Clare dogs draw a blank at Clonmel

History was made in Clonmel on Wednesday when a track-bred dog won the Boylesports.com derby for the first time. The history maker was Central City (Ballymac Maeve-Baby Hazel) owned and trained by Brendan Duffy, Derry.
In a one-sided final, he led Kyle Ranger (Matt Hyland-Ballyorgan) owned in Patrickswell by Marie Field. In his semi-final, Kyle Ranger tumbled and appeared to pick up a bad injury after his three lengths win over Needham Skill. However, contrary to expectations, there was a final but there was only one dog in it once the pair left slips. An August pup, Central City had a short but amazing coursing season, winning a cup in his first outing before qualifying for Clonmel from the Kilcreevin-Ballymote meeting.
For the first time in recent years, Clare owners drew a complete blank at the national meeting. There was no Clare dogs left in the derby after the first round on Monday but Tromora Darkie, Windfarm Swift and Ocean Tolula made it to the last eight in the Greyhound and Petworld Oaks on Wednesday.
Owned in Quilty by Kathleen Hogan, Tromore Darkie (33-1) was beaten five lengths in the first of the quarter-final buckles by the 6-4 favourite Call Her Now.
Windfarm Swift (20-1), owned by Pat Curtin, Monard, Michael Eustace, Ennis and Anthony O’Sullivan, Dublin, was beaten three lengths by Skellig Babe (7-4). Parteen owner Tom Fitzgerald fared better when his Ocean Tolula (10-1) qualified for the semi-finals, coming from behind to win a just-up decision from Lyrics (5-1).
The first semi-final produced one of the buckles of the meeting, Call Her Now (6-4) beating Skellig Mania (4-1) by half a length. However, Ocean Tolula always trailed Skellig Babe (even money) in the second semi-final and was beaten two lengths.
Her semi-final exertions proved too much for Call Her Now (Bexhill Eoin-Call Biddy) and was beaten four lengths by Skellig Babe, owned in Glanmire, Cork by Rose O’Driscoll.  The runner-up is owned by Patrick McCarthy, Walkinstown and John O’Keeffe, Lixnaw.
The Classic Club Champion Stakes (eight all-aged dogs) went to March Is On (Trajectory-Dedicated) owned by Daniel J O’Connor, Scartaglen and Patrick Fitzgerald, Glin. In the final, he won by one and a half lengths from the Macroom-owned Mucky Eamon (Bexhill Eoin-Sullane Sign). In the first round Windfarm Eiscir, owned by Claire Eustace, Ennis, was beaten half a length by Kyle Basil. The Paddy Marrinan-trained Atlantic Ashmore was also a first round casualty in the Grace Bruton Memorial Champion Bitch Stakes.  She was beaten five lengths by Class Attraction, a cup winner at the Ennis-Clarecastle meeting. Class Attraction (Judicial Affair-Monaveen Eile), owned by Elaine Guiney from Meelin, was declared winner of the stake after the other finalist, Nenagh-owned Quality and Dash (Bexhill Eoin-Chubbys Accord) was withdrawn.
Luath Legend, owned in Sixmilebridge by Pat Holland, was beaten in the semi-final of the Keen Laddie stake.

Numbers Up

Conditions were perfect on Tuesday, with crowds numbers up on the opening day. Big names continued to bite the dust in the Derby with Central Creater and Derby Pines leaving the scene in the third round.
In the first buckle of the third round, Central Creator (5-2) had every chance of progressing but he was slow into the hare and Chinhook Hyland (20-1) came flying through for a just-up win.
In the last contest of this round Derby Pines (3-1) also made a shock exit when he was just held at bay by Aghadown Martin (14-1).
After the third round Kyle Ranger was the 2-1 favourite with Needham Skill (5-2) Aghadown Martin (3-1)and Chinhook Hyland, Stephens Ray, Coshair Magic, Central City and Sound Pistol, all at 6-1.
While there were no Clare qualifiers left in the Derby after day one, three of the Oaks runners survived two more rounds on Tuesday for the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Tromora Darkie (33-1) was the first of Clare’s Oake hopefuls into action on Tuesday and he got a second round bye after Magical Delight was withdrawn. Windfarm Farm (14-1) was again in great running order when coming from behind to beat Caoimhes Chill (25-1) by two lengths while Ocean Tolula (10-1) had five lengths to spare on Adioos Alexus (25-1). However, the Mullagh-owned Clogher Road had every chance to survive the second round when she came from behind to lead Skellig Time by a length. However, failure to close in for the turn cost her and the verdict went to the Glanmore-owned bitch.
The three remaining Oaks runners from the Banner also came through their third round tests. Tromora Darkie (now at 50-1) had by far the hardest task when going to slips with Gadget Girl, now installed as the 6-4 favourite to win the Oaks. The favourite led out and looked to be booking a quarter-final spot. However, at the halfway mark Tromora Darkie staged a dramatic comeback and flashed by the favourite to take the flag by three lengths.
Windfarm Swift (16-1) did not have as dramatic a win but it was nonetheless as impressive when leading all the way for a five-length win over Gillogues Jess (16-1).
Ocean Tolula made it a three-timer for Clare for the final day when always in front for her two lengths winning margin over the fancied Omera.

Late start

Weather conditions were cold but dry for the opening day when there was a fairly big attendance. Overnight frost caused the start of proceedings to be delayed by 90 minutes.
Most of the big shock results were in the Derby with Tynwald Stuart (10-1) being beaten one length by Crafty Hippo (33-1) when the hare veered to the right and in a close buckle Re Me Martin departed the scene when going out to Killimor Matey, both from the Gerry Holian kennels.
First-round heats of the Greyhound and Pet World Oaks were decided before the lunchbreak and the first Clare runner to go up Powerstown Park was third reserve Tromora Darkie, owned by Kathleen Hogan, Quilty. A winner at Edenderry, she came in for the absent Exact Science and won by one length from Uptown Rebel after coming from behind.
The next Clare interest was Windfarm Swift (16-1) and she won her first round heat by four lengths by eliminating Snowy Express (25-1).
Mullagh natives, Alphonsus Tubridy and Dr Paddy Kelly, also got off to a flying start when their Clogher Road (25-1) saw off the chances of Dunsilly (16/1) by two lengths.
Parteen owner, Tom Fitzgerald also had a clear round when his Ocean Tolula (16-1) got the better of Dale Navi (33-1) with five lengths to spare. However, Johnny Quinn from Woodpark, Newmarket-on-Fergus, was out of luck when his Woodpark Blaze (33-1) was beaten two lengths by Taka Dawn (14-1) in a fairly short slip.
After a 30-minute interval, first round heats of the Boylesports.com Derby got underway. The first Clare dog into action was the third reserve runner Denham Matt, owned by Jimmy Normoyle, Doonbeg. Replacing Uptown Don, he was always trailing the six-length winner, Ashmore Lucky, owned by the sponsors of the Derby. Knockbrack Eoin (25-1) owned by Michael and Killian Nestor, Miltown Malbay, was also playing catch-up to Droopys Babs and was beaten two lengths in the first straight-up run of the meeting.
The Aristo Gang syndicate from Clonlara then saw their Aristo Emperor (33-1) bow out at the first hurdle at the hands of reserve runner, Helens Jet. The winning distance was half a length.
Murty’s Return (25-1) was Clare’s last Derby hope and owners, the ATM Syndicate, Clarecastle, were hoping to go a few rounds with him. However, he too made a first-round exit when going under by five lengths to Sound Pistol (33-1).