Clare owners dominate in Cooraclare

With the South Clare Cup for all-age dogs, the Oaks Trial Stake and the reserve Derby Trial Stake coming their way, it was a good day for Clare owners at the conclusion of the South Clare coursing meeting at Cooraclare last Tuesday.
One or two big names bit the dust before it emerged there would be an all-Clare final in the feature event of the meeting, the South Clare Cup for all-age dogs between reserve runner and winner, Rogers Crystal, owned by Tony Coote of Ennis and Johnny Maher, Kilmaley, who is also the trainer, and Venture Out, trained by Jerry Griffin for Jack McNamara (Clarecastle) and Pádraig Fannin (Ennis). Rogers Crystal, a 10-1 chance before coursing, came in for the absent Scattery Harry.
A winner at Miltown Malbay and unlucky at the semi-final stage at Doon, Branning Riobamma was the 6-4 favourite before coursing. Other prices were 2-1 Re Me Martin, 3-1 Freddys Dream, 4-1 Kilbeacanty Hill, Aristo Emperor, Donnellans Cross, 6-1 Him Over There, Disruptive Guest, 8-1 Cortheen Guest, Venture Out, 10-1 Upourdat Mayor Impact, Denham Matt, Lismadine Jack, 20-1 Clonreddan Sam. Kilbeacanty Hill (beaten half a length by Him Over There) and Freddys Dream (beaten three lengths by Disruptive Guest) were the only short-price dogs not to make it to the second round.
Branning Riobamba was still the market leader at even money on Tuesday with 6-1 Re Me Martin, 3-1 Aristo Emperor, Venture Out, 4-1 Him Over There, 6-1 Rogers Crystal and Denham, Matt. Disruptive Guest was absent on the second day.
In the first of the quarter-final buckles, Him Over There, trained by George Gallery for the Hey You Sir syndicate from Ennis and Aristo Emperor, owned in Clonlara by John Garrahy, went unsighted and were called back to slips. The owners decided on a toss and Aristo Emperor went through. In a short slip Re Me Martin went out to Rogers Crystal by two lengths. Branning Riobamba survived the challenge of the Doonbeg-owned Denham Matt and Venture Out had a bye run through the absence of Disruptive Guest.
The first semi-final was a real thriller with nothing between Aristo Emperor and Rogers Crystal for most of the way and, as the escape loomed nearer, Rogers Crystal got in for the first turn to gain a just-up verdict. It was also a very tight affair in the second semi-final and the result was in doubt until judge Orlaith Farrelly waved the white flag in favour of Venture Out (Bexhill Eoin-Benbulbin), who won a place in the final at the expense of the favourite.
There was no turn in the all-Clare decider in which Rogers Crystal (Bexhill Eoin-Callura Fever) took control to win by four lengths. His form so far this season did not indicate Rogers Crystal would be a serious threat to the big names in Cooraclare. However, he was bang in form for the South Clare fixture and was a worthy winner of the cup. Cooraclare has turned out to be a happy hunting ground for joint owner and trainer Johnny Maher, who has won two trial stakes at this meeting in the past.
Rogers Crystal was nominated by John O’Neill and Sean Murrihy-nominated Venture Out. Omera did not go to slips for South Clare All-age Bitch Stake (16). The clear favourite before coursing was the Killimer-Kilrush Cup winner, Ocean Tolula, owned and trained in Parteen by Tom Fitzgerald, at even money. Other short prices were 4-1 Leigh Countess and Summerfield Bex, 5-1 Job Done, Delightful Mark and Windfarm Swift.
Clogher Road was a non-runner and was replaced by Kieran Nugent’s Lively Blonde.
The big names were all there for the second day with Ocean Tolula now the 4-6 favourite with 5-4 Leigh Countess, 4-1 Job Done and Delightful Mark, 6-1 Lively Blonde, Gifted Miss, 10-1 Pixie Lou Lou, Fawn of Inagh.
Job Done, a cup winner at Tradaree for Cathal Meaney from the Cooraclare parish, was the first to qualify for the semi-finals by beating the Liscannor-owned Pixie Lou Lou by one length. Leigh Countess had an easier win over the Oola-owned Rock Music. Delightful Mark beat Fawn of Inagh by two lengths in a straight run while Ocean Tolula had six lengths on Gifted Miss.
In the first of the semi-finals, Leigh Countess showed stamina when gaining three lengths on Job Done for the first turn while Delightful Mark came from behind to beat Ocean Tolula by one length.
