GONE TO THE DOGS: Only two Offaly winners in a week of top class action

A VERY busy week around the tracks with loads of top class action to report. The highlights of the week include the quarterfinals of the Connacht Derby in Galway, semi-finals of the Juvenile Classic Unraced in Tralee, final of the Cork Cup and semi-finals of the Midlands Derby in Mullingar. Some annual top class and valuable stakes got underway over the weekend including the McCalmont Cup in Kilkenny, the Brownstown Tango Unraced Bitch Stake in Newbridge and the Time Irish Cesarewitch Open 600 in Mullingar. Offaly winners were light on the ground but a few quality ones none the less.
Early Week Racing
Nothing of note for our Offaly contingent of dogs over the first four days of the week but with Shelbourne back Thursday expect the Faithful County dogs to be back in the winners enclosure straight away.
Friday Racing
Galway, quarterfinals of the Kilcolgan Castle Connacht AO Derby 550 with the fastest run by an Offaly dog as Breaghmore Dice stopped the clock in 30.05 (10 fast) by three lengths at 3/1 for Kinnitty owner M.J. Corrigan. Fine run.
Kilkenny, first round of the Deadly Kennels McCalmont A1 Cup won last year by Bogger Dusty for Liam Peacock. Of the sextet Droopys Bro went fastest for regular Kilkenny specialist Murt Leahy in 28.92 (30 slow) by a wide margin of nine lengths at 5/4.
One of the Midlands top events of the year got underway in Newbridge on Friday with the first round of the Brownstown Tango and N.T.S.C. Open Unraced Bitch Stake, surprisingly only eighteen went to traps as this event normally attracts all the big trainers with the cream of their unraced stars to debut here. Some of the past brilliant winners and bitches who started their careers in this stake include the likes of Badminton Maid, Coolavanny Dream, Azzabi, Unlock Unlock, Droopys Curio, Goodall Diva, Ballyhimikin Pip, Tullymurry Faith, Boylesports Coco, Crafty Shivoo, Burgess Cassie and the brilliant Susie Sapphire. Loads more who aswell as becoming champions on the track also became the mothers of champions and contributed immensely to the magnificent Irish Bloodlines.
This stake was won in 2024 by Droopys Wriggle for Robert Gleeson and Gleeson also supplied the fastest winner this year in the first round as Droopys Bundle stopped the clock in 28.84 winning by three lengths at 4/6 fav. The other two winners were Ballinabola Pixi for Brendan Murphy in 29.27 by three lengths at 1/2 fav and Lotto Star for Shaun Conway in 29.26 by four lengths at 3/1.
Tralee, semifinals of the T Nolan C.V.R.T. Centre Juvenile Open Unraced Classic were the best two races on a night of sweepstake action at the Kerry track. Pat Buckley won the two semifinals and has three in Fridays final and seems to be holding all the aces. Ballinabola Joe won the first in a fine 28.01 (10 fast) by eight lengths at 5/2 with Kournikova the second in 28.25 (10 fast) by one length at 6/1.
Saturday Racing
Curraheen Park, final of the Time Greyhound Nutrition A1 Cork Cup with the €5k purse being won by Mister Myles (Burgess Bucks-An Cailin Alainn) for The -Clonmel- Five- Syndicate who just got up on the line to win by a short head in 28.69 at 5/1. Drive On Bono was second for Dave Bourke and received a cheque for €2k.
The two best races at the Dock Road track in Limerick were the semifinals of the Clonbrien Treaty Limerick A1 Oaks, Rinnwood Gem won the first for Des Flaherty in 28.51 by a neck. The second semi was won in a faster 28.25 by four lengths by Barefoot On Song for Gowran trainer Paul Hennessy.
Mullingar staged the semifinals of the Kilbride Kennels Midlands A2 550 Derby, the first was won by last weeks dog of the week Finfin for Edenderry trainer David Hanlon in 31.10 (60 slow) by one length at 2/1. The remaining semi was won by Noirs Best for Ian Reilly in 31.34 (60 slow) by a neck at 5/2. Three of the six dogs in Saturday’s final will be Offaly dogs as Killeshill Messi and Killeshill Ranger also qualified for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch and neither are certainly not without a chance of being on the winners podium.
One final of note in Shelbourne Park which was the Barking Buzz A1 Tri-Distance Stake with the final over the 600 yard trip. The €2.5k purse went to Invergarry (Kinloch Brea- Lang Syne) for Mullingar trainer Francie Murray Jnr in 32.62 by six lengths at 6/1.
Sunday Racing
The best four races at the matinee meeting in Mullingar were the semifinals of the Time Irish Cesarewitch Open 600. This once great stake whether it was run in the now closed Navan track or in Mullingar always attracted a top quality line up with up to seventy two entries the norm annually. However it now seems to have petered out or let be diluted down to twenty four dogs which seems a shame for one of the feature events in the calendar year at the Westmeath track. Although it’s still a very valuable stake with a winners purse of €10k to the winner last year for two run event but expect this once great classic to be off the annual sweepstakes calendar very soon. The 2024 winner Singalong Dolly was back to defend her crown and duly won her heat in 33.59 (70 slow) by four lengths at an unbackable 1/6 fav for Pat Buckley. Fastest of the four was Pennys Cailin for Rosemary and Eugene Price in 32.98 (70 slow) by eight lengths at 7/1. There was no Offaly winner on the remainder of the card.
Upcoming Events
Friday, semifinals of the Kilcolgan Castle Connacht AO Derby in Galway, quarterfinals of the Deadly Kennels McCalmont Cup A1 in Kilkenny, semifinals of the Brownstown Tango and N.T.S.C Open Bitch Unraced Stake in Newbridge and final of the T Nolan C.V.R.T. Centre Open Unraced Juvenile Classic in Tralee. Saturday, final of the Clonbrien Treaty Limerick A1 Oaks and final of the Kilbride Kennels Midlands Derby in Mullingar.
Sunday, final of the Time Irish Cesarewitch Open 600 also in Mullingar.
Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week
Breaghmore Dice gets the nod this week for Kinnitty owner M.J. Corrigan for winning in the fastest time of 30.05 (10 slow) in the quarterfinals of the Kilcolgan Kennels Connacht AO Derby in Galway on Friday night. Top class performance.
Offaly Winners
Only two Offaly winners this week, congrats to all winning connections.

DC