Saturday night’s final of the Ladbrokes.com Irish Greyhound Derby set records on and off the track in a massive boost for the sport of greyhound racing.
The winning time of 29.41 seconds was the fastest final in the near 80 year history of the Derby and big race winner Tyrur McGuigan’s trainer, Conor Fahy was one of the youngest ever trainers of the Derby winner, having celebrated his 22nd birthday only two days previously.
In a welcome boost for the sport, Saturday’s attendance was five per cent up on the 2009 figure, while betting on the tote was also up by 3.5 per cent.
“Saturday was a great night for greyhound racing in Ireland,” said Irish Greyhound Board Chief Executive Adrian Neilan.
“To increase attendance and betting turnover in the present climate is a great boost for the sport, while the youth of the winning trainer and the profile of the audience over the course of the whole event is also a great pointer to a healthy future.”
“Further afield we had a very positive viewing and betting reaction to the broadcast of the race across Australia and through all of Ladbrokes British betting offices.”
This was the first year of sponsorship of the race by Ladbrokes. “The night itself was a great success both from a promotional and a betting perspective and we were delighted with the response to our involvement in this great race,” said Joe Lewins, Ladbrokes’ general manager in Ireland.
The Irish Greyhound Board is looking to build on the success of the Ladbrokes.com Irish Greyhound Derby as it plans ahead to the opening next month of the new Limerick Greyhound Stadium.
Saturday nigh’s Derby final was a memorable one for Glenamaddy’s PJ Fahy whose litter brothers Tyrur McGuigan and Tyrur Big Mike finished first and second in the classic. Three years ago the Tyrur prefix was again to the fore in the Deby final with Tyrur Rhino beating Tyrur Laurel.

 

Pal Duke in a hurry

Inagh owner-trainer, Colman O’Loughlin and Martin Kelly from Tubber had a big say in matters at the Friday night meeting at Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium.
Tom Flanagan’s Mythical Vieri in trap six was the 6/4 favourite for the A1-graded 525 but it was Pal Duke (Droopys Scolari-Cathy of Inagh), owned by Colman O’Loughlin, who was first on the scene after the traps lifted. He fairly scorched it from trap three and at the first bend had a three length advantage on Hold It Hades and Buy More Lifts.
At the halfway mark he was still well clear and romped home to a six and a quarter lengths win in 28.90, his best time ever. The runner up was Buy More Lifts and third place went to Hold it Hades owned by Mark Shannon (Burren).
Martin Kelly from Tubber also had a good night in Galway, coming away with two wins.
The first part of the double was recorded in the opening race of the night for which Frank Browne’s Mine Crash was the 7/4 favourite from trap one. The fawn bitch broke well to set the pace along the rail and build up a three lengths advantage going down the far side.
However, Martin Kelly’s Rathorpe Hawk started to close in at the third bend, drew alongside the favourite and then went clear. The son of Westmead Hawk-Rathorpe Star stayed in front to win by three-and-there-parts-of-a-length from Sherco Sam with Bocks First Blue taking third spot. The winner’s clock was 29.21.
The Tubber man had the second part of his double with Rathorpe Texas (Droopys Kewell-Rathorpe Baby)in the seventh race, an A3-graded 525. The early leader was Lismadine Jack, owned in West Clare by Paddy Troy and Conor McInerney who was in front by two lengths as they headed down the back.
Around the half way mark Rathorpe Texas made his move and drew close by the third bend and became the new fronr runner as they turned for home. He stayed on to win by two lengths from Lismadine Jack in 29.04.
Ballyea-based trainer, John Browne, also got his name among the winners with Sarah Browne’s Burnpark Sophie. The daughter of Droopys Vieri- Burnpark Cuckoo broke well from trap six with Spiddal River. However, Burnpark Sophie held the advantage after the opening bend and she and Spiddal River avoided trouble behind them.
The winner never looked in trouble for the remainder of the race and at the finishing line had three-and-a-half-lengths on Spiddal Rive. Her time was 29.68. Filling in third slot was Dunbar Tanner owned by Oliver O’Keeffe, Crusheen.
Ennis publican Ciaran Browne went close to making it a second win on the trot for his Lively Causeway. However, he had to be satisfied with runner-up spot on this occasion after the Tom Ryan-trained and Nenagh owned Gone to Garry, who was always prominent, won the A6-graded 525 by three-and-a-quarter-lengths in 29.85.
Doonbeg owners Joan Normoyle and Imelda Grauer had the final say with their Gipsy Madam in the last race on the programme.
The daughter of Droopys Kewell- Lady Geraldine broke smartly from trap six in the company of Fast Fit Maroon in three. They were together going down the back but at this point Gipsy Madam started to slip in front and by the second last bend was six lengths clear.
Although she lost some ground between this and the finish, she was full value for her two lengths win in this A2-graded 550 yards from Belatatdebend. Her time was 30.65.

