one big Offaly dog of interest, against a serious field, all vying to take the title from last year’s winner Good Cody. The first round of one of Mullingar’s top events the RPGTV Fair Warrior Open 400 kicked off along with the final of the Yvonne Barry Open 600 in Shelbourne. Some tasty Offaly winners around the tracks in what was another super week of greyhound racing.

Early week racing

Another open unraced stake got underway in Enniscorthy, The Lord Unraced Stake won last year by Angry Uncle for Peter Cronin. Five heats all won in competitive time with Droopys Comrade setting the standard for Rathangan trainer Frazer Black in 28.82 by an ever increasing sixteen lengths at odds of 1/2 fav.

Friday Racing.

The two sem-finals of the Time Greyhound Nutrition A3 stake were the two feature races in a decent card in Kilkenny. Long Cascade won the first for Brian Doyle in 29.17 (10 slow) by two lengths at 5/2. The second semi went to Killinure King for Thomas Buggy in a faster 28.83 (10 slow) by one length at 1/1 fav. Limerick staged the semifinals of the Arachas Corporate Brokers LTD A1 600 stake. Newport Pier was first home in the first semi for the Mullins - Curtin syndicate in 32.47 by three lengths at 6/4 fav. The remaining heat went to Cheero one hundred of a second slower in 32.48 by three lengths also at 6/4 fav with Mathew Harte training.

Newbridge held the final of a new stake that has been going through the rounds over the last few weeks, the Bosco Gleeson Memorial A2 525 stake. The €2.3k first prize went to the form dog as Da Quiet Syd (Droopys Sydney - Saoirse Mo Croi) for the Keeping It Civil Syndicate in 28.94 by two lengths at 2/1.  Two Offaly winners on the supporting card, in the first race, an S6 sprint, Aon Sceal Eile had his first career win for Geashill owners Edmund and Rebecca Garry in 17.98 by six lengths at 2/1. In an A4 race, Lady Bambi won for Edenderry trainer Timmy Slevin in 29.17 for his grandson Taylor Kearney by two lengths at 2/1.

Saturday Racing.

A sensational night of racing in Cork with ten races with impressive prizes from €30k, €10k  to €2k. A huge crowd turned up on the night to watch a super night’s racing with the spotlight being on the final of the Bar One Racing Irish Laurels. Six top class hounds went to traps with the focus being on Offaly dog Carrick Aldo for Edenderry owner Thomas Glynn. Sadly Carrick Aldo was never really involved in the race after missing his break finishing  in a gallant fifth. The winner was a surprise 8/1 winner for for champion trainer Graham Holland as High Trend (Droopys Sydney - Beaming Smasher) stopped the clock in 28.3, by one length, with a substantial cheque of €30k going his way. Easy Razzle finished second for John Linehan and won a pot of €8k. In third place was Role Model for Owen McKenna and won a purse of €4K. In the final of the Michael (Bart) Leahy Memorial A2 stake, Holland was also to the fore here as Romeo Kingpin (Superman - Buckos Lass) won the €10k first placed prize for owner David Firminger in 28.42 by a neck at 6/4 fav.  As well as the two big stakes finals Holland also provided another four winners on the night worth €2k each in what proved to be a very lucrative night for the south Tipperary trainer

In Galway, in the final of the Liam Brussels Memorial A4 stake, Heathlawn Alice (Good News - Burgess Sarah) was first back in kennels in 28.98 (10 slow) by two lengths with  €1.8k going to owner Rose Kelly.  One Offaly winner on the supporting card, in an ON3 unraced event, Fias Choice won for Birr  owner Kevin Kelly in 29.27 (10 slow) by seven lengths.

Mullingar runs two major stakes annually, the Cesarewitch over 600 yards and the Fair Warrior over 400 yards and on Saturday the first round of the latter got underway kindly sponsored by RPGTV. Six heats all trying to get their name on the trophy won last year by Airport Flying for David Murray. Two Offaly winners in the heats, heat three went to Glenfircal for Ballinagar owner Liam Kirley in 21.43 (20 slow) by three lengths at 4/5 fav. Heat six went to So Its Rapid for Birr owner Paul Pardy with Vincent McKenna training in 21.29 (20 slow) by two lengths which was joint fastest time of the heats with Scarborough Fair for Keith Powell. 

In Shelbourne Park, in the final of the Yvonne Barry Track Bookmaker Open 600, Droopys Nice One (Droopys Sydney - Droopys Dance) won the €5k first prize for Kilkenny trainer Murt Leahy in 32.22 by six lengths at 7/2.  The first round of the Paddy Merriman Memorial A1 stake started this week. Now in its second year and run in honour of one of Croghans favourite sons and a great greyhound man, the greatly missed Paddy Merriman. This valuable stake was won last year by Undulation for County Down trainer Brendan Mathews. Eight heats with Whyate Bonnylad setting the fastest time for Robert Gleeson in 28.41 by three lengths at 2/1

Sunday Racing.

One Offaly winner at the matinee meeting in Mullingar, in an A3 contest, Lingrawn Buzz was first home for Moneygall owner Liam Jones in 29.53 (50 slow) by three lengths at 3/1. 

At the evening meeting in Clonmel, in the final of the Burgess Bucks @ Stud ON2 unraced bitch stake, the €2.1k purse went to Good Sahara (Good Cody- Jaytee Sahara) for Maria and John Kennedy in 28.84 (10 slow) at 4/5 fav by four lengths. 

Upcoming Events.

Friday, Kilkenny, final of the Time Greyhound Nutrition A3 stake. Saturday, final of the Arachas Corporate Brokers LTD A1 600 in Limerick. Second round of the Paddy Merriman Memorial A1 in Shelbourne.
Sunday: Quarter-finals of the RPGTV Fair Warrior Open 400 in Mullingar. 

Tribune Offaly dog of the week.

So Its Rapid gets the nod this week for setting the joint fastest winning time of 21.29 (20 slow) in the first round of the RPGTV Fair Warrior in Mullingar on Saturday for Birr owner Paul Pardy. 

Offaly Winners.

Six Offaly winners this week. Well done to all connections.