Clare owners win first-round heats of Corrib Plate

CLARE owners, Noel Coote, Ennis and Ciara Burke, Miltown Malbay, were among the winners when first-round heats of the Flaherty Markets Corrib Plate were decided at Galway Greyhound Stadium last Thursday night.
The A7 graded stakecarrying a winner’s prize of €4,500, is now in its 27th year and is sponsored by Jimmy Flaherty of Flaherty Markets.
Headford-based handler Seamus Leahy had a great night with success in three of the heats.
The opening heat was won in 29.78 by the Mountnugent-owned Electro Rocket. Third home was Chance Ivy Hill (Noel Hehir, Inagh).
Seamus Leahy’s Clydagh Blue won heat two in 29.15 while the County Kilkenny-owned Tunes Song was the 29.10 and easy winner of heat three from Fast Fit Liar (John Quinn, Gort).
Trainer Owen McKenna won heat four with Loughteen Comet (29.52), while Noel Coote came through with Drimeen Brownie (Catunda Harry-Rathmeehan Angel) in the following heat. All six runners headed for the inside lane after the traps lifted but after a few strides, Drimeen Brownie in trap five took over. He had gone four lengths to the front by the halfway stage and the John Browne brindled stayed on well to register a 29.54 win, beating Lisnakill Martha by almost four lengths.
Headford Ross was a 29.43 winner for Seamus Leahy in heat six and he also won the following heat with Headford Hawk (29.61) Third home in this heat was Starlight Miller owned in Shannon by Thomas and Niall O’Sullivan.
With a dream inside run for the whole of the journey, Malbay Bawn (Royal Impact-Ritha Saor) won his maiden race in fine style for Ciara Burke from Miltown Malbay. All six runners were tightly bunched as they headed for the opening bend where Malbay Bawn, in trap one, managed to squeeze through and go on to win by ten and a half lengths in 29.55.
Emzee, trained by Darryl Hopper for Cheryl Hopper, Liscannor, was third in the opening race of the night, an S8 graded 350, which was won in 19.49 by Sellout Fast Fit, owned by Peter Connolly and John Quinn, Gort.
Ballygodoon Stud owner and trainer, Pat Curtin, had the final say with Aston’s Diamond winning the bumper race, the A2 graded 525. Owned in Clare by Kevin Burke and Lawrence Meaney, the son of Shelbourne Aston-Droopy’s Dimaond, led by a length from the reserve runner, Nebraska West (Martin Griffin, Caherea) in the run to the first bend. Railing well, the winner extended his lead down the back and at the line had two and a quarter lengths on Nebraska West with a clock of 29.54 for his third career win.

Fast clocks in Oran Majestic heats

SOME fast times were recorded in the opening -round heats of the Oran Majestic A4 525 in Galway last Saturday night. The entire card was taken up by the 12 heats of the event sponsored by Des and Elliott Whyte whose Oran Majestic lifted the Sporting Press Oaks after taking the Flaherty Market’s Corrib Plate at Galway.
The Paul Hennessy-trained reserve runner, Airforce Spirit won the first heat in 28.99 while 28.96 was the time for Oran Forever winning heat two by five and a half lengths from, Korkhina. A half length back for third place was Annagh Spot (Marie Cooke, Kilbeacanty).
Local owners, Gerry Glynn and PJ Carmody won heat three with the Seamus Fahy-trained Come on the Banner (Head BoundMarochydore). He had a fast break from trap six to lead all the way and beat Wooly Spiral (John Darcy, Ennis) by 10 lengths in an exciting 28.90.
Sunside King, owned in West Clare by Michael McDonnell, was third in heat four, which was won by PJ Fahy’s Tyrur Willie Joe in 29.08 from Boxer Princess.
A nine-length winner of heat five was the Cashel-owned Donnell’s Dangler in 29.53 from Hay Happy Hanna. Beaten a neck into third place was Brigid D’Arcy’s Glenfort Dove.
The County Kildare-owned Lughill Valarie was the 28.91 winner of heat six when crossing the line three and a half lengths in front of Manus Snowdrop (Siofra McInerney, Manus).
The only heat winner from Clare was Master Slick owned by Cooraclare’s Tommie Gallagher. To produce this shock win, the son of Slick Leo- Bodyshop Flight was best away from trap six and dominated from the start to lead by two lengths at the first bend. Bunching among the rest of the field was to his advantage as he
further increased his lead down the back. Melody Abbie came with a strong run in the concluding stages but Master Slick held out to win by half a length in a career best 29.18.
The clock stopped at 29.46 for Outback Gideon in winning heat eight while the Athlone-owned Guitar Classic won the following heat by a neck in 29.36 from Nationwide Dash and the Clare-owned Now it’s Alex (Master Fionn Lillis).
Leona Ryan from Rockmount, Ennis and the Collosal syndicate had a qualifier in the third placed Colossal Man in heat 10 won by the Westport-owned Revenue Star in 29.28.
There was another Clare qualifier from heat 11, Blaze Panther owned in Ennis by Anthony Brigdale and Margaret Burns. The Noleen Egan-trained Glenwood Cool was a trap-to-line winner of this heat after beating the rail-hugging Blaze Panther to the opening bend. She went on to beat the Ennis-owned black by a length and three quarters in a time of 29.30.
Rynal Ruane from Athenry won the final heat with his Outback Major and completed a double on the night. The winner’s time was 29.50.