 

Torrential rain can’t dampen Clare spirits at Galway track

Conditions were dreadful in Galway on Thursday night with rain falling throughout the entire programme, Nonetheless, a big number of Clare owners came away happy including Richard McLouglin from Clarecastle whose Ike and Mike won the top graded race of the night.
This was an A2-graded affair over 525 yards and all six runners came away pretty well. But at the opening bend the Darryl Hopper trained Ike and Mike took the lead from Ezjohn. The daughter of Go Wild Teddy- Calamity Jane kept up the pace down the far side and although Marys Lass put in a challenge on the way home, Ike and Mike stayed on to win by a length in 29.12.
There was a Clare win in the first race of the night, an A9-graded 525 in which Manus Honey (Ballymac Maeve-Calamity Jane), owned by John McInerney, Manus, came in as a reserve in trap three. And although it was his first race, he started the 4/5 favourite.
There was bunching at the first after which Dusty Magpie in trap two led by two lengths down the back. However, as they came to the third bend Manus Honey came good again to take over the number one spot. He raced on impressive style to beat Dusty Magpie by six lengths in 29.89.
Geraldine Ryan from Killimer made it two on the trot for the Banner after her Ferryside Rumble finished first in the second race on the card. The son of Ace Hi Rumble-Ferryside Miss broke well from trap two to lead at the first bend.
He escaped trouble at the rear and ran on to win the S9-graded 350 race by two lengths in 19.96 from the Clare owned Paddy Magpie (Paddy Davoren).
The Albert Long owned Capoola Ruby won the next race, an A6-graded 525 after getting the better of her nearest rival, Inislosky Thrush. She came on top at the second last and went on to win by six and a quarter lengths in 29.67 from Inislosky Thrush owned in O’Briensbridge by Mrs Mary Crotty.
Rathorpe Rancho, owned in Gort by Miss Madeline Walsh, led early in an S6-graded 350. However, for the remainder of the race it was very close between him and the Cork owned Anacartan Mein and in a tight finish the Cork-owned runner prevailed by a neck in 19.47.
After the next race it was the turn of Bridget and Shauna Nugent from Ballyea, Ennis to visit the winner’s arena. Their Donail Athlacca produded one of the best runs of the night and stormed home a six and a quarter lengths winner in a great 28.75, a career best. Drawn in trap four, the daughter of Crash-Sues Beauty had a flyer of a start to lead by two lengths at the opening bend. Down the back she drew clear in great style and was never bothered from this to the finishing line where she was followed home by the reserve runner, Tobarachuine owned by Michael Mahony from the Miltown Malbay area. Third place went to the Tom Flanagan trained Pinnacle Roxy owned in Ballyvaughan by Michael Costello and Douglas Culligan. This was the sixth career success for Donail Athlacca.
O’Briensbridge owner Billy Murphy also tasted success with his Coolready Shaun in an A3-graded 525 dominated by Clare owned runners. Bridge Bloke in trap three and owned in Cooraclare by Anna Carey led from Portrine Bobby in trap four with Coolready Shaun just behind them as they turned down the far side.
Passing halfways Portrine Bobby took a slight advantage over Bridge Bloke as he extended the lead to two lengths between the final two bends. All the while though Coolready Shaun was saving ground along the rail and he got up close home to win by a length-and-a-half in 29.06 from Poetdrine Bobby owned by Liam Carroll, Cratloe. Three lengths back for third place was Bridge Bloke.
The Albert Long-trained Capoola Lily got up in the last few strides to win an A5-graded 525 in 29.73. Third home was Monmore Lad-owned by Mrs Claire Purtill.
Two Clare owner runners, Cragbrien Honcho (Martin Cronin and Jack Markham) and Buffalo Bash (Anna Carey) disputed the lead in the final race of the night, an A3-graded 525.
However, Cragbrien Honcho went wide at the first bend to allow the Hughie Kelehan owned Wood Fire to slip through and into the lead. It was one he was not going to relinquish and he ran on for a 29.17 success, beating Cragbrien Honcho by close on five lengths. Third home was Phils Boy.

 

Mackey Cup win for Ennis owner

Lassala Scholes, the 6/4 favourite for the Mackey Cup A4/A5 525 final in Thurles last last Friday night, obliged for owners, Joe Molony, Ennis and Joan Harrington from Castleisland.
Drawn in trap one, the fawn son of Droopys Scholes-Lassana Kitty dominated from the start after a lively break. He led all the way to beat the locally owned Knockroe Castle by four lengths,
His time for the trip was an exciting 28.98, a career best and the fastest of the night. This was the fourth win in five outings for the fawn whose trainer is Liam O’Callaghan. Bred by Joe Molony, the cup winner was reared by Joan Harrington.
At the same meeting Shanakyle Tango, trained by Joe Collins for the Shanakyle syndicate, was third in an S8-graded 525 won in 29.76 by Ladymoor Jilly.

Galway winners

There were two West Clare winners in Galway last Saturday night.
The first up was West Clare Dream owned by PJ O’Halloran and Geradline Ryan. The winner was well away with the Shannon owned Babby Joe but they went a little wide off the bend to give the advantage to Jemmys Maldini.
However, on the home straight West Clare Dream switched inside to win by a neck from the Cavan owned Jemmys Maldini. The winner, a daughter of Droopys Scolari-Cranny Dreamer) had a clock of 19.89 for the S6-graded 350.
Cooraclare native, Tommie Gallagher, had the second Clare winner with Master Slick (Slick Leo-Bodyshop Flight) in an A4-graded 525. Breaking well from trap two, he led early, was always in pole position and came home a two lengths winner in 29.44 from Lormic Bill-owned by Michael Nash, Kinvara.
Placed in their races were Kafuffle (Niamh Quinn, Newmarket-on-Fergus), Derrylough Cove (JJ O’Dea), Astronomers Star (Sean McAllen, Shannon) and Mythical Tar (John Keaner and Frank White, Ennis) who finished runner up and third respectively in the A5-graded race won by Hanover Thief in 29.48, Counter Point (Martin J Keane, Kilmihil) Tir na Saoirse (Eugene McNulty, Drumline) and Corgrigg Beauty (Declan Browne, Ballyea) who were runner up and third placed to Zoes Bell (19.42).