Fingers crossed for meeting

Ennis-Clarecastle Club members and supporters are keeping their fingers crossed that their annual fixture at Manus next Saturday and Sunday will not fall victim to the weather conditions experienced during the week.
This would be a pity, as all their presentations to date at their relatively new headquarters at Manus have been outstanding.
However, everything going to plan, there should be another exciting meeting at this well-appointed venue placed at the disposal of the club by the McInerney family.
Brazing Serpent, trained by Jerry Griffin for the English-based Pistol Knight syndicate, has the credentials to go all the way in the HJ Murphy Memorial All Age Dog Stake (16). He already has a cup under his belt, having come through the Galway-Oranmore fixture, where he also won a trial stake last season.
He should qualify from the top half while Him Over There, a trial stake winner last year for enthusiastic members of the Hey You Sir syndicate from Ennis, is favouite to come from the bottom half. He has been made a 2/1 chance by bookmaker Dinny Gould.
In the Coote family-sponsored all-age bitch stake (16) the Glanmire-owned Skellig Wave comes to Clare again to try to gather more points for Clonmel.
A winner at Miltown Malbay, she went to the semi-finals in Kilrush-Killimer and has now been installed as the 2/1 favouurite to succeed at Manus. By Mistake (4/1) and Class Attraction (6/1) could be her biggest dangers in the top half.
La Madrina is the fancied runner in the bottom half and she will be on the boards at 5/2 while Burnpark Sadie, a finalist in Listowel, is a 4/1 chance.
The meeting will also feature the second running of the July Four Puppy Stake for eight trial stake winners this season.
Begun last year to establish the Manus link with the Derby winner, the stake aroused a lot of interest last year and this year it has attracted trial stake winners from Miltown Malbay, Enniscorthy, Gorey, Liscannor, Oranmore, Abbeydorney and Limerick. The Abbeydorney winner, Boomtown Hotshot, trained by Brian Sullivan, Abbeyfeale, is given the nod to win the 2010 running of the stake. Dinny Gould is making him the 2/1 favouite and other short prices are Skellig Side (5/2) Volga Daisy (7/2) and Gypsy Rover (3/1).
With a full Oaks trial stake (32) and reserve Derby (24) as well as the working members and surplus stakes on the menu, Ennis-Clarecastle should be well worth patronising.
The judge will be Bernard Good and slipper Denis Crowley. The draw, made in Navin’s, Clarecastle, on Sunday night is listed below.

Oaks Trial Stake (32)
First quarter: Glenbrack Lisa v Rith Blitze; Lowland Deuce v No Messi; Cillowen Rhythm v Foretfield Queen; Miss Master bv Giftde Miss.
Second quarter: Rossmarino v Kilkeedy Ciarai; Killuran Jill v Scattery Flyer; Isthatyoumikie v Kilcummin Lady; Dalcash Saragh v Tullabrack Gift.
Third quarter: Baby Sasha v Killalon Hayes; Sioux City v Lismadine Blue; Spiddal Queen v Crafty Sorgo; Cornucopia v Miss Rua.
Fourth quarter: Fawn Of Inagh v Anam Chara; Lorannter v Maytime Primrose; Drimeen Mariner v Aristo Princess; Woodpark Blaze v Waterfall Gilly.
Reserves: (A) Colina Dive; (B) Knockbrack Star; (C) Steves Keeper; (D) Colossal Call.

Reserve Dog Trial Stake (24)
First quarter: Norway Wind v Valparaiso; Gifted Ivy Hill v Keegans Hill; Crushers Singer v Danaghers Jack; Claureen Breeze v Clonmore Master.
Second quarter: Fishermans Toll v Danpaddyal; Counting Crows v Gortglas Ando; The Gow v Eatalot; A Hoi Hoi v Forever West.
Third quater: Rodgers Crystal v Derrylough Fury; Terrible Trouble v Moont Butch; Eoin Blond v Wintertime; Murtys Return v Castlemartyr Law.
Reserves: (A) Denham Matt; (B) Chill Plough; (C) Tromora Bex; (D) Disruptive Guest.

All-age
HJ Murphy Memorial Cup (16-all aged dogs).
Top half: Splodge v No Fool; Brazing Serpent v Uporthat; Los Hervideros v Ahanagram Snow; Givemeareason v Upsetter.
Bottom half: Homestead Kerry v Cerunnos; Vacume Vegas v Millbridge Eoin; Light Foot Lad v Monveen Affair; Him Over There v Blurbird Boyo.
Reserves: (A) Vacume Legacy; (B) Fishermans Scoby.

Coote Cup (16 all-aged bitches)
Top half: Cailin Oran v Medieval Castle; By Mistake v Gorforitmanic; Cool Sands v Skellig Wave; Nowitsprincess v Class Attraction.
Bottom half: Youlookingood v Burnpark Sadie; Jeru Eile v La Madrina; Cillowen Icon v Spot Chieftian; Aristoo Roo v Missing Hyland.
Reserves: (A) Summerfield Bex; (B) Leigh Musical.

Fourth Of July Puppy Stake (eight nominated trial stake winners)
Aristo Emperor v Downsman; Crushers Hyland v Gypsy Rover; Knockbrack Eoin v Boomtown Hotshot; Volga Daisy v Skellig Side. Reserve: Taka Dawn.

Surplus Members (eight one-course duffers)
Mythical Tar v Harlequinn Oscar; Rockmount Geraja v Claureen Moon; Rathkenny Lad v Manus Honey; Goforitgirl v Mias Abbey.
Reserves: (A) Winword Flash; (B) Ding Hero; (C) MullaghIntyre.

Haulie Daly Memorial Cup for Working Members (16 one-course duffers).
Top half: Clonlaheen Ace v Danema Leisure; Lively Causeway v Tiermana Vieiri; Mine Cahariot v Rathmeehan Yaiza; Cool Ivy Hill v Prefer Diamonds.
Bottom Half: ColossalMan v Manus Returns; Mine Scholes v Clonmore Windy; Danaghers Katie v Kylea Snowflake; Barntick Petal v Corgrigg Beauty.        
Reserves: (A) Graces Choice; (B) Captain Cheeky.

Order of running
Saturday (11.30) Twice Through Oaks Trial Stake and once through Reserve Dog Trial Stake, All Age Bitch Stake, All Age Dog Stake and Puppy Stake.
Sunday (11.30) Start with Surplus Members Stake, Working Members Stake and complete card.
Cup win

 

Long journey worth it

The long journey to the Johnstown and Urlingford meeting last weekend paid dividends for the Scattery syndicate from Killimer as Scattery Express (Matt Hyland-Scattery Mac) won the Nicholas Hughes Champion Bitch Stake.
She beat the Carlow-owned Mungos Diamond (Castle Pines-Mungos Ensure.Members of the Way Inn syndicate, also from Killimer, were on the road as well last weekend with their I Say So (Judicial Best-Killimer Flyer).
He reached the final of the Neilius O’Leary All-age Stake and Callanan Cup (16) at the Bandon and the Careys Cross fixture but he was beaten three lengths by Razor Ash (Tullamore-Razor Lady) owned by Joe and James O’Connor, Tarbert.
Seamus and Aidan Duggan from Castlefergus Quin, had an exciting weekend with their Ballyhannon (Tucks Mein-Adorablievenita).
In the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday he qualified for another round of the Irish St Leger classic and went on to the coursing meeting in Doon the following day and won the James Barry and Michael Longergan Memorial Cup for 16 two course duffers.
He won the final by three lengths from the Abbeydorney and Tralee-owned Shesonthephone (Ballymac Maeve- Lauragh Serena).