Airmount prefix on the double for Oaks

An exciting double for Ferrybank owner-breeder, Ger Kiely, was undoubtedly the highlight of second round heats of the Roche’s Feeds Oaks at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday night. It was certainly an outstanding night for the Airmount prefix.
Airmount Pearl (Kiowas Sweet-Trey-Water Girl) won the first part of the double. Showing great early pace from trap two in heat two, she led at the opening bend from Go Mandy but showed a clean pair of heels to the rest of the field down the far side to come home a seven lengths winner from Gogetembabe in trap four and Lass Cause in six, three lengths back. The time was 28.42.
Litter sister Airmount Swank had a faster clock, 28.38, when winning heat four. Also showing great early pace to lead at the first, she was three-lengths up at the third and, while Lacken Rua came with a strong challenge on the way home, Airmount Swank was not to be denied her two lengths win.
The Graham Holland-trained Trixies Post (College Causeway-Riverside Trixie) won the opening heat in 28.66 from Seans Ranger and Yellowtowngirl while the Paul Hennessy-trained Tailteann Queen (College Causeway-Legal Moment) won heat three in 28.69 from Tyra Cool and Killinan Dancher. The Bernard Coffey trained Money Go Easy was a non-runner in trap six in this heat.
Trap draw for the semi-finals next Saturday night: heat one: 1. Airmount Swank, 2. Killinan Dancer, 3. Selinas Dahlia, 4. Seans Ranger, 5. Trixies Post, 6. Lacken Ruan; heat two: 1. Yellowtowngirl, 2. Airmount Pearl, 3. Gotgetembabe, 4. Tailteann Queen, 5. Tyra Cool, 6. Lass Cause.
Milesian Smurf, owned by Pat Conlon, Cree, has qualified for the second round of the Knockea National School Novice 750 at the Limerick Greyhound  Greyhound Racing Stadium next Saturday night.
She was at her best down the back to earn runner up spot in heat two of the opening rounds  last Friday night. The three lengths winner in 42.74 was the Oola-owned Stallone Bart.
Milsiean Smuf is in drawn in trap four in the first semi-final heat on Saturday night with: 1. Fair Fantasy, 2. Stallone Bart, 3. Killorane Comet, 5. Headleys Charly, 6. Postman Jack; second semi-final: 1. Killahas Crash, 2. Code Sion, 3. Varra Swallow, 4. Owns Rival, 5. Moonroe  Exchange, 6. Future Boy.
Malbay Pedro (Gearóid Burke, Miltown Malbay) was runner-up to the four lengths and 29.21 winner, Bog Phanter, in the opening A2-graded 525 yards race in Limerick on Friday night.
Ennis owner Frankie Sheehan and Michael Lillis fared better in the next race, an S6/S7 graded print that was won by their Bees Wing in trap five. Featuring well from the start, the fawn son of Nobooth For Gary-Mona the Minx shot into the lead at the second bend and went on his way for a two lengths win in 19.22.
Clare owner, David Canty, was runner up with the John Rainsford-trained Liosgarbh Bolt in race three an N1-graded 525 The Graham Holland trained Broadacress Buddy, the 5/4 favourite, led all the way for his 29.07 win, beating Liosgrabh Bolt by three parts of a length.
Clare owners drew a blank in Limerick on Saturday night. In the first race Would He Alan, trained by Michael Cooney, Nenagh for himself and his brother PJ Ennis, led at the second bend in an open 550 but was caught at the line by the Graham Holland-trained Bawna Missile who got the verdict by a short head in a time of 30.32.
In the next race, an A4-graded 525, Princess Express, owned by Maura McDonagh, Kilnamona, was slow off the mark from trap two  and finished runner up to the nine lengths and 28.99 winner, Balline Chief.
The Bernard Coffey-trained O’Garney Rock took third spot in an A1-graded 525 won by Landfall Monty in 28.73.
O’ Briensbridge owner, Mary Crotty, had a winner from the Limerick card on Monday night. Her Inisloskly Pinny was a trap three runner in an A0-graded 525 yards race and after a lively start she led the field at the second bend.
The daughter of Kinloch Brae-Pinnyday Lucy went on to win the race by four lengths from the 5/4 favourite, Whiteheart Rumble in trap one. Inislosky Pinny had a good clock of 28.78, the best of the night.
After a slow start, Calling Belle, trained by Michael Downes for members of the Vodka and Pajamas syndicate from Ennis ran on to be runner up in the first race of the night, an A3-graded 525. The seven lengths winner in 29.21 was Tyrap Titan.
Alice Rumble, also trained by Michael Downes for Janet Downes, Killaloe, was also runner up in the eight race, an A3-graded 550. Cortoon Dream, the 30.48 winner, led from the second bend and the challenge by Alice Rumble in the home straight failed by three parts of a length.

