Gone to the dogs: Seven Offaly winners

After the Christmas break and two weeks of disruption due to the inclement weather we finally returned to a full programme of racing. Some interesting stakes got underway including the first Open Unraced stake where champions are made and the first round of the Dublin Cup where a full night’s racing in Shelbourne included all eleven heats in this very competitive stake. Nice to see Offaly dogs on the winners podium once again no doubt it will be another triumphant year for the Faithful County dogs. 

Early Week Racing

Clonmel, Monday, first round of the John White Memorial A3 Guys and Dolls Stakes, six heats with trainer Adam Dunford providing four of them. Dunford also had the fastest winner as Blister Him Jim stopped the clock in 28.81 winning by seven lengths at 1/1 fav.

Friday Racing

First Offaly winner of the week was at the matinee meeting in Mullingar as Killeshill Glam won the first race on the card, an A4 grade for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch in 30.27 (50 slow) by a neck at 5/2.

Clonmel staged the first round of the Rural Kennels Open Unraced always top drawer where some classicly bred pups make their debut. Last year this most important stake was won by the highly regarded Romeo Taylor for Graham Holland. Six heats with three going to Holland including the fastest heat winner in Blossoms Syd in 28.49 by one length at 5/2. Also in Clonmel we had the quarterfinals of the John White Memorial A3 Guys and Dolls Stake with Grant A Wish setting the fastest time for Jimmy Power in 28.93 by one length at 9/4. One Offaly winner on the supporting card as Yorkie Ollie won an AAO open 525 for Birr owners Michael Hennessy and Adrian Sheils in the fastest time of the night in a super 28.38 by three lengths at 1/2 fav with Holland also training.

In Shelbourne, all eleven races on the night were in the first round of the valuable Dublin Cup A2 525 stake won last year by Hello Rose for Andy Hogan. Fastest of the eleven was Skidrow Joe for Owen McKenna in 28.41 by seven lengths at 4/5 fav. One Offaly winner in heat three as Coolemount Dubh won for Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman in 28.93 by a head at 3/1.

Saturday Racing

Curraheen Park, Cork, first round of the Gaytime Kennels A2 525 . Four heats with local Cork specialist Kieran Lynch winning three of them including the fastest winner in Hollyhill Pad in 28.84 by a head at 1/1 fav.

Limerick, quarter-finals of the Old Creamery Bar Hospital AO stake and for the second week in a row Foxwood Rip set the bar highest when stopping the timer in 28.40 by five lengths at 4/5 fav with Denis McGrath training.  First Offaly winner on Saturday was at this meeting as Fast Fit Lucky won an A3 contest in 29.07 by three lengths at 4/1 for Rahan owner Kate Cantwell with her grandfather John Quinn.

Two more Faithful County winners in Mullingar. In the semifinal of an A4 sweepstake Apache Gem was first home in his heat for Clara owner P.J. Cleary in 30.20 (50 slow) by one length. In the twelfth race the final one on the card, an A2 grade Knockroe Bob won in 29.78 (50 slow) by a short head at 5/2 for Moneygall owner Liam Jones. 

Tralee hosted the first round of the Barking Buzz A1 Kerry Oaks, four heats with Crafty Bondi setting the standard for Peter Divilly in 28.23 by four lengths.

Two finals were decided in Shelbourne, in an A1 decider Phoenix Tyson (Grangeview Ten-Fahy Ripley) won the €1.75k pot for Meath trainer Ian Reilly in 28.79 by one length at 2/1. In the final of the Talking Dogs AO stake Brockagh Justine (Magical Bale-Killeen Princess) brought home the €2k cheque in a smart 28.68 by one length at 6/4 with Maureen Finnegan training. In the semifinals of an AAO Open sweepstake, Im an Exile won the first for Andrew Lynch in 28.45 by four lengths at 4/1 with Drive On Beauty the second for Christopher O’Donovan in near identical time of 28.47 also by four lengths at 1/1 fav.

Sunday Racing

One Offaly winner at the matinee meeting in Mullingar and again for Clara owner P.J. Cleary as Lahinch Violet in an A4 grade in 29.91 (50 slow) by one length at 11/4. 

Upcoming Events

Friday, quarter-finals of the Rural Kennels Open Unraced and semifinals of the John White Memorial A3 Stakes both in Clonmel.

Second round of the Dublin Cup A2 525 in Shelbourne.

Saturday, Cork, semi-finals of the Gaytime Kennels A2 525.

Semi-finals of the Old Creamery Pub Hospital AO stake in Limerick. Semifinals of the Barking Buzz A1 Kerry Oaks in Tralee. Final of the Open AAO stake in Shelbourne Park. 

Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week

Yorkie Ollie gets the nod this week for winning an Open AAO 525 in Clonmel Friday in a most impressive 28.38 by three lengths for Birr owners Michael Hennessy and Adrian Sheils. Fine performance. 

Offaly Winners

Seven Offaly winners this week. Well done to all involved.