First track win for the Murphys

There were four Clare winners over the two nights of racing at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium, including a first win on the track for members of the Murphy family from Kilkishen on Friday night and a best perfomance of the night from Ocean Crash, owned by Tom Fitzgerald, Parteen, on Saturday night.
At a benefit meeting on Friday night, Major Impact was a trap two runner in the second race on the card, the Barringtons Hospital Limited over 350 yards for S6/S7 grades. The son of Eoin Rua-Quarrymount Erin made up ground from trap three to lead at the opening bend. He kept up the pace from this to the finishing line, where he had two lengths on Joshs Jewel (Josh Harte, Kilkee).The winner’s clock was 19.35. After the race there was great excitement among members of the Murphy family, including Tradaree Coursing Club officer Eamon Murphy, the trainer and his son, James Murphy, owner.
Tom Fitzgerad had a particularly fine win in Limerick on Saturday night when his Ocean Crash won the last race on the card with a smashing time of 28.33, the best of the night. Disputing the early lead from trap three, the black son of Crash-Ocean Lucy went into the lead at the second bend and with a great run from this to the line, he recorded a blisterinmg two-length win with a best career performance in this open 525. The runner-up was the Rathkeale-owned Bua Dearg in trap five.
Snuggie Boy, also from the Group Rooster-Christians Lady litter, recorded the third win in two nights for Newmarket-on-Fergus owner Breda Casey. A reserve runner in trap four in the concluding A3-graded 525, he was slow away but came through to lead at the third and win by five lengths in 29.13 from She Goes Nowwhere. Third home was another reserve runner from Clare, Clounanna Shamo, owned by Eileen Gallery.
Also a Clare winner on Friday night was Tony Daffy’s Inch Gunner in an A3-graded 525. He got a very fast start from trap one to lead all the way for an impressive win. The son of Ballymac Maeve-Calamity had a great clock of 28.89 when disposing of Black Forest by three and a half lengths.
With a similar clock of 28.89, the best of the night was the Neilus O’Connell-trained Cubic Depression in the following A2-graded 525.
Placed in their races on Friday night were Wellstone Two (Leo McNulty and Patsy Riordran), Fishermans Scoby (Barry Harte), Sharam Go (JohnO’Kelly, Mullagh), Shandangan Lough (JJ O’Dea and Stephen Murray) and the East Clare-owned Bling Bling Anna( Pat Cronin).
Newmarket-on-Fergus owner Peg Lenihan also figured among the winers in Limerick on Satureday night with her Slaheny Music (Head Bound-Musical Sandwich) obliging in an A2-graded 575. This was a fine trap-to-line success for the black bitch, who was a 31.87 winner after beating Clongeel Volume by a length and a half.
Third in their races were Callura Twitter ( PJ Reynolds, Ennistymon), Steves Sentinel (Sean Stack, Sixmilebridge) and Killaloe Rose (John Seymour and Pat Reddan, Killaloe).

Snuggie dogs bring off a Clare double in Galway

The Snuggie dogs were in top form at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium last Saturday night when winning on the double for Newmarket-on-Fergus owner Breda Casey. She also had a winner in Limerick on Friday night with Snuggie Boy, all from the same Group Rooster-Christians Lady litter.
Snuggie Belle won the first part of the Galway double in the third race on the card, an A4-graded 575. Outback Woody, the eventual runner-up, led at the opening bend but down the back there was more of a threat from Snuggie Belle and by the time they had reached the third bend she had taken over number one spot. It was a lead she did not relinquish and stayed on to beat Outback Woody by close on four lengths, with a time of 32.17.
Snuggie Babe completed the double when winning the eighth race on the card, the top-graded A1 over 550 yards. Her chances of taking the main race of the night looked promising after breaking smartly from trap five to lead at the opening bend from Money Go Easy. They avoided trouble behind them and as the race progressed the order among the leading two remained the same. The Bernard Coffey-trained Money Go Easy in trap three put in a good effort but she failed to catch Snuggie Babe, who raced on for a two and a half lengths win in 30.32. Third to cross the line was the West Clare-owned Lismadine Jack (Paddy Troy and Conor McInerney).
A seven-length winner of the opening race over 350 yards was the Des Flaherty-trained Rinnwood Ella (19.30), who beat Fast Fit Tyson (John Quinn, Gort). The Noeleen Egan-trained Glenwood Bear was another trap-to-line winner of a 350-yard race in 19.33 from the locally owned Willrose Junior. Third home weas Yoyojo (Martin J Keane, Kilmihil).
Another locally owned runner, Everylittlehepls in trap four, led the way in a 525-yard race from Annagh Spot and Fergus Run. However, by the time they came to the halfway stage, Annagh Spot had taken over. He won in a very tight finish for trainer Sean Cooke (Kilbeacanty) and owner Marie Cooke. The winning distance was a neck from Fergus Run, owned by Jimmy McLaughlin, Shannon. Third-placed was Tromora Crystal (Pat Hogan, Quilty).
Going in front just off the first bend and avoiding trouble behind her, the Thurles-owned Listen Carefully ran on to win a 525-yard race by six and a quarter lengths from the Bernard Coffey (Sixmilerbridge) owned and trained O’Garney Belle. The John Browe-trained Runway Patrol, owned in Liscannor by the Rineanna syndicate, was third. It was a career-best performance by Listen Carefully, who stopped the clock at 29.18.
Kilmihil owner Martin J Keane had a winner in race six, an A3-graded 575 with Ad Lib ( Digital-Montevani). She was back in form in a big way way to lead all the way and win by nearly three lengths in 31. 91 from Snugborough Gent (Myles Cummins, Newmarket-on-Fergus).
The Stephen Murray-trained and Noel Power-owned Jasons Hawk (Westmead Hawk-Lalla Lemon), scored a trap-to-line win in an A2-graded 575. A reserve runner, he was fast off the mark from trap two but towards the finish he had to hold off the challenge by So They Say to win by a head in 31. 93.

