Gone to the dogs: Six Offaly winners

A much better week of racing, this week, after the weather related postponements of last week. A number of tracks ran off two rounds of sweepstakes with one early in week and one in the latter stages.  Some interesting Offaly winners too.

Early Week Racing

Monday, Newbridge in the first round of the Eamon Wheatley memorial A4 stake, won last year by Zaconey Apollo for Niall Foley. Eight very competitive heats with Fantasy Penny going fastest for Albert Mullins in 29.37 by three lengths at 5/2.

Tuesday, second round of the Rural Kennels Open Unraced stake, six heats with Ballymac Dancia setting the bar the highest when stopping the clock for Liam Dowling, in 28.39 (10 slow), by eight lengths. Another to catch the eye was Epic Bella for Marie and John Kennedy who won in 28.44 by one length with Carrick Keano second for Edenderry owner Thomas Glynn with Robert Gleeson training. Keano is certainly not without a chance of going all the way in the first valuable open unraced stake of the year for the Edenderry owner.

Friday Racing

After three weeks of racing at the afternoon racing in Mullingar we finally got the first Offaly winner. Killeshill Lilac won an A7 contest for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch in 29.93 (60 slow) by six lengths at 8/1.

In Newbridge, in the quarter-finals of the Eamon Wheatley memorial A4 stake, Littletown Skye set the standard when winning in 28.89 by eleven lengths at 9/4 for Frank Brennan. Heat four went to Airazor for Edenderry owners Miss Rebecca Cronin and Miss Katie Hackett in 28.91 also by eleven lengths at 2/1 with Paul Cronin training.

In Shelbourne Park, in the semi-finals A2 Dublin Cup, La Barbaro won the first for Micheal Corr 29.03 (20 slow) by a head  at 1/1 fav. The second semi also went to 1/1 fav as Headinthewindow won for Murt Leahy in 28.84 (20 slow) by five lengths. One final on the night at Headquarters, in the Time Greyhound 28 A6 stake, the €1.75k first prize went to Russmur Roddick (Black Parachute-Droopys Pen) in 29.72 (20 slow) for Stephen Dunne by four lengths at 5/4 fav.

The best race on Friday was the final of the Nolan CVRT Test Centre A1 Kerry Oaks, the €5k first prize stayed local as Ballymac Wendy (Ballymac Anton-Mucky Harbour) won for Liam Dowling in a super 28.29 (20 slow) by seven lengths at 4/7 fav.

Saturday Racing

The only Faithful County winner on Saturday was in Galway as Margaret Bolton made the trip from Geashill with Cillowen Recruit to win an A5 525 in 29.45 (10 slow) by three lengths at 3/1.

Limerick staged the semi-finals of the Born Warrior @ Stud A1 stake. The first heat went to Crafty Supremo for Shane Divilly and Miss Eimear Dwyer in 28.58 by three lengths at 2/1. The second semi was won in a faster 28.27 as Glengar Jasmine won by six lengths at 5/4 fav for Corona Ryan. 

Two finals of note in Shelbourne Park. In the This Runs Deep A1 Dual Distance 550/575 stake with the final over the latter trip, Mikeys Millie (Droopys Sydney-Droopys Lagoon) won the €1.75k first prize in a super 31.16 by one length at 5/2 for Micheal Whelan.  The second final was worth €2k to the winner as Droopys Edel (King Sheeran-Droopys Hunch) won the RCETS AO stake, by three lengths in 28.66 at 6/4 fav, for Ian Reilly.

Sunday Racing

Two Offaly winners at the matinee meeting in Mullingar with both for Moneygall owner Liam Jones. In an A3 grade Lingrawn Aoife had her ninth career win in 29.69 (60 slow) by two lengths at 13/8 fav. In an A4 contest Lingrawn Focus crossed the whitewash in first place in 29.72 (60 slow) by three lengths at 15/8 fav.

In Clonmel, in the semi-finals of the Rural Kennels Open Unraced Stake, three heats with two qualifying from each for Sundays final. Ballymac Dancia again set the standard like on Tuesday for Dowling when winning in 28.34 (10 slow) by seven lengths at a very short 1/4 fav. The next heat was won by Carrick Keano for North Offaly owner Glynn in 28.42 (10 slow) by four lengths at 11/10 fav with Gleeson training. The final heat went to Romeo Taylor for champion trainer Graham Holland in 28.61 (10 slow) by one length at 6/4 fav.

Upcoming Events

Friday, semi-finals of the Eamon Wheatley Memorial in Newbridge, final of the Dublin Cup in Shelbourne. Saturday, final of the Born Warrior @ Stud A1 525 in Limerick.

Sunday, final of the Rural Kennels Open Unraced the south Tipperary track in Clonmel. 

Tribune Offaly dog of the week

Easy decision this week as Carrick Keano won in the semifinals of the Rural Kennels Open Unraced in Clonmel for Thomas Glynn and can look forward to Sundays final with a serious amount of optimism. Here’s hoping for an Offaly winner to get 2024 off to a flying start for the year.

Offaly winners

Six Offaly winners this week, well done to all connections.