Galway double for Kilmihil owner

Kilmihil owner-trainer, Martin J Keane brought off a nice double with Joinedupthinking and Clapton Master at Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium on Friday night.
The first part of the double was in the eighth race on the card, an A4-graded 525, in which Joinedupthinking in trap four just shaded it at the opening bend from Rubber Bandit in three and Bumblebee Bingo in six. However, the lead was extended to two lengths down the far side and, while Rubber Bandit closed in before the finish, Joinedupthinking (Top Honcho-Way Up Honey) crossed the line with three parts of a length to spare. The clock was 29.31.
Clapton Master gave the Kilimihil owner his second part of the double in the tenth and last race on the card, an A3-graded 525. Clapton Master in trap three and Ballyegan Lad in four were best away with Clapton Master showing in front as they made their way down the far side. The son of Royal Impact-Face Value then moved two lengths clear and even though moving wide around the home turn, he still had three-and-a-half-lengths on Tony Hegarty’s Unknown Whisley at the line. Third home was the West Clare-owned Ballyegan Lad (Anne McInerney). Clapton Master had a clock of 29.19.
The top race of the night was won by Garryfine Ben, owned by Limerick-based David Browne, originally from Leitrim, Kilmihil. This was an A2-graded 550 yards race and at the opening bend the evens money favourite, Paradise Siesta, ran off forcing those on the outside to check.
Garryfine Ben slipped through to lead down the far side and was three lengths to the fore as they passed the half way stage. The son of Royal Impact-Burnpark Hanna stayed on well to win the race by two-and-a-half-lengths from Paradise Siesta, owned by Sean Meade, Miltown Malbay.
Billie Wood, owned in Cratloe by Pat Carey, was runner-up in an A4-graded 550 won by the Davy Lavelle-trained Davris Ria in 31.01. In a close finish Davris Ria won by a length with French Blaze beaten a neck into third place.
Sean Cooke from Kilbeacanty was the first winner of the night with Annagh Bridge in a 525-yards race for A8-graders. Three lengths in front at the opening bend, the son of Swords Prince-Glenbrack Nancy in trap three extended his lead to five at the halfway mark and at the line had three-and-a-half-lengths on Clogher Katie. The time was 29.61.
John Quinn from Gort won the second race on the card, an S7-graded 350, with Fast Fit Mandy in trap one. She broke well with the Albert Long trained Brickhill George, which went slightly wide at the opening bend, to give the advantage to Fast Fit Mandy. The daughter of Astronomic-Parkside Edel remained in front to win by half-a-length in 19.39 from Brickhill George.
It was all Clare at the finish of a novice 525-yards race. However, the trap two runner, Ardboula Mary (Ballymac Ruso-Rathorpe Star) was the likely winner once the traps lifted. She had a lightening fast start to go five lengths clear and with crowding behind her, she extended her lead to twelve lengths as they came to the opening bend.
She went on to win the race by eleven lengths in a time of 29.54. The runner up was the West Clare owned Small Dolly (Michael Meaney and Joe Hurley) and beaten a neck into third place was Gone To Vegas (Martin Keane, Kilmihil).
Brickhill Lubos, again trained by Albert Long, was beaten a neck by Brendas Deal in an S4-graded sprint. The time was 19.66.

Wilbrook Fawn snatches late win

One of the chief supporting races in Galway on Saturday night, an A3-graded 525, was won by Ennistymon owner, Michael Davoren, with Wilbrook Fawn in trap five.
Breaking well with the Ennis-owned Drimeen Brownie, the pair had two lengths on the rest of the field as they made their way to the opening bend. Railing better, Drimeen Brownie got the advantage at the bend to lead by a length at the halfway.
From the third bend, however, Wilbrook Fawn started to move in and the fawn daughter of Prince Monalulu-Missouri Dame – even though going wide off the home bend – got up in the closing stages to win by a neck in 29.35 for Ennis owner, Noel Coote, and trainer John Browne, Ballyea.
The card produced five more Clare winners.
The honour of being the first visitor of the night to the winner’s enclosure fell to Paddy Darcy of Ennis whose Bypass Joe won at his first attempt. This was a sprint race for S8 graders and Barbersfort Pop and Electro Shyboy took turns in front before hitting the home straight. It was at this point that Bypass Joe (Royal Impact-Ardvagga Dazl) came flying on the wide outside to win by a length from, Electro Shyboy. The clock was 19.75.
Frankie Sheehan from Ennis had a nice win with his Young John in trap three in the third race of the night, an A7-graded 525. Micks Buff was first to show but it was not long until Young John, the money-on favourite, got into his stride to lead at the first bend. Even though moving wide at the bend, the son of Hondo Black-Money Go Lucky had moved into a two lengths lead by the halfway stage. He went wide again at the home bend but had enough in reserve to win by a length and a quarter in 29.46 from Wood Nina (Tom Smyth, Killimer).
Dunsallagh, Miltown Malbay owner, Sean Hehir, was back for another win with his Dunsallagh Pride in trap two in a sprint race for A3 graders. A winner here on two nights in March, the son of Droopys Scolari-Dunsallagh Lucy was again in awesome form when leading by three lengths after only thirty yards. The winner drifted to the centre of the track when well clear at the opening bend but was well in command up the home straight to win by two lengths in 19.14 from Unknown Tornado. Three lengths back for third spot was Malbay Bawn, owned by Ciara Burke, Miltown Malbay.
Anne Carey from Cooraclare was the next Clare owner in the winner’s ring, her Fernpark Express doing the business in an A5-graded 575. The winner led from Hold It Paddy and Nationwide Diva in the long run to the opening bend but as they raced down the back, Hold It Paddy moved through by the rail to lead briefly. However, Fern Express came again to regain the lead over the final two bends and race on for a 32.34 win, beating Cool Rose by three parts of a length.
The second last race of the night was for A4 graders over 525 yards and it went to Quin owner-trainer, Frank Browne with his Mine Chariot in trap two. For his sixth career win, the son of Hades Rocket-Jumeirah Jess made all the running to beat Precious Black by two lengths in a time of 29.62.
The winner was pressed by Corker Fergal at the opening bend but settled the issue down the back straight. He was four lengths to the good at the halfway point and, although he moved off the home bend, he was always in control for his good win.
Earlier on in the card Sellout Fast Fit (Killahan Phanter-Posh Again), owned by John Quinn, Gort and Peter Connolly won a mini-open sprint race. He led all the way to beat Allowdale Lisa by as neck in 19.22.
Mary Davoren’s Wilbrook Man was third in an S5-graded sprint won by Scotish Deal in 19.63.