Gone to the dogs: Seven Offaly winners as Hennessy takes third English derby
Offaly dogs in good form
The biggest race of the week was the final of the Star Sports and Orchestrate English Derby in Towcester. Five Irish dogs went to traps in the English blue ribbon event in a competition with total Irish dominance.
On this side of the Irish Sea semi-finals of the Summer Cup and Irish Oaks both in Shelbourne, the final of the Race Of Champions in Tralee and the final of the Denis Linehan Solicitors Open Unraced in Cork dominated proceedings on home front. Offaly winners were once again to the fore with some eye catching performances
Early Week Racing
Monday, Enniscorthy, first round of the Wexford GOBA Open Unraced Stakes. Six heats with six different sponsors won last year by Badminton Chopin for Donal Murphy. Fastest of the sextet was Toolmaker Dynomo in a rapid 28.72 (20 slow) by eight lengths at 2/5 fav for Rathangan trainer Robert Gleeson. Next fastest of the heats was Luminous Fairy for Denis Lennon in 28.77 (20 slow) by twelve lengths also at 2/5 fav. These two have a bit in hand over the remaining winners.
Tuesday, Shelbourne, three finals were up grabs. In the conclusion of the Tuesday Night Novices ON3 Unraced the €1.5k purse was won by Maree Shola (Magical Bale-Maree Smasher) for Ronan Hanniffy and S.M. Rosier in 28.53 (10 fast) by ten lengths at 4/6 fav. In the finale of Shelbourne Regulars A4 final, Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman had Offaly’s first winner of the week and Offaly's ninth sweepstake winner in 2026. Highview Disco (McInerney-Highview Magnet) won the €1.75k pot in 29.03 (10 fast) by one length at 5/1.
The €2k in the final of Novice 750 yard stake was won by Razldazl Paloma (Ballymac Best-Razldazl Mya) for Kinnegad trainer Barry Clancy in 42.22 (20 fast) by five lengths at 2/1.
Friday Racing
Three Offaly winners at the matinee SIS meeting in Mullingar. In an A6 race Bawnmore was a two length winner in 30.08 (50 slow) for Ballinagar owners The-Euro-Dollar-Syndicate and trainer Iggy Daly at a well backed 7/4 fav. Also in an A6 grade Killeshill Callie had his sixteenth career win for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch in 29.94 (50 slow) by two lengths at 7/2. In an A5 contest Darbys Zoe won for Tubber owner Noel Browne in 30.03 (50 slow) by one length at 13/2 with Nalin Monerawela training.One final in Shelbourne. In an A1 575 decider Town Kitten (Dorotas Wildcat-Town Mouse) won the €2k first prize for Sean Dooley in 31.46 by two lengths at 4/1.The most valuable final in Ireland this week was the Callaway Pro Am@ Stud Race of Champions 550 in Tralee. The €15k first prize was won by Ballycowen Frank (Ballymac Cashout-Peckies Flyer) for Michael O’Donovan in a superb 29.01 (10 fast), a new track record by eight lengths at 4/1. What a performance. Solo And Go was second for local Kerry trainer Liam Dowling and duly went home to Ballymacelliott with a cheque for €4K.
Saturday Racing
Very busy Saturday with finals all over the country.
Youghal, final of the Davy O’Brien Memorial A5 stake. The €1.5k first prize was won by Watch Out Holly (Burgess Bucks-Hollyhill Fifi) for Mark Drinan in 29.55 (40 slow) by one length.
Curraheen Park, Cork, final of the Denis Linehan Solicitors Open Unraced where future champions are often found. The €10k pot was won by Fahrenheit Ace (Grangeview Ten-Roaming Spirit) for Graham Holland in 28.60 by one length at 4/1. Droopys Monk was second for Barry Clancy and went home to Westmeath with a cheque for €4K. One other final on the night in Cork. In the finale of the Pat O’Keeffe A3 stake Knockalough (Glengar Bale-Ruffian Rose) won and received a winners prize of €1.5k for local trainer Kieran Lynch in 28.55 by four lengths at 4/6 fav.
Dundalk, final of the Track Supporters Club A3 Stake. Berties Bassett (Ballymac Kingdom- Meenamoyamona) was first home in 28.63 by two lengths with €2k heading to Northern Ireland trainer Kurtis Bain.
