GONE TO THE DOGS: Bumper pay-outs for Offaly greyhounds

THE week started and finished with some bumper payouts with valuable sweepstakes being decided across the provincial and city tracks. Bumper crowds were the order of the day with what seems to be a resurgence of attendances at our tracks. Some top class unraced stakes with plenty of future champions on show. Mullingar again provided the vast majority of Offaly winners with a few quality ones elsewhere.
Early Week Racing
There was a super crowd in Clonmel on bank holiday Monday to coincide with the National Coursing meeting. The highlight of a great card where over €35k was given out in prize money was the final of the Rural Kennels Open Unraced Stake, won last year by Swords Rex, who went on to also lift the trophy in the Con and Annie Kirby stake in Limerick. Graham Holland trained the winner last year and retained the trophy on Monday as Rural Kihei (Newinn Taylor - Rural Maui) came home, like the proverbial train to just get up on the line and win by a neck in 28.81, at a decent price of 6/1. This talented bitch looks to have a huge future ahead of her and a first prize of €6.2k was a nice way to start her career. Burgess Canon was an unlucky second for Shiela Spillane and J.J. Fennelly and received a cheque for €2.1k also at a long price of 5/1. The only Offaly dog in the final was Laughil Rocky who finished fourth, but was only two and half lengths off the winner, which was very creditable for Kilcormac owners Paul and Mary Jennings.
A number of stakes concluded also at this meeting. In the final of the Tommy and Bridget Dunford Memorial Guys and Dolls A3 stake, Miss Mini Star (Droopys Jet - Miss Mini Marvel) was first home and won a pot of €2.4K for Thomas O’Donovan in 28.78 by a head at 6/4 fav. In the final of the Elite Canine Transport AO bitch stake, Glenbervie Rosy (Ballymac Best - Tullig Bonnie) was first across the finishing line for Damien O’Regan in 28.55 by three lengths at 2/1 fav with €1.7k going his way.
In the final of the Sporting Press Online Edition A1 550, Bloodsweatnbeers (Sh Avatar - Nutty Beth) was a one length winner for John Browne in 30.01 by one length at 7/2 with another purse of €2.4K going to this owner. All races in Clonmel were rated .10 slow. Next big unraced event on the calendar will be the Greyhound and Petworld Juvenile Classic in Tralee which last year had a first place winning prize of €11k which Wi Can Dream won for Pat Guilfoyle.
Friday Racing
Galway, final of the novice ON2 350 yard sprint, Jomac (Broadstrand Bono - Frost Nixen) reigned supreme in 19.26 (.05 slow) by three lengths at 6/4 fav with €700 which seems a very small winning total considering there were three rounds to this stake going to local trainer Joe Keane.
In Newbridge, in the semifinals of the RCETS ON2 525 stake, Darcys Call won the first for Liam King in 29.31 by six lengths at 5/2 with the second semi going to Herecomestrouble for Dennis Smyth in a faster 29.18 by two lengths at 7/4. One Offaly winner on the supporting card, in an S1 sprint, Susie Chaperal made it four wins on the spin for the Twenty-Eight-Eighty-Two Syndicate consisting of two Rhode men Gerry Hickey and Seamus Darby and Kildare native Ian Mcloughlin in 17.80 by one length at 5/2 with Robertstown great Jerry Melia at the helm.
Tralee staged the final of the RCETS ON2 unraced stake, with the €1k first prize going to Headleys Susie (Good News - Pennylane Star) for Nick Cotter in 29.49 by one length at 5/2.
The only final of note on Friday was in Shelbourne with the running of the Barking Buzz App A3 bitch stake, Black Bridges (Ballymac Best - Killeen Princess) came out on top for Barry and Matthew Caul by a head in 28.78 at 4/1 with a cheque of €2k going to the owners here.