Knockdine pipped in Restaurant final

MILTOWN Malbay owner, Michael O’Brien, went close to winning the feature race in Galway on Friday night with his Knockdine Black who was beaten by three parts of a length in the Masters Restaurant A5 final.
Knockdine Black broke smartly from trap two to lead by a length from Gone to Garry in trap one with Davris Joy in six just behind them turning down the back. Approaching the third bend, the Garreth Kelly-owned Davris Joy (Jim Joes Up-Dawros Flyer), trained by Davy Lavelle, just failed to get through but as they headed for home, she launched another challenge on the outside and was successful on this occasion. She got to the line three parts of a length in front of Knockdine Black for her 29.77 win.
The first semi-final of the St Kerill’s A2 over 550 yards went to the Seamus Fahy-trained Call Henry (30.49) who beat the John McDonagh-trained Tyrur Crowley by two and a half lengths.
The Albert Long-trained Brickhill Lubos was the 30.67 winner of the second semi-final. Showing good early pace from trap six, the winner led by two lengths around the opening bend from the Newmarket-on-Fergus-owned Snuggie Boy. With bunching behind them, the leading pair extended their lead by the halfway stage. The winner was two lengths clear down the back at which stage, the Bernard Coffey-trained Money Go Easy had moved into second place. This was the order in which they finished, Brickhill Lubons winning by a length and a quarter in 30.67. Third home was Breda Casey’s Snuggie Boy.
The Borrisokeane-owned Killea Fancy led all the way to win an A2 graded 525-yard race by a length and a quarter in 29.39 from the West Clare-owned Hilltop Tomboy (Brendan McDermott).
In the opening race of the night, the Thurles-owned Lewagh Delight won his first race after leading at the bend and eventually beating the Clare-owned Knockdine Razl (Helen O’Brien, Miltown Malbay) by five and a quarter lengths in 30.05. Third home was Beezy Daisy (Maura McDonagh, Kilnamona).
Noel Gavin’s Ballyea Impact came third in an N2 graded sprint won by Daniel’s Apple (19.60). Grenanstown Lady won another sprint race for Nenagh owner, Tim Cahalan. She led at the
opening bend of this S4 graded contest and as a result of bunching behind her, went further ahead to win by four and quarter lengths in 19.15 from Hold It Jo (Liam Shannon, the Burren).
The outcome of an A5 graded 525 was very much in doubt until the final few strides. Paris Jane and Killerk Sammy were the early pace setters with Killerk Sammy going three lengths clear down the far side. However, as they approached the third bend, pressure came from Paris Jane, Winter Dream and the Cooraclare-owned Clonrweddan Sam and there was not much between all four as they headed for the finishing line where Winter Dream got there by a neck from Paris Jane (John Doyle, Ennis), The time was 29.53. Three parts of a length back in third place was Killerk Sammy (Kieran and Aaron Nugent, Ennis).
The Tom Ryan-trained Leos Bettina showed the way in an A3 graded 525 and to lead by three lengths down the far side. On That Jarug made a big challenge coming from the back but Leon’s Bettina stayed in front to win by a length and three quarters in 29.46 from Manus Vieir (Pat McInerney, Manus).

Back to normal business at Limerick

IT was back to normal business at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium last weekend after the conclusion of a great Kerry Agribusiness Irish Leger final the previous week.
Killlimer-Kilrush Coursing Club stalwart, John Joe O’Dea was the lone Clare winner at the stadium on Saturday when his Stephen Murray-trained Derrylough Socks obliged in an A7-A8 525.
The son of Astronomic-Derrylough Topps ran from trap six and after being well placed from the start, proceeded to take charge down the back straight.
He ran home a four-and-a-half-length winner with a clock of 29.14.
In heat two of the Red Mills A3 All-Ireland Series, the Michael Downes-trained Ascot Ace finished runner-up, two lengths behind Old Road Ben, the 28.68 winner.
Steves Sintenel, owned by Sean Stack, Sixmilebridge, finished third in the Bloom Feeds Open 350. The Graham Holland-trained Boadacres Bolt was the 18.63 winner.
Cratloe owner-trainer, Liam Carroll, a very strong supporter of the Limerick track, was in the winners’ frame on Friday night with his Portdrine Bobby who recorded a very fast time. The son of Hades Rocket-Jumeriah Jess was in command from the start and led all the way for his splendid 28.68 win. The winning distance was three parts of a length from the Pat O’Connell-trained Canavour Lady.
Members of the Stillhouse Syndicate from O’Brienbridge were also on the mark with their Brendan Moore-trained Costa Courta (Duke Special-Is De Bez) in an S4 graded 350. He was first over the line with a length and a half to spare from Millbank Che. The time for this race was 19.23.
Leading down the back straight, the Denis O’Malley-trained and Seamus Duggan-owned Ballyhannon was baulked at the third bend and beaten four lengths by the 30.79 winner of the final race raced on the card, an A1 graded 550.
In the first race on the card, an A8 graded 525, Trim Gift, owned in Shannon by Eileen Gallery, was runner-up to two lengths and 29.99 winner, Rugged Solution.
Astroair, trained by Maurice Mullaney, was third home in an A5 graded 525.