Ballyhannon still in the hunt for the St Ledger

The Larry Dunne-trained Slippery Bob was the star of the show when second-round heats of the Kerry Agribusiness Irish St Leger were decided in Limerick last Saturday night.
After the Dolores Ruth-trained Makeshift was withdrawn from trap two, Slippery Bob got a dream start from trap four. He controlled matters from the start and ran out a six-length winner in a superb 29.60 from Jeddies Star, trained in Gort by Maurice Muillanney.
Next best on the clock was Judicial Academy (29.68) trained by Michael O’Donovan for Pat Daly, Ballyhassig.
Clare-owned runner Ballyhannon, trained by Denis O’Malley for Seamus Duggan, is still in the hunt. Ballyhannon was runner up in heat one in which he was pipped on the line and beaten a short head by Westmead Bond, whose winning clock 30.00.
The draw for the third round on Saturday night next is Heat 1: 1 Farley Turbo; 2 Slippery Bob; 3 Bredas Girl; 4 Confident Nestor (m); 5 Westmead Bond (m); 6 Skywalker Queen (w). Heat 2: 1 Nicken Shaw; 2 Judicial Academy; 3 Knockbawn Sirius; 4 Neon Tiger; 5 Frisky Fantasy; 6 Hare Mack (w). Heat 3: 1 Tranquil Time; 2 Whatsupjack; 3 Westmead  Bolt; 4 Ocean Crash; 5 Air Force Hawk; 6 Slippery Dave. Heat 4: 1 Ballyhannon; 2 Jeddies Star; 3 Beaming Dilemma; 4 Colorful Champ; 5 Thurlesbeg Joker (m); 6 Mustang Johnny (w).

Frisco Rumble wins GOBA heat

Conditions were bitterly cold in Galway last Thursday night but there was consolation for the Spelman-Riordan-McDonagh syndicate from Shannon, whose Frisco Rumble won one of the remaining second-round heats of the GOBA-sponsored A3 over 575 yards.
After the Loughrea-owned On That Jarug won heat three, in 31.85, Frisco Rumble (Ace Hi Rumble-Culleen Sally) was in trap three for the following heat. This was a heat that produced four different leaders before Grenantstown Lady took the advantage at the half-way mark. Between the final two bends the trap six runner, Buddhas Babe (Rian Cuimmins, Ennis) made up a lot of ground up on the outside. However, Frisco Rumble in trap three was not finished yet and he also came with a good run on the outside on the run home and this was sufficient to give him a one and a half lengths win in 32.26 from Grenanstown Lady. Three parts of a length behind in third place was Buddhas Babe.
Cyprus Kate (Albert Burke, Shannon) was third in the opening race of the night, an A7-graded 525 won in 29.95 by Coolarne Hero.
Nebraska Royal, owned by Martin Griffin, Caherea, was well placed in the second race, an A9-graded 525, leading at the first bend and down the back. However, as they turned for home, the Ray McCarrick-trained Wolf Whistle stepped up a gear on the outside and got to the line three lengths in front of Nebraka Royal in a time of 29.91.
Dunuata, also owned by Martin Griffin, was third in an A9-graded 525 won by Willrose Chief (29.95).
Holding a slight advantage from the start and going three clear after the first in an S7-graded 350, Ashdown Pride raced on to win by one length in 19.56 from Fitzler Chip, owned by Colm and Oran Fitzgerald, Kilrush. Third home was Willbrook Man (Mary Davoren, Ennistymon).
The Ennistymon owner fared better with Willbrook Fawn (Prince Monalulu-Missouri Dame) in the next race, which was over 350 yards for A4 graders. Forty Two Fifty was first to show followed by Willbrook Fawn but when they went wide at the first, Loughcarn Lass in trap one slipped through to take the lead. She was still in front as they turned the home bend but in the run-in Willbrook Fawn put on the pressure to take the lead where it mattered most and the fawn bitch won the event by two lengths in 19.56 from the Sean Cooke-trained Loughcarn Lass.
Drumline, Newmarket-on-Fergus owner Leo McNulty also went home with a win. His Tiar na Saoirse (Yeah Man-Droopys Jazz) was the even-money favourite for the last sprint race of the night, which was for S6-graded runners. He was away smartly from trap six to lead by a length at the first and he remained the lead runner for the remainder of the trip to win by four and a quarter lengths in 19.57.
With less than a length between all six runners in a non-winners A5-graded 525 there was bound to be confusion at the opening bend. Master of Chase (Crash-Emporio Lady), owned in Broadford by Gary Cooney, survived and forced his way through to challenge with Holywood Sinead. After taking the lead, he maintained a two-length advantage down the back and came home a winner by three parts of a length in 29.64 from Hollywood Sinead.

