Gone to the dogs: Four Offaly winners as track record goes in Laurels in Cork

The quarter-finals of the Bar One Racing Laurels in Cork, the semifinals of the Boylesports Lifford Oaks, the semifinals of the Paddy Merriman Memorial Stake and the  final of the Yvonne Barry Track Bookmaker Open 600 dominated the week’s racing with plenty of money on offer. Shocks galore in the top stakes too as well as the cream rising to the top in another brilliant week of racing around the country. Some quality Offaly performances in the mix.

Early Week Racing

Monday, Enniscorthy, semi-finals of the Kiltrea Kennels Open Unraced stake with Glengar Blitz winning the first for Pat Buckley in 29.11 by six lengths at 2/5 fav. The second semi was won by Saunders Blue for Matt and Clare Owens in 29.25 by three lengths at 5/1.

Thursday, Shelbourne Park, final of the A3 Dolls Bitch Stake with a great Offaly winner. Aussie Promise (Ballyhimikin Jet-Geneva Holly) won the €2.25k first prize pot for Kinnitty owner Jeannette Mackenzie in a fine 28.98 by three lengths at 2/1. Super win.

Friday Racing

The best race in Kilkenny was the final of the Time Greyhound Nutrition and KGOBA A3 stake. The €4.8k pot was won by Burnchurch Elle (Grangeview Ten-Blackstone Time) for Michael Cullen in 29.05 (20 slow) by one length at 4/1.

Sadly no Offaly winner at the matinee SIS meeting in Mullingar or the evening meeting in Newbridge. 

Two valuable finals were decided in Shelbourne. In the conclusion of the October A3 Stake Aero Baltic (Coolavanny Hoffa-Swift Hazel) was a surprise 10/1 winner of the €5k first prize pot, for Barry Clancy, in 28.55 by a shortest of heads.  In the RCETS App A2 Dual Distance decider over the 575 trip Grouchos Champ (Grangeview Ten- Glideaway Magic) won the €2k purse for Dave Bourke in 31.44 by four lengths at a well supported 1/1 fav. 

Saturday Racing

Cork, quarter-finals of the Michael (Bart) Leahy Memorial A2 Stakes. There was a double for champion trainer Graham Holland but fastest of the four was The Other Arri for Jennifer O’Donnell in 28.10 by one length at 6/4. 

Semi-finals of the Boylesports Open Lifford Oaks in Donegal with Daleroad Mya winning the first for Pat Guilfoyle in 28.94 by a neck. The second semi was won by Westway Rossa for Damian McGinn in a faster 28.54 by two lengths.

Mullingar staged the first round of one of their biggest events of the year the Fair Warrior Open 400 yard sprint won last year by Born Races for Jennifer O’Donnell again. This year this valuable stake is being run in memory of one of the Midlands great characters and greyhound enthusiasts Pat Doran from Newbridge who sadly passed away recently. Running this stake in his memory is a fitting way to remember a man who put a lifetime in this sometimes very tough business.  Of the six heats there was a double for Ian Reilly including the fastest heat winner in Phoenix Memphis in 21.45 (20 slow) by three lengths at 4/6 fav.  Two of the heat winners were also Offaly dogs. Killeshill Ranger won heat one for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch in 21.51 (20 slow) by a head at 5/4 fav. Heat five was won by Gem Friendly for Daingean owner Conor McGrath in 21.59 (20 slow) by two lengths at 5/4 2nd fav with Vincent McKenna training. 

A super night racing in Shelbourne Park with three finals up for grabs. The most valuable of the three was the conclusion of the Yvonne Barry track Bookmaker Open 600 yard stake. The €7.5k first prize went to Coosane Pickles (Droopys Sydney-Droopys Pickles) for Michael O’Donovan in 32.29 by a short head at 9/4 co fav. Lookandlep was second for Karol Ramsbottom and received a cheque for €3k. 

In the final of the Yvonne Barry track Bookmaker AO 525 Hackney Mati (Droopys Sydney-Ballymac Pete) won the €2.25k purse, again for O’Donovan, in 28.35 by three lengths at 2/1 fav. In the finale of an AAO Open 525 Droopys Slick (Droopys Sydney-Droopys Fia) was way too good for the field when stopping the clock in 28.12, by three lengths,at 3/1. A prize of €2k on the way to Rathangan trainer Robert Gleeson.  Races three and four in Shelbourne Park were the semifinals of the Paddy Merriman Memorial A1 stake. Advantage Rule won the first for Kurtis Bain in 28.39 by two lengths at 5/1. The second semi went to Kerry and Liam Dowling as Ballymac Gloria crossed the line in 28.44 by one length at 5/4 fav.

Irish Laurels

Four magnificent quarter-finals in the Bar One Racing Irish Greyhound Laurels in Cork last Saturday. The standout race  being heat two where Ballymac Setanta (Ballymac Kingdom-Ballymac Art) broke the track record for Liam Dowling in a magnificent 27.81 by four lengths at 4/5 fav. What a performance. Heat four was nearly as fast as Magical On Fire won for Pat Guilfoyle in 27.89 by four lengths. The other two heat winners were no shabby affairs either as Droopys Patriot won in 28.28 for Robert Gleeson and Ballymac Brandon for Dowling again in 28.23. Really is a top class Laurels this year. Finding the eventual winner is the conundrum.

Outright betting with Paddy Power is as follows Solo And Go and Ballymac Setanta are both 9/4 joint favs. Droopys Patriot is 3/1 with Magical On Fire and Ballymac Brandon at 6/1. 8/1 bar. 

Sunday Racing

Just the one Offaly winner at the matinee meeting in Mullingar. In an A4 contest Lahinch Molly won for Clara owner P.J. Cleary in 29.67 (60 slow) by three lengths at 11/4. 


Upcoming Events

Monday, final of the Kiltrea Kennels Open Unraced stake in Enniscorthy.
Saturday, semi-finals of the Michael (Bart) Leahy Memorial and semifinals of the Bar One Racing Irish Greyhound Laurels both in Cork. Final of the Boylesports Lifford Oaks, quarterfinals of the Pat Doran Memorial Fair Warrior in Mullingar and final of the Paddy Merriman Memorial in Shelbourne. The Gourmet Island Puppy Oaks also gets underway in Shelbourne on Saturday. Another very busy week of top class action to look forward to. 


Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week

Aussie Promise gets the nod this week for winning the final of the a tough A3 Bitch Stake in Shelbourne, on Thursday for Jeanette Mackenzie, by three lengths in a fast 28.98. Smart performance. Well deserved winner.


One For The Notebook

Gem Friendly looks an interesting sort for Conor McGrath when winning her heat in the first round of the Pat Doran Memorial Fair Warrior on Saturday in a fine 21.59 (20 slow). This classically bred bitch (Droopys Sydney-Susie Sapphire) seems to be finding her feet now and could go a long way in this stake. Worth keeping an eye on. 

SEE NEXT: Three in a row as Tullamore once again find a way to win and gutted Ferbane overpowered late on

Offaly Winners

Four Offaly winners last week. Congrats to all connections.