Gone to the dogs: Five Offaly winners

All roads lead to Cork for the first round of the Bar One Racing Irish Laurels,  most of  the country’s top hounds were on view at the Curraheen Park venue.

Some quality racing at headquarters too and on Saturday the first round of the valuable Paddy Merriman Memorial took place in honour of the Croghan and Offaly trainer who put a lifetime into greyhound racing. In Waterford we had the final of the Munster Oaks and the final of the Casey Caravan and Camping Open unraced came to a conclusion as another began in Shelbourne.

Early Week Racing

Monday, Enniscorthy, in the semifinals of the Time Greyhound Nutrition Open Unraced semifinals, Foxy Lola won the first for Cora Doyle in 29.47 (20 slow) by two lengths at 2/1. The second semi was won in a faster 29.28 (20 slow) by Kereight Pimple for Aidan Denton by four lengths at 4/6 fav.

Friday Racing

First Offaly winner of the week was at the matinee meeting in Mullingar as Killeshill Messi won an A3 contest in 29.53 (50 slow) by a head at 11/4 for Croghan owner/ trainer Vincent Lynch.

The best race in Clonmel was the final of the Kilsheelan Gallop A3 stake with Tempestade (Droopys Sydney- Rural Aloha) winning the €2k first prize for Graham Holland in 29.24 by three lengths at 1/2 fav.

In the first race in Galway, an S9 350 yard sprint, So Its Eric won for Birr owner Paul Pardy in 19.42 (.05 slow) by seven lengths at 5/4 co fav.

The semi-finals of the Jag Building Services and KGOBA A1 Derby were the featured events in Kilkenny, Julies Gem again set the standard for local Kilkenny specialist Murt Leahy, when winning in 28.77 (30 slow) by five lengths  at 2/1 fav. The second semi was won in a more modest 29.04 (30 slow) by four lengths at 6/1 for Sinead Murphy.

There was a cracking nights racing in Shelbourne with three finals up for grabs and the first round of an open unraced stake. Like last week the big final on the night went to an Offaly dog as Highview Mighty (Pat C Sabbath-Highview Picture) won the Go Greyhound Racing A3 skake and €4K first prize for Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman in 28.55 (20 fast) by two lengths at 2/1 co fav. Great win.

In the final of the Barking Buzz A3 bitch stake Whyaye Bonnylass (Malachi-Droopys Megan) was too good for her rivals winning by three lengths in 28.85 (20 fast) at 6/1 with €1.75k first prize going to Michael Donnelly. The remaining final was the This Runs Deep A2 Dual Distance over the 575 trip. The €2k pot went to Mollys Mango (Ballymac Bolger-Lovee Dovee) for Owen McKenna in 31.53 (20 slow) by one length at 4/7 fav. In the first round of the Talking Dogs Open Unraced stake, four heats with a double for Holland including the fastest heat winner in Racenight Joan in a fine 28.53(20 fast) by six lengths at 4/1.

Tralee held the first round of the KGOBA Tri-Distance A3 stake, with first round over the 500 yard trip. Eight heats with one very special run as Daleroad Devon broke the track record for Pat Guilfoyle in an astonishing 26.70 winning by six lengths at 1/2 fav. 

Saturday Racing

There was a bumper crowd in Curraheen Park in Cork for the first round of the Bar One Racing Irish Laurels. First ran in 1944 it has taken pride and place on the racing calendar ever since. It was ran at the old Cork track up until its closure in 1999 and ever since in Curraheen Park. The first dog to win it in ‘44 was Robeen Printer and over the following years only four dogs have won it back to back, Spanish Chestnut in ‘49 and ‘50, Knockrour Slave in ‘79 and ‘80, Mr. Pickwick  for Paul Hennessy in ‘97 and ‘98 and Rockybay Foley for Kieran Lynch in 2018 and ‘19. Twelve heats on a glorious September evening with the cream of the Irish dogs all vying to get the name on this trophy won last year by High Trend for Graham Holland.

