Gone to the dogs: Eight Offaly winners

The semi-finals of the Puppy Derby in Shelbourne were the highlights of a good week's racing. There was a festival night in Cork where some serious prize money was won. The first round of the Casey Caravan Open Unraced got underway in Waterford with  some seriously fast pups on debut. Plenty of other top class sweepstake action around the tracks with an abundance of Offaly winners once again.

Early Week Racing

Nothing of note for the first four days of the week.

Friday Racing

First Offaly winner of the week was at the Matinee meeting in Mullingar as Bailie Lad won an A6 contest for Paddy McCormack in 29.56 (50 slow) by four lengths at 4/1.

At the evening meeting at College road track in Galway Clonkelly Cat won an A6 race for Birr owner Gerard Milne in 29.40 (10 slow) by four lengths.

Kilkenny staged the first round of one of their biggest stakes of the year in the Jag Building Service and KGOBA A1 Derby won last year by Delerium Tremors for Murt Leahy. Seven heats with a double for Leahy however the fastest run was by Prince Naseem for Newbridge trainer Shaun Conway in 28.65 (20 slow) by six lengths.

One final in Shelbourne, the €2k in the final of the Sporting Press Online A1 was won by Old Chicago (Droopys Sydney-Zola Princess) for Rathangan trainer Reggie Roberts in 28.58 by two lengths at 2/1.

In the first round of the Go Greyhound Racing A3 stake, four heats with Highview Mighty winning heat three for Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman in 28.85 by two lengths at 2/1.

Another Faithful County winner in Newbridge as Kitmans Maureen was an impressive winner of a novice 750, in a smart 42.42 by six lengths, at 3/1 for Banagher owner Kieran White.

Saturday Racing

It was a festival night in Curraheen Park in Cork with three races worth €2k or more and another five with €1k to the winners. In the final of the Galloping Kennels A3 Stake, the €4K pot went to Silverhill Freya (Ballymac Bolger-Silverhill Joyce) for champion trainer Graham Holland in a fine 28.11 (20 fast) by two lengths at 4/5 fav.

In the Jimmy Barry Murphy and Bar One Racing Open 525, a first prize of €5k went to Murt Leahy as Tribal Syd (Droopys Sydney-Myahs Friend) fresh from winning the Tipperary Cup in Thurles in July  won by four lengths at 3/1 in 28.07 (20 fast) by four lengths.

In the Michael Cahill Memorial Open, Romeo Taylor (Newinn Taylor- Fabulous Mila) won the €2k purse again for Holland in 28.36 (20 fast) by six lengths at 4/5 fav.

The best race at the Dock Road track in Limerick was the final of the Con Murphy Bookmaker A1 stake, Pat O’Connell trained Starson Frankie (Explosive Boy-Hazelfield Echo) won the €3.8k first prize in 28.39 by two lengths at 1/1 fav. Also in Limerick there were seven heats in the first round of the O’Connor Julian Vets Cashel A2 tri distance stake, over the 550 yard trip, Thats It Jack set the bar highest for Liam Cahill and Tony Lacey in 29.69 by three lengths at 2/1 joint fav.

The best two races in Mullingar were the semi-finals of the Vincent Leavy Memorial A3 Tri Distance stake, also over the 550 trip with Paddy McCormack winning both. Ripley Delight won the first in 30.94 (50 slow) by six lengths at 1/1 fav. Paddy’s second winner was Fahy Shop in 30.88 (50 slow) by one length at 6/4 joint fav. Saturday’s final will be over the 600 yard trip.

One more Offaly winner on the night as Kilbride Tomcat was easily the fastest winner in the first round of the John Maloney ON2 unraced stake for Edenderry trainer David Hanlon in a very useful 29.34 (50 slow) by eight lengths at 4/5 fav. 

The semi-finals of the Time Juvenile Derby were the standout races on a decent card in Shelbourne. For the third week in a row Calloway Knegare set the standard for Owen McKenna when stopping the timer in  a sensational 27.85 winning by seven lengths at a decent 1/1 fav. The second semi went to Kerry as Ballymac Briar won for Liam Dowling in 28.25 by seven lengths at 7/4 fav.  One final on the undercard, the €2.5k first prize pot in the This Runs Deep AO stake went to Rambling Boy (Jacob Tashadelek-Boherna Megan) for George Roche in 28.17 by three lengths at 5/4 fav. 

Kilcohan Park in Waterford staged the first round of the Casey Caravan and Camping Open Unraced Stake with the well named Droopys Maximus going fastest for Johnny Linehan winning by a wide margin of twelve lengths in 28.52. One for the notebook.  

In the first round of the Dave Collins Memorial Open Munster Oaks, also in Waterford four heats with only two lengths separating all four winners. Bockos Crystal set the fastest clock when winning in 28.42 by one length at 2/1 again for Holland.

Sunday Racing
One Offaly winner at the matinee meeting in Mullingar, Killeshill Magic won an A4 contest for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch in 30.01 (50 slow) by two lengths at 9/4 fav. 

Upcoming Event

Friday, quarter-finals of the Jag Building Service and KGOBA Kilkenny Derby and semifinals of the Go Greyhound Racing A3 stake in Shelbourne.

Saturday, quarter-finals of the O’Connor Julian Vets Cashel A2 Tri Distance in Limerick, semifinals of the John Maloney ON2 Unraced and final of the Vincent Leavy Memorial Tri Distance both in Mullingar, semifinals of the Casey Caravan and Camping Open Unraced and Dave Collins Munster Oaks both in Waterford and final of the Time Juvenile Puppy Derby in Shelbourne. Loads of top class action to look forward to this week.


Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week

Kitmans Maureen gets the nod this week for winning a novice 750 in Newbridge on Friday when first time over the extended trip in a smart 42.42 by six lengths for Kieran White. Good run. 


Offaly Winners

Eight Offaly winners this week, well done to all involved.