Barntick Luke sets the pace in St Michael’s

Clare owners won both semi-final heats of the St Michael’s Football Club A4 525, which were the feature races in Galway last Friday night.
The first winner was the Gerry Reidy-trained Barntick Luke (Droopys Maldini-Barntick Sally) who set the pace from trap four after a lively break. Over the first two bends he set up a lead of two lengths and increased his lead down the back, where the Johnny Maher trained and Rachel Maher (Kilmaley)-owned Rathkerry Lad took up second place. However, there was to be no denying the Mary Reidy-owned dog, who raced on for a five and a quarter lengths win in 29.10 from Rathkerry Lad with Earth Strap One in third place.
Dunbar Copper, owned in Crusheen by Oliver O’Keeke, was in third place at the opening bend in the second semi-final behind Smooth Deano and Outback Jesse. Just after the halfway stage Dunbar Copper challenged Outback Jesse for the lead and the son of Westmead Hawk-Moyvane Ranger edged out in front at the third bend. On the way home he led by two lengths but Korkhina put in a strong challenge at this stage. However, the Crusheen-owned brindled held out to win the race by a neck in 29.67. Third home was Outback Jesse.
Peddling Paddy, owned in West Clare by Jer Lernihan, was third in the opening A6-graded 525 won by Coolready Boy (29.86).
Ahane Ado, trained by John McDonagh for the Girl Syndicate from Kinvara, led for most of the way in an S9-graded 350 but she was caught on the way home by the locally owned Willrose Junior, who recorded a length and a quarter win in 19.78 from Ahane Ado.
Third spot was taken by Boundry Dispute (Frankie Sheehan, Ennis) in an A5-graded race won by Peggy Laden in 29.70.
Rineen Dancer, trained in Gort by Maurice Mullaney for Gort owners  Gordon Nolan and Mike Finn, made all the running in an A7-graded 525 and was first to cross the line in 30.14. The daughter of Hondo Black-Rineen Beauty) won by a length from Last Orders, with Inislosky Pinny (Mary Crotty, O’Brienbridge) filling third spot.
Kilbeacanty-owned runner Annagh Spot, trained by Sean Cooke for Miss Marie Cooke, took the runner-up spot in an A4-graded 525 that won by the Birr-owned Cherry Bomb by four and a half lengths in 29.56.
The John McDonagh-trained reserve runner, Tyrur Bocelli, took the honours in an A2-graded 525-yard race. He was in the lead soon after leading from traps from the Michael Downes-trained and Quin-owned Carhugar Bobsie and this was the way they finished, with Tyrur Bocell leading at the line by almost two lengths in a time of 29.33. Third home was Frank Browne’s Mine Echo.
The Cooraclare-owned Bridge Bloke set the pace in an A3-graded 525 from Banna Magic with the Ennis-owned Cragbrien Hondo (Martin Cronin and Jack Markham) in third place. By the halfway stage, the Ennis-owned brindled held a more prominent place and was in a challenging position for the lead. Banna Magic was the new leader as they came from the back straight but Cragbrien Hondo was hot on his heels and after closing the one-length gap raced on for a 29.43 win, beating Banna Magic by three parts of a length. Frank Browne’s Mine Chariot was third.
Jer Lernihan won the bumper race for A3 graders over 550 yards with his reserve runner, Hilltop Tomboy (Droopys Vieri-Clonreddan Tina), who was fast off the mark to open up an early two-length lead. He went further ahead down the back and stayed in front to the line to win by three and a quarter lengths in 30.79 from Gifted Ivy Hill (Noel Hehir, Inagh).

