Gone to the dogs: Three Offaly winners as Winter Racing Festival dominates proceedings

The Winter Racing Festival over Friday and Saturday in Shelbourne dominated the week’s racing where close on €200k was up for grabs. The top hounds in the country were all kept in training, including the Derby winner, and near all competing in the great final in September, hoping to finish the season with some serious winning money and plenty of kudos. Four Offaly dogs went to traps in the festival over the two evenings all competing admirably.

There was one final of note in Kilkenny in what was probably the best week of racing all year.

Early Week Racing

Tuesday, Shelbourne, semi-finals of the November ON2 Unraced Stake were the two feature races on a strange six race card. Surely there were twelve dogs available in same grade to make it the standard eight race program.

The first semi-final winner was our first Offaly winner of the week as Highview Carol for Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman in 28.79 by six lengths at 1/1 fav.

The second semi-final was won by Greenmount Hawk for Owen McKenna in 28.73 by three lengths at 7/2.


Friday Racing

No Offaly winners at the matinee SIS meeting in Mullingar and with Newbridge postponed due to frost there were no Offaly winners on Friday. The Newbridge card was re-run on Monday.

Kilkenny staged one of their biggest finals of the year the Boylesports A3 Bitch Stake. The €4.5k first prize was won by Twenty Benson (Broardstrand Bono-Long Kiwi) in 29.37 (40 slow) by three lengths at 1/1 fav with Michael Donnelly training.

Friday, Shelbourne, first night of the Winter Racing Festival where we had seven races worth €2k to the winners, three worth €1k and two worth €1.75k.

Just a quick glance at a few of the winners. In the A4 festival final Chelsea Pat (Ballymac Best-Killeen Princess) was a trap to line winner for Lar Kelly and the Manor-Racing - Syndicate in Swords in a career best run of 28.60 by three lengths at 13/8 with €1.75k heading their way.

In an A2 race Droichead Nua (Dorotas Wildcat-Limini)  won the €2k pot for Shaun Conway in 28.31 by three lengths at 6/4 fav.

In the Winter Racing Festival where A1 final Button It (Droopys Flytline-Up The Style) made it five wins from five starts in 28.47 by two lengths at 11/10 fav with another €2k heading to Rathangan  trainer Robert Gleeson.


Saturday Racing

Around the tracks outside of the capital it was generally quiet with the exception of semifinals of various sweepstakes that will be concluded this Saturday. 

No Offaly winners on Saturday as well as Friday which seldom happens. 

All the main action was at headquarters with the conclusion of the Winter Racing Festival. There were five races worth €5k to the winners, one final worth €12.5 and six one off races with €10k to the victors.

The €12.5k first prize in the final of the IGOBF National Puppy Stakes was won by Shotgun Dez (King Sheeran-Danish Robyn) who went through this extremely difficult stake unbeaten for Graham Holland and won the final by three lengths at 6/5 fav in 28.17. Expect this fellow to be one of Holland’s leading Derby hopes next season. Ballycowen Frank was second for Dean Harpur and received a cheque for €3k. The €10k races were won by five different trainers with Holland winning two. In the Championship 550 Derby winner Cheap Sandwiches proved he has lost none of his vigour when winning by three  lengths in 29.50. This was Sandwiches nineteenth career win and has now surpassed over €200k in winning prize money. 

Holland's other €10k winner was in the open 525 with Faypoint Ranger who stopped the timer in 28.28 by one length.

The open 575 was won by Droopys Faithful for Daniel O’Rahilly by two lengths in 30.67 at 11/2.

Glengar Martha crossed the whitewash first in the Champion Bitch contest over the 525 trip in 28.50 by two lengths for Doon trainer Pat Buckley.

The €10k in the Champion 750 went across the Irish Sea as Droopys Flare won for English trainer Sean Parker by four lengths in 42.51 at 5/2. 

One €10k purse went to Kerry as Liam Dowling won the Open 600 with former English Derby winner De Lahdedah in 32.22 by a head at 2/1.

It was a super two days of racing with all the top dogs in attendance. Expect all now to be benched up now for a couple of months before reappearance in the spring to tackle all the major classics in ‘26. Hopefully a few Offaly dogs next year of quality to tackle these events. Fingers crossed.

Sunday Racing

Two Offaly winners at the matinee SIS meeting in Mullingar. In an A2 race Killeshill Milo won in 29.50 (50 slow) for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch by two lengths at 6/1. In an A4 grade Horseleap Amy won for Sean McGuinness in 30.07 (50 slow) by three lengths at 4/1. 

Upcoming Events.
Thursday, final of the November ON2 Unraced in Shelbourne. 

Friday, quarte-finals of the Time Nutrition A3 Bitch Stake in Tralee and final of the Mace Shannon A1 Daul-Distance inLimerick.Saturday, final of The Peppers Bar Of Feackle A3 600 also in Limerick and final of the Danny Corkery Memorial A3 Stake in Cork.

Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week

Killeshill Milo has been ultra consistent and on Sunday won his fifteenth career race for Vincent Lynch in an A2 race in Mullingar in a smart 29.50 (50 slow) by two lengths. Fine money spinner for his owner. Well deserved.

One For The Notebook

Highview Carol looks a special dog in the making for Gerry Merriman when making it two wins from two starts in the November ON2 unraced stake in Shelbourne on Tuesday in a super 28.79 winning by six lengths. Sky could be the limit for this very progressive young hound.

SEE NEXT: Lusmagh's Leinster title ambitions ended by impressive Ratoath


Offaly Winners

There were three Offaly winners last week. Well done to all concerned.