Galway, final of the Ann Cheevers Memorial A3 stake. Laois Lightning (Ballymac Anton-Old Treasure) was across the line first in 28.78 (20 slow) by five lengths at 3/1 with another cheque of €2k in the post to trainer Donal Duggan.
Twelve heats in the second round of the Time Club A4 Graders Derby in Limerick with twelve different trainers winning. Magical Fiona set the bar highest when winning in a faster 28.22 (20 fast) by ten lengths at 2/1 for Pat Guilfoyle. Coolanga Elite was next fastest for Michael Lowry in 28.29 (20 fast) by five lengths at 3/1.
First Offaly winner on Saturday was in the final race in Mullingar. In an A1 event Killeshill Ranger won for the second week in a row for Vincent Lynch in a rapid 29.22 (50 slow) by three lengths at 4/6 fav.
€2k went to the winner of The Wexford A2 Stakes in Waterford. Walkabout Murt (Pestana-Newinn Abby) won for Paddy Flynn in 29.05 (10 slow) by three lengths at 4/1.
It was a super night of racing at Headquarters with a top class card on view. In the semi-finals of the Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks Ballymac Kamala won the first for Liam Dowling in 28.20 by a neck at 8/11 fav. Rapido Ivy won the second heat for Waterford trainer Peter Cronin in 28.28 by one length at 10/3. Highview Carol made it comfortably into Saturday's final when finishing second in this heat for Gerry Merriman. She will go off at a big price in Saturday's final but as she is improving every week on the clock she is certainly not without a chance. Would be a brilliant win.
In the semi-finals of the AO Summer Cup Shanahee Boomer won the first for Kieran Lynch in 28.10 by two lengths at 10/11 fav. The second was won by probably Offaly's fastest dog at the moment. Carrick Becks crossed the whitewash in 28.12, despite getting a bang at first bend, to win by five lengths, at 8/11 fav for Edenderry owner Thomas Glynn trainer with Robert Gleeson training.
Another Offaly winner on the supporting card as Yacht View won an AO 550 in a super 29.64 by three lengths at 4/1 with Merriman training.
English Derby
With Lennies Tank being withdrawn during the week that left five runners in the final of the Star Sports and Orchestrate English Derby in Towcester. We were always going to have our nineteenth Derby win since its inauguration in 1929 as all five were Irish trained. It turned out to be a shock result for some but not for trainer Paul Hennessy as Lennies Eddie (Good Cody-Portumna Marina) bolted from traps and held off the challenge of Liam Dowlings two superstars, in Ballymac Deniro and Ballymac Duffle, to win by a length in a super 28.20.
It was a remarkable training feat for Hennessy as he has now won three English Derbys in three different tracks. Jaytee Jet in 2016 in Wimbledon, Priceless Blake in ‘19 in Nottingham and Eddie in Towcester last Saturday. Although his starting price was on the drift all day as the Dowling dogs hardened Eddie certainly had his followers and plenty were on at the very generous 10/1. Deniro and Duffle lost nothing in defeat for Dowling as they just couldn’t reign in Eddie as the clock was so good. The other two Irish dogs collided at the first bend and that put paid to their chances.
All in all it was another wonderful English Derby with the Irish dogs in total dominance from the get go. If the best of the English dogs came over to the Irish equivalent would be hard to see even one making the semifinals. Hopefully this trend continues over the coming years and hard to see it stopping soon.
Upcoming Events
Monday, Enniscorthy, quarterfinals of the Wexford GOBA Open unraced. Friday, first round of Champion Stakes in Shelbourne.Saturday, first round of the Donal Beatty Memorial Corn Cuchalainn Open 750, final of the Dublin Cup and Sporting Press Irish Oaks all in Shelbourne. Third round of the Time Club Graders Derby in Limerick.
Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week
Carrick Becks once again gets the nod for winning his semi-final in the Dublin AO Cup in Shelbourne last Saturday in a magnificent 28.12 for Thomas Glynn. Hopefully now on Saturday he traps with his usual speed and Glynn will be lifting this trophy for the second year in a row having won it last year with Carrick Scholsey. Fingers crossed.
One For The Notebook
While Yacht View has won only five of her sixteen races her winning time last Saturday in an AO 550 of 29.64 is top drawer. The Gerry Merriman trained bitch can comfortably take her chance in this year's Derby and can look forward to it with a certain amount of optimism. If she can continue to do these sort of clocks she will certainly be there at the business end of things. Super performance.
Offaly Winners.
Seven Offaly winners this week, congrats to all connections.