High strikes for Clare owners

While Clare owners had a good strike rate at the Galway meeting last Saturday night, the big race eluded them when reserve runner Mythical Tar, trained by Tom Flanagan for Ennis owners Frank White and John Keane, did not finish among the first three home in the feature race of the night, the Glenamaddy GAA A6 final.
Phils Boy and Dangan Dynamo were well away with Mythical Tar but the leading two slightly collided, with Dangan Dynamo coming off the worst. Down the back straight the John McDonagh-trained Phils Boy was looking good and he went on to win by six and a half lengths in 29.76 from Woodpecker.
Rathorpe Blanco, owned in Tubber by Martin Kelly, was third placed in the chief supporting race, the final of the Glenamaddy GAA Club A6 525, which carried a winner’s prize of €1,000. From the start, Preacher was best away and he led by a length from Rathorpe Blanco and On The Prowl. Racing down the back Preacher was still in command but as the field approached the third bend the leader checked slightly and in the resultant crowding the Aidan Mannion-owned Ballyhale Paul (Westmead Hawk-Teddy Hoe) slipped through on the rail to assume command as he raced clear to defeat Unknown Whiskey by two and a half lengths in 29.45.
It was an all Clare affair at the finish of the 10th race on the card, the A1-graded 525. Showing the way from the start was the trap five runner Pal Duke (Droopys Scolari-Cathy of Inagh), owned and trained by Colman O’Loughlin from Inagh, who led by three lengths from Donail Athlacca rounding the opening two bends. Pal Duke extended his lead down the back to five lengths and while the chasing pack closed the gap from here until the finishing line, Pal Duke held them at bay to win by three parts of a length in 29.35 from Donail Athlacca, owned by Bridget and Shauna Nugent, Ballyea. One length back for third place was Mythical Vieri, owned and trained by Tom Flanagan from Ennistymon.
The night started on the right note for the Clare contingent when Clonmore Lady (Westmead Hawk-Lady Alison), owned by Mary Kennedy, Ballynacally, took the lead at the opening bend in the first race of the night, an A8-graded 525. She was well clear down the back and at the line had an advantage of nearly six lengths on Ballpoint, owned in Kinvara by Billy Kilroy and Declan Spelman. The winner’s clock was 29.96.
Alan Troy from Ennis returned to the winner’s enclosure with his Lismadine Sarah (Droopys Vieri-Clonreddan Tina) in an A6-graded 525. The winner was in third place at the opening bend, where Capoola Sam and Knockdine Dream held the initiative. However, Lisamadine Sarah kept in touch and got in front of the wide-running Capoola Sam as they headed towards the third bend. He stayed in front to beat Knockdine Dream (Master Eoin O’Brien, Miltown Malbay) by three lengths in a time of 29.68.
There were four Clare qualifiers from three semi-final heats of an A3 mini stake.
With the benefit of the inside line, the Tom Flanagan-trained Pinnacle Roxy took the lead at the opening bend in the first semi-final from Bodyshop Flame and Lismadine Tevez. She led by three lengths but at the third bend she began to come back to the rest of the field and on the crown of the bend Bodyshop Flame swept through on the inside to take control and win the race by seven lengths from Chapellane Donie, owned by Trina McLaughlin, Shannon. The winner’s clock was 29.29.
Cooraclare owner Tommie Gallagher was a trap-to-line winner of the second semi-final with his Master Slick in trap six. The son of Slick Leo-Bodyshop Flight led by one length at the opening bend, where there was bunching among those behind. Master Slick stayed in command for the rest of the trip to record a 29.36 win and in the process beat Manus Chestnut (Pat McInerney Snr) by two lengths.
The remaining heat was won in 29.18 by Tyrur Paudi from Popsey Star.
The Conor Fahy-trained Tyrur Leo returned to winning form and made all the running to win an A2-gradeed 525 in 29.08 and by five lengths from Wisdom Lingers, owned by Martin J Keane, Kilmihil.
However, the Kilmihil owner was on the winner’s list in the following race, which went to his Pro Bono (Westmead Hawk-Montevani). This was an A2-graded 550 that saw Hatchet leading from Pro Bono in the run to the opening bend. Hatchet was still to the good by one length at the halfway mark but Pro Bono railed exceptionally well when coming from the back straight. As they swung for home, Pro Bono was the new leader and he stayed in front to win the event by a length and a half in 30.46 from Tyrur Louis and Hatchet, who dead-heated.