A new spice-y time for Limerick

The first major event of the new year at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium, the Vetsearch Recharge open 525, got off to a lively start on Saturday night with some exciting times for the first round heats.
The Graham Holland trained and Mallow-owned Calling Spice (Ballymac Maeve-No Joke Spice) was in absolutely flying form when setting a new record time of 28.27 for the 525-yards trip in Limerick. Drawn in trap two, in heat six, he led from the second bend and went on to win by five lengths from Colourful Champ.
Cratloe owner, Pat Carey, also had a good winner with his black dog, Hollywood, in heat four. The son of Hondo Black-Cabin Rose also had a trap two draw and he was always in front for his 28.80 win. Boherna House, in trap one, challenged for the lead over the two last corner but in a very close finish Holly Wood held out to win by a head.
The other heat winners were Slick Seattle, trained by Pat Buckley (28.49), the Graham Holland trained Rockburst Delta (28.74) the Cork-owned Cashen Mafuma (28.57 Airforce Roger (28.37) trained by Paul Henessy, Hedge Fund (28.59) and Knockglass Billy (28.61) again trained by Graham Holland.
Clare South Galway owners were in contention in the final stages of an earlier A4-graded 525-yard race. Challenging well at the home bend, Sailing (Droopys Kewell-Barntick Sally) trained by Mick Downes for Mrs Janet Downes, Killaloe, went through to win by two lengths in a time of 29.30. The runner up was Jennick, owned in Gort by Jennie Griffin and Nick Bailey and a length-and-a-half back for third place was Wizard Johnny (Billy Murphy, O’Briensbridge).
Parteen trainer, Joe Collins, also made it a worthwhile trip across the Shannon from Clare to claim the fourth race on the card, a novice 750 with Scariff Hawk (Westmead Hawk-Patterdale Luna). Owned by members of the Shanakyle syndicate, Scariff Hawk got to a flying start from trap one to lead all the way for his 42.21 win. He won by a length from Three Guesses.
There were three more Clare owned winners at the Limerick track on Friday night.
Liscannor trainer, Darryl Hopper, led the way with Rudi Blue (Duke Special-Run Ruby Run) in the second race on the card, an S8-graded sprint. Owned by Cheryl Hopper, Rudi Blue showed great early pace from trap one to lead all the way for his 19.51 win. However, he had to withstand a big late effort from Ickle Minnie to win by a head in 19.51. Third home was Bargain Bike, owned by Leo McNulty, Newmarket-on-Fergus.
The Mary Crotty-trained and Terry Roberts (O’Briensbridge) owned Trefnant Girl won the sixth race, an A3-graded 525. Running from the inside trap, the daughter of Ballymac Ruso-Inislosky Daisy took up the running at the second bend and raced on for a 29.68 win, beating Varra Polly, trained by Donal Cooney, Broadford for the Boys Club syndicate, by a length-and-a-half.
Liam Carroll, from Cratloe, returned for the fourth win in five races with his Portdrine Bobby (Hades Rocket- Jumeirah Jess).In the final race of the night, anA1-graded 525, Portdrine Bobby had a flyer of a start from trap four to score an impressie trap to line victory by a length and a half from theNorth Clare owned Hold It Jennie (Mark Shannon, Burren) .The time was 28.99.
In an earlier sprint race Blaze Shadow, owned in Ennis by Tony Brigdale and Margaret Byrne, was placed third,