Always in front in the final, Leigh Countess (Musical Time-Leigh Shadow) owned by Patrick O’Connor, Ballyduff, opened up a four-length lead on Delightful Mark (Droopys Saunders Brats-Delight), owned in Sixmilebridge by Seamus O’Shea and Jane Mulreidy. The winner was nominated by Áine Dillon, Cooraclare, while John Quealy, Roscrea, nominated the runner-up.
Very unlucky not to succeed at the Ennis-Clarecastle meeting, Jeru Melody went all the way on this occasion to win the Cooraclare Oaks Trial Stake (32). The winner is owned in Cree by Ruth O’Donoghue and trained by John Browne of Ballyea and Leitrim, Kilmihil.
Jeru Melody, Careful Holly and Wine For Shine at 5-2 were the market leaders before coursing. Other short prices were 3-1 Shes All Talk, 4-1 Tullabrack Steel, Breska Sam, Ashtown Smurf Las Elbac, Shandangan Laura. Most were there for the second day when Careful Holly was the even-money favourite with Jeru Melody at 6-4, 5-1 Tullabrack Steel and Wine For Shine, 3-1 Shes All Talk and Brickhill Rose, 4-1 Swanky Rihanna and Missing Blond.
The Kilkee-owned Shes All Talk was first in for the turn when beating Tullabrack Steel by four lengths. Jeru Melody had an advantage of one length over Swanky Rihanna. Wine for Shine brought off a shock when getting the better of the favourite Careful Holly by half a length while in a close affair for a long time, Missing Blond went on to win by a length from Brickhill Rose.
In another thriller, Jeru Melody just got there by a whisker when eliminating the Kilkee-owned Shes All Talk in the first semi-final. In the second semi, Missing Blond faced a tough task but was up to it and won by four lengths from Wine For Shine, owned by John Quilter, Listowel.
In the all-West Clare final, Jeru Melody (Sienna Steel-Jeru) galloped through for a three-length win over Missing Blond (Matt Hyland-Missing Link) owned by Breda Falsey, Dromelihy, Cree.
There was also an all-West Clare final to the Reserve Derby Trial Stake (16) won by Wood Hyland, owned by Carl Maguire, Kilcaroll, Kilrush and Adrian Ennis of Killucan and Kilkee. The runner-up was Fishermans Eoin, owned by Barry Harte from Kilkee. Both Janey All Star, beaten in the Ennis-Clarecastle final and Fishermans Eoin were the jointly pre-coursing favourites at 5-2. Both got over the first round hurdles safely on Monday, after which Fishermans Eoin was now the even-money favourite with Janey All Star at 6-4. Others were 3-1 Cry After Dawn, Ballyrua (a reserve for the absent Burnpark Alfie), 4-1 Wood Hyland, Forever a Legend and Kaylas Jacko, 10-1 Steves Duke.
Wood Hyland reached the semi-finals after coming from behind to beat Steves Duke by two lengths and was followed by Janey All Star, who beat Forever a Legend by one length. In the bottom half, Fishermans Eoin secured a two lengths win over Cry After Dawn while Ballyrua came out on top by five lengths in his tussle with the Ennis-owned Kaylas Jacko (Jacko and Vincent White).
Wood Hylands was always in command for his four-length win over Janey All Star in the first semi-final and he was joined in the final by  Fishermans Eoin, who came out best of the collision with Ballyrua (Johnny McInerney and Frank Kelly, Sixmilebridge) in the second semi-final.
In the final, Fishermans Eoin (Bexhill Eoin-Fishermans Blond) held the initiative at halfway but Wood Hyland (Matt Hyland-Cudham Perfect) again came from behind to secure a one-length win.
Gort owner Dan O’Donoghue won the Members Stake for eight one and two-course dogs and bitches with reserve runner Destroyer (Astronomic-Parksade Edel). He was a four-length winner of the final from Knockdine Ashe, owned in Miltown Malbay by Helen O’Brien. The beaten semi-finalists were Lots of Boot (Joe Keane, Carrigaholt) and Lismadine Daire Alan Troy (Kilkee) and Brian Troy (Carrigaholt).
The final of the Working Members Stake (12 one-course dogs and bitches) was divided between the finalists, Ivory Rock (Murtys Gang- Sarah Marys Bell), owned by John Lynch from Kilferagh near Kilkee and Fishermans Diva (Matt Hyland-Fishermans Blond) owned in Kilkee by Leah Harte.