All dozen heats were won in fast times with two that took the eye, recent winner of the Bar One Racing Jimmy Barry Murphy Open 525 Tribal Syd stopped the timer in 28.01 for Murt Leahy, and last year’s Derby winner, The Other Kobe won in 28.02 by nine lengths for Holland. Long way to go in this stake but an exciting few weeks ahead. 

Our only Offaly winner on Saturday was in Galway, in an A7 525 Fast Fit Duke won for Rahan owner Taragh Cantwell with her father John Quinn in 29.33 by four lengths at a well backed 5/4 fav.

Two valuable stakes were at semi-final stage in Limerick. In the Roma Casino Irish Cambridgeshire Open 750, track record holder Tuono Charlie again stole the show when winning in 40.79, by ten lengths at a very short 2/7 fav, with Sharon Hunt training. The second semi was won by last year's winner of this event, Kinturk Road for Liam Dowling in a slower 41.37, by four lengths at 4/6. Hard to see anything stopping Tuono for picking up his third trophy of the year and adding to the €31k he’s already won this year. 

The other semi-finals were the O’Connor Julian Vets Cashel A2 Tri-Distance stake over the 575 trip. Thats It Jack stopped the clock in his heat in 30.80 taking two lengths of the previous track record winning by four lengths at 1/2 fav for Liam Cahill and Tony Lacey with Listen Ellie winning the second for Patrick Maher in a slower 31.37 by one length at 4/1.

Two stakes in Kilcohan Park in Waterford came to a conclusion. In the final of the Casey Caravan and Camping Open Unraced Whitenose Hawk (Droopys Sydney-Powerful Mush) took the right night to win a round of this stake, when winning by three lengths in a super 28.65 at 5/2, with a cheque of €2k going to his trainer Willie O’Connor.  In the final of the Dave Collins Memorial Open Munster Oaks  the €7.5k first prize pot went to Holland again as Hello Rose (Burgess Bucks-Holycross Heidi) proved too good for the field when winning in 29.08 by one length at 5/1. Deelish Nora was second for Ginger McGee and received a purse of €3k.

There was a great card in Shelbourne, three finals on the night and seven heats of the Paddy Merriman Memorial A1 stake which holds a €10k pot to the eventual winner.  Whyate Bonnylad won this stake in 2023 for Robert Gleeson.  All seven heats were very competitive with Gleeson supplying the fastest winner in Toolmaker Note when crossing the whitewash in 28.09 by six lengths at 6/4. 

First final of the night was the Upcoming Shelbourne Maiden Derby open 525 with the €3.5k first prize going to Phoenix Memphis (Droopys Sydney-Swift Jezebel) for Ian Reilly in 28.20 by three lengths at 1/1 favourite.  In the IRGT AO Dual Distance over the 600 yard journey, Stripe Sparky (Ballymac Bolger-Gareths Star) won for Ned Freeman in 32.25 by five lengths at 5/2 with €2.75k heading his way.  In the final of the Upcoming Yvonne Barry Open 600 Dual Distance stake with  another purse of €3.5k going to Paul Hennessy as Jaytee Craze (Ballymac Cashout- Ballymac Minton) won by one length at 4/1 in 32.17. 

Sunday Racing

One Offaly winner at the matinee meeting in Mullingar as Lingrawn Focus had his nineteenth career win for Moneygall owner Liam Jones in 29.66 (50 slow) by two lengths at 2/1 favourite. 

Upcoming Events

Friday, final of the Jag Building Services and KGOBA Kilkenny A1 Derby, semifinals of the Talking Dogs Open Unraced in Shelbourne and quarterfinals of the KGOBA Tri Distance stake in Tralee.

Saturday, finals of the Roma Casino Irish Cambridgeshire and O’Connor Julian Vets Cashel A2 Tri Distance both in Limerick, second round of the Bar One Racing Irish Laurels in Cork and quarter-finals of the Paddy Merriman Memorial in Shelbourne. Super week of racing ahead. 

Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week

Easy decision this week as Highview Mighty won the final of the Go Greyhound Racing A3 stake in Shelbourne on Friday, going through the competition unbeaten for Gerry Merriman and winning the final in a fine 28.55 by two lengths. 

Offaly Winners

Five Offaly winners this week. Congrats to all connections.