A night of tight finishes in Galway

On an night in which the judge was required to declare the winner of five races, Cragbrien Hondo, owned in Ennis by Martin Cronin and Jack Markham, won the feature race in Galway on Saturday night, an A1-graded 525 yards affair.
The trap two runner, Jumeirah Joe, trained by Rynal Ruane for a Westport syndicate, got off to his usual fast start to lead the way from Cragbrien Hondo, in one, and Danmar Benny, in four, as they came to the opening bend. Down ther back it was stride for stride between Cragrbrien Hondo and Jumeirah Joe with Danmar Benny and Call me Bullet, the 7/4 favourite in trap, starting to move in. As they turned for home, Craghbrien Hondo went a length clear and despite moving off the rails he held out to beat Call Me Bullet by a neck in 29.79. Jumeirah Joe was third home, a half length back.
The chief supporting race, the A2-graded 550, was also won by a Clare-owned runner, Aulton Leo, belonging to Pat Hogan, Templemaley.
The favourite, Tromora Dot, trained by Seamus Fahy for Cork owners, was fast away from trap four to head Aulton Leo in trap one and reserve runner, Good Slick in trap two. As they reached the half-way stage, Aulton Leo (Westmead Hawk-Newbridge Jewel) was now level with the favourite and railing well at the second last bend, the Michael Enright trained black went a length clear and held on to that advanatage for his 30.45 win. The runner-up was Tromora Dot and third place went to Good Slick, owned by Tommie Gallagher, Cooraclare.
Fast Fit Jack, owned in Gort by John Quinn, was runner up in the first race of the night, an A8-A9 graded 525 won by Medodious Mai in 30.01.
Mrs Maria Browne from Leitrin, Cree, was winner of race number three, an S6-graded sprint, with Burnpark Cheryl, in trap four. The daughter of Royal Impact-Burnpark Cuckoo led the way with Quick Brae in the inside trap. Railing well, Quick Brae was in front as they approached the home turn. However, as they turned for home Burnpark Cheryl came again and this time there was no stopping her and she raced on for a three lengths win in 19.49 from Willrose Junior with Quick Brae in third place.
Tommie Gallagher fared better in another race, an A4-graded 525, which was won by his trap five runner, Master Slick. This was another trap to line effort as Master Slick (Slick Leo-Bodyshop Flight), a prolific winner at the College Road venue, built up a one length lead at the opening bend from Willbrook Dame in trap four. In as a reserve runner, Master Slick went clear down the far side and came a comfortable length and a half winner in 29.60 for his 17th career win. In the all Clare finish, the runner up was Giftfromhelen, (Thomas O’Gorman, Miltown Malbay) and third place went to Wilbrook Dame (Michael Davoren, Ennistymon).
Ennis owners, Anthony Brigdale and Margaret Byrne, were runners up with Blaze Panther in an A4-graded 525 won by the Pat Conway trained and Killarney owned Call Me Freddie by one length with a clock of 29.64.
Like Tommie Gallagher earlier on, Anthony Brigdale and Margaret Bryne had better luck in the next race which was won by their Blaze Ken (Kinloch Brae-Rackhill Lace) in an absoloute thriller. This was an A3-graded 525 in which five of the six runners were Clare owned, the Oughterard owned Jules Flyer in trap one being the outsider.
Colie O’Loughlin’s Pal Duke led from Cragbrien Black (Martin Cronin and Master Robbie Markham) early on and as they came to half ways the eventual winner moved into fourth place. When they turned for home the field had tightend up a lot with only a length between the four in front. It was then that the Ennis-owned Blaze Ken came with a good run in the centre of the track to snatch the race by a neck in 29.61 from Jules Flyer. It was just another neck back to third place for Cragbrien Black.
The Flanagan family from Russa, Ennistymon, continued with their amazing run of successes at the Galway venue in last few months.This time it was the turn of Megan Flanagan to go centre stage after her Dromoher Snoopy (Droopys Kewell-Coldwar Baby) was first past the post in an A3-A4-graded 550 yards race. Running from trap three, Dromoher Snoopy snatched an early lead to go three lengths in front in the run to the opening bend from Dirty Frank in trap six and Chrisola in five.
As they passed the half way stage Dirty Frank joined the leader before edging out for a one length lead as they turned for home. However, the Ennistymon-owned black and white bitch had still something left in the tank and as they got nearer the line she grabbed the advantage again to win by a neck in 30.91 from the locally owned Dirty Frank. A length-and-three-quarters back for third spot was Chrisola, trained by Frank Browne for Michael Browne and John Moran, Quin.
There was no racing in Galway on Friday night due to the Heineken Cup game which saw Connacht record their first win in the competition by beating Harlequins.