This Christmas time fixture was again well-supported and provided some great coursing over the two days. Patrons on the famous hill had to endure strong winds on Monday but weather conditions were milder for the second day.
Before the final, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of club members who had died in the past year. They included Michael Gallagher, who gave over 40 years service to the club. A former club chairman, he was also a great community activist.
Oaks Trial Stake and Dan Reidy Memorial Cup (32 bitch puppies) semi-finals: Jeru Melody beat Shes All Talk; Missing Blond beat Wine for Shine. Final: Ruth O’Donoghue’s (Cree) Jeru Melody (Siena Steel-Jeru) beat Breda Falsey’s (Cree) Missing Blond (Matt Hyland-Missing Link).
Reserve Derby Trial Stake and Donal Breen Memorial Cup (16 dog puppies) semi-finals: Wood Hyland beat Janey All Star; Fishermans Eoin beat Ballyrua. Final: Carl McGuire (Killimer) and Adrian Ennis’s (Kilkee) Wood Hyland (Matt Hyland Cudham Perfect) beat Barry Harte’s (Kilkee) Fishermans Eoin (Bexhill Eoin-Fishermans Blond)
South Clare Cup and Joe O’Gorman Cup (16 all age dogs) semi-finals: Rogers Crystal beat Aristo Emperor; Venture Out beat Branning Riobama. Final: John O’Neill, Tony Coote (Ennis ) and Johnny Maher’s (Kilmaley) Rogers Crystal (Bexhill Eoin-Callura Fever) beat Sean Murrihy’s Jack McNamara (Clarecastle) and Pádraig Fannin’s (Ennis) Venture Out (Bexhill Eoin-Benbulbin).
South Clare All-age Bitch Stake and Michael and John Donnellan Memorial Cup (16) semi-finals: Leigh Countess beat Job Done; Delightful Mark beat Ocean Tolula. Final: Áine Dillon and Patrick O’Connor’s (Ballyduff) Leigh Countess (Musical Time- Leigh Shadow) beat Seamus O’Shea and Jane Mulreidy’s (Sixmilebridge) Delightful Mark (Droopys Saunders-Brats Delight).
Members Stake (eight one and two-course dogs and bitches) final: Dan O’Donoghue’s (Gort) Destroyer (Astronomic-Parkside Edel) beat H O’Brien’s (Miltown Malbay) Knockdine Ash (Hondo Black-Fastaway Baby).
Working Members Stake and Michael O’Dea (Tullabrack) Memorial Cup (12 one-course dogs and bitches) final: divided between John Lynch’s (Kilkee) Ivory Rock (Murtys Gang- Sarah Marys Bell) and Leah Harte’s (Kilkee) Fishermans Diva (Matt Hyland-Fishermans Blond).

Two more for Clonmel

Clare’s representation for the national coursing meeting in Clonmel was boosted over the weekend with two more qualifiers.
Jeru Melody, trained by John Browne for Cree owner Ruth O’Donoghue, won the Oaks Trial Stake (32) at the South Clare coursing meeting at Cooraclare on Tuesday.
On the same day at the Roscomon meeting, Uptown Abu (Murty’s Blaze-Uptown Dilemma) recently acquired by the Rumour Has It syndicate from Ennis-Clarecastle from John Browne, Kilmallock, won the Derby Trial Stake (16). Trained by Gerry Holian, he won the final by half a length from the Ballymore-owned Master Jackpot (Wallace Green-Lady Bellevue). Earlier in the season, Uptown Abu had an outing at the Borris-in- Ossory meeting but was withdrawn after two rounds after picking up an injury.
Members of the Rumour Has It syndicate include George Gallery, Tommie Howard, his wife, Fiona and children Tommie and Adam, Anthony and Michael Daly, Tricia and Leona Ryan, Niall Warren, Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin and Donie Kelleher.
There was another Clare winner at the Roscommon meeting, Glitter Freeze (Scarry Lad-Ham Ram) winning the Inter Club Stake (8) for Broadford owners Donal Cooney and Rory Moloney. In the final, they beat Tubbertelly Rua (Eoin Rua-Ready To Slee) owned by Luke Kilcoyne and Terry McCann, by two lengths.
Cratloe owner Gerry Manley also had a winner at the Borrisoeligh meeting on Tuesday, his Confused Mark (Galway Mark- Confused Shasa) winning the final of the Pallas Stake for two-course duffers from Master Paddy (Cillowen Return- Key Hill).