Saturday Racing
In Curraheen Park in the first round of the 2023 A1 Cork Cup, won last year by Barkley Jas for Kieran Lynch, Six heat with only two lengths separating the fastest heat winner to the slowest. Butterbridge Boy went fastest on the night for local trainer Lynch again in 28.84 by six lengths at 3/1. In the final of the Two-Wheel Training Open 575, Scagletti (Magical Bale - Outdoor Roller) was too good for his rivals in 31.21 by two lengths at 9/2 with the first prize of €3.75k going to owner Cheryl Sutcliffe and trainer Pat Guilfoyle. Dundalk, in an SS0 open 400 yard race, Verratti won for Edenderry owner Keith Duffy in a career best run of 21.24 by a neck with Robert Gleeson training.
Some great racing in Limerick with the first round of the Talking Dogs A3 600 yard stake, five heats with Ruffian Rose doing the fastest run for Dave Bourke in 33.08 by three lengths at 2/1. Also in Limerick in the semifinals of an ON3 unraced stake, Kitmans Greg won the first for Banagher owner Kieran White in 29.37 by six lengths at 2/1 with John Byrne training. The second semi went to Glideaway Taylor for Thomas O’Donoghue in a faster 29.03 by nine lengths at 4/5 fav.
Three Offaly winners in Mullingar, in the first race on the card, an A8 contest, Lahinch Dolly won for Clara owner P.J. Cleary in 30.55 by three lengths. In an A4 grade, Lingrawn Grace was first back in kennels for Moneygall owner Kevin Jones in 29.96 by a head. In the final and best race of the night, an A1 contest, Carrickhill Ava had a trap to line win for Edenderry trainer David Hanlon and Mullingar owner John Farrell in a splendid 29.16 by three lengths. All races in Mullingar were rated .60 slow.
Another Offaly winner in Thurles, in the semifinals of the John Rafferty Memorial SSO open sprint stake, Laughil Roy won in 17.75 (10 slow) by four lengths at 5/4 fav, again for Mary and Paul Jennings with Michael O’Donovan guiding. The other semi was won by Greatdistraction for Paul Brussels in 17.58 (10 slow) by six lengths.
In Tralee, in the first round of a Novice ON2 325 sprint, six heats with Vale Jasper going fastest of the six for Margaret Noonan in 17.62 by six lengths at 6/4 fav.
A massive crowd in Shelbourne for the quarterfinals of the Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings AAO Gold Cup, four heats that would do the Derby proud in August. Fastest of the four was Galloping Sydney for Graham Holland in 28.26 by two lengths at 5/2. Other heat winners were Bogger Hunter for Ian Reilly in 28.52, Rathdown Molly in 28.45 for Marie and Skip Gilbert and Cheque For Sir for Karol Ramsbottom in 28.50 by two lengths at 3/1. Of the twelve dogs left in this stake, six are from leading stud dog Droopys Sydney with Pat Buckley the only trainer with two dogs remaining.
In the semifinals of the Talking Dogs A1 525 also in Shelbourne, Brakes Are Off won the first for Gerard Barber in 28.96 by one length at 4/1 with the second semi going to Connough Cregg in 28.82 by two lengths at 3/1 for Wexford trainer George Roche.
Sunday Racing
Two Offaly winners at the matinee in Mullingar, in an A5 race, Weather Snap was also too good for the opposition in 30.25 (60 slow) by five lengths at at the 11/4 for Ballycommon owner Peter Raine. In an A7 grade, Horseleap Pippy won for the second week in a row for Sean McGuinness in 30.55 (60 slow) by one length at 9/4.
Upcoming Events
Friday, final of the RCETS ON2 unraced in Newbridge.
Saturday, quarterfinals of the Cork Cup in Curraheen Park, final of an ON3 unraced and quarterfinals of Talking Dogs A3 600 in Limerick, final of the John Rafferty Open 330 in Thurles, quarterfinals of the Novice Sprint in Tralee and Final of the Talking Dogs A1 and semifinals of the 2023 Gold Cup both in Shelbourne.
Loads to look forward to this week.
Tribune Offaly dog of the week.
Verratti gets the nod this week for Edenderry owner Keith Duffy when winning an open sprint in Dundalk in a super 21.24 by a neck. Brilliant run.
Offaly Winners
Another bumper week for the Faithful County with nine winners in total. Congrats to all involved in any way.
D.C.