GONE TO THE DOGS: Plenty of Offaly winners in the mix yet again
For the second week some meetings went ahead with the matinee meetings starting in the cool of the morning at earlier times and the evening meeting also starting later
Greyhound welfare was to the fore, once again, with numerous meetings cancelled once again due to the heatwave. For the second week some meetings went ahead with the matinee meetings starting in the cool of the morning at earlier times and the evening meeting also starting later. There were some valuable sweepstakes action with plenty of winning prize money up for grabs. Plenty of Offaly winners in the mix once again.
Early Week Racing
Three Offaly winners in Shelbourne on Tuesday. Highview Levi (Orchestrate-Highview Honour) became Offaly's Twelfth sweepstakes winner in 2026 when winning the final of the June Monthly Novice ON2 stake. The Gerry Merriman trained dog made it three wins from three starts when winning by three lengths at 4/1 in 28.63 with a cheque of €3k heading to the Croghan trainer.
Our other two winners were for Kinnitty owner Jeanette MacKenzie. In an A2 525 Aussie Alert won by a head in 28.82 at 5/1. In an A1 550 race Aussie Reward won by three lengths in 30.01 at a decent price of 8/1 to bring up the double.
Friday Racing
Galway. Two of their feature events of the year got underway. Three heats in the first round of the Faya Galway Open Oaks won last year by Badly Behaving for Shaun Conway. Pat Guilfoyle won two of the heats however the fastest heat winner was Avenue Queen for Brian Robinson in 28.84 (20 slow) by six lengths at 5/2.
In the first round of the Jimmy Flaherty Memorial A2 with six heats won in 2025 by Derrymoyle Bono for Owen McDonagh. An Offaly winner was fastest of the sextet. Breaghmore Joeys stopped the clock in 29.07 (20 slow) for Kinnitty owner M.J. Corrigan winning by two lengths also at 5/2.
Two finals in Shelbourne. In the Talking Dogs TV A1 stake Maireads Susie (Droopys Sydney - Susie Sapphire) won the €2.5k for Rathangan trainer Frazer Black in 28.17 (20 fast) by six lengths at 5/2.
In the conclusion of the Shelbourne Museum A4 stake Droopys Mezza (Pestana- Droopys Onestop) was an easy seven length winner of the €1.5k purse for Murt Leahy in 28.29 (20 fast) at a short 1/2 fav.
In the semifinals of an ON1 Open Unraced Sprint 350 yard stake, Carrick Bruno won heat two in a very smart 18.57 for Edenderry owner Thomas Glynn, by two lengths at 3/1, with David Murray training.
In the first race on the card at Headquarters, Merriman was back in the winners enclosure as Highview Quitly won an A2 525 in 28.47 (20 fast) by two lengths at 3/1.
It was a festival night in Tralee with all races being finals of some grade. The two big finals on the night were both won by Pat Guilfoyle. In the Moorstown Kennels A3 500 yard stake Magical Marty (Ballymac Cashout- Magical Mary) took the honours and the €2k pot in 26.86 by seven lengths at 6/4.
In an A2 finale Daleroad Magic (Ballymac Cashout - Magical Mary) won the €3.5k by one length at 1/1 fav in 28.36.
Saturday Racing
Curraheen Park, Cork, the feature event was the final of the Shelley Fennelly Memorial Open Bitch Stake. The most valuable first prize of the week of €7.5k was won by Droopys Croia (Signet Ace- Droopys Alice) for local trainer Johnny Linehan in 28.38 by one length at 1/1 fav. Carrigeen Whit was second for Thomas Buggy and went home with a cheque for €2.5k.
All nine races in Dundalk were in the first round of the Bar One Betting Irish Sprint Cup won in 2025 by Southwind Wild for Pat Buckley. There was a double for Killenaule trainer Jennifer O’Donnell with The Other Arri in 20.96 and The Other Wild in 21.26. Fastest of the nine was Magical Luka for Guilfoyle in 20.88 winning by six lengths. Long way to go in this stake yet with second round Saturday.
Mullingar, one Offaly winner. In the first round of the Comerford Bros A4 600 yard stake Killeshill Messi won heat two for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch in 34.53 (70 slow) by a head at 6/4 recording this dogs thirteenth win.
Shelbourne, the two best races on the card were the semifinals of the Time Greyhound Nutrition Puppy Derby. Fahrenheit Ace won the first for Graham Holland in 28.28 by one length at 15/2 while Kapuka Coley was first home in the second for Karol Ramsbottom in a faster 28.04 by two lengths at 13/8 fav.
Two very impressive Offaly winners on the undercard. In the semifinal of an AO dual distance stake over the 550 trip Brayview Lad was first across the whitewash for Merriman in 29.93 by two lengths at 6/1. This final on Saturday will be over the 575 trip.
In the semifinal of the Time Record Breaker AAO Maiden 550 Carrick Coley stopped the clock in a most impressive derby winning time of 29.45 for Thomas Glynn again. The David Murray trained dog won by four lengths at 10/3 in serious fashion. Definitely a big statement made here as the Derby approaches.
Upcoming Events
Friday, semifinals of the Faya Galway Oaks and quarterfinals of the Jimmy Flaherty Memorial A2 Stakes both in the Dexcom Stadium in Galway. Final of the ON1 Unraced Open Sprint in Shelbourne.
Saturday, second round of the Bar One Betting Irish Sprint Cup in Dundalk, finals of the Time Greyhound Nutrition Puppy Derby, the AO Daul Distance and Time Maiden 550 all in Shelbourne.
Great weekend of racing ahead of us.
Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week
Highview Levi gets the nod this week despite some very smart Offaly dog performances. While winning the June Monthly Novice ON2 final on Tuesday in Shelbourne he remained unbeaten in this competition winning all three rounds for Gerry Merriman. His winning time of 28.63 on a Tuesday was very smart indeed as the track would certainly not be at its fastest. Merriman certainly looks to have something very decent on his hands here. Fingers crossed.
One For The Notebook
Carrick Bruno looks another interesting pup for Thomas Glynn when winning his semifinal of an open unraced sprint stake in Shelbourne on Friday in a cracking 18.57 by two lengths. Be interesting to see will this fellow stay over four bends and if he can maintain the speed that he showed over two on Friday Glynn could have another very special dog on his hands.
Offaly Winners
Nine Faithful County winners last week. Well done to all involved.
D.C.