Success twice over for McDonaghs of Kinvara

It was celebration time all round for the McDonagh family from Kinvara at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium last Thursday night when John McDonagh brought off a double to coincide with the birthday of his wife, Tess. Their daughters also own one of the winners.
The first part of the double was in race seven, which went to the John McDonagh-trained and Marie Lavin-owned Maureens Admiral (Ninas Worldclass-Smooth Point), who won an A4-graded 525 by almost three lengths in a time of 29. 45.
A litter brother, Clonkelly Point, again trained by John and owned by his daughters, who are members of the Girls syndicate, brought off the second part of the double when winning the A3 bumper race. Showing good early pace, he led at the first from County Hurlers, trained by Noel Mullins for Sean and Mike Mullins, Gort. After railing well, he extended his lead down the back and while County Hurlers looked a threat at the home bend, Clonkelly Point had enough in reservwe to win by three lengths in 29.36 from the Gort-owned black.
There was a good Clare flavour to the conclusion of the opening race on the card for A9 graders. Clonlaheen Ace in trap three overtook the early leader to take up the running when rounding the opening bend. He went three lengths to the front as they raced down the back but as they came to the third corner Gorforitjohney ( Hondo Black-Knockdrum Lady) owned in Ballynacally by Liam Shannon, came with a big run on the inside to beccome the new leader. He ran clear at this stage to win the race by five and a half lengths in a time of 29. 34 from the locally owned Megans Miracle with Clonlaheen Ace (Thomas Warren, Kilmaley) coming home in third place, two and a quarter lengths back.
Clare and South Galway dominated the final stages of the second race on the card, an N2-graded novice 350-yard event.
Killerk Sammy, having his first race for Kieran and Aaron Nugent, Ballyea, had a flyer from trap five and quickly opened up a good lead of four lengths. The son of Droopys Scolari-Ballaghboy Coll extended his lead as the race progressed and crossed the finishing line six and a quarter lengths in front of Corker Fergal (Kevin Fahey, Kiltartan) in a time 19.31. Third spot went to Wilbrook Paddy (Michael Davoren, Ennistymon) one length back.
TJ McMahon’s Bodyshop Fastrap came third in an A9-graded 525 won by Bumblbee Rosie in 30.12.
Rathorpe Rancho, owned in Gort by Madeline Walsh, showed the way in an S4-graded sprint but went a little wide at the opening bend and allowed ground for Grandgate Lad, who drew level as they swung for home and raced on for a two-length win in 19.19 from Rathorpe Rancho. Third home was Wilbrook Fawn (Michael Davoren).
Gaining an early two-length advantage after a fast break from trap six, Knockbrack Yeman had a change of luck when winning this A6-graded 525 for Miltown Malbay owner Margaret Nestor. He was four lengths in front at the half-way mark and from this strage there was to be no denying the son of Yeah Man-Dalcash Maxie, who stayed in front for his 29. 55 win, finishing nearly two lengths ahead of Michael McDonagh’s Ballybane Leigh. This was the eight career win for the black.
The Frank Browne-trained Chrsola, owned by Michael Browne and John Moran, finished third in an A5-graded 525, which went to Jorja Christie in 29. 56.

Kilcornan Lark takes a thriller

There were two Clare winners in second round heats of the Fonez-Sim Free Phones A6 525 in Galway on Friday night.
The first heat was a thriller and was won by Kilcornan Lark, owned by Tom O’Connor, Ennistymon.
The trap one runner, a daughter of Judicial Post-Killonaghgan Lad, broke well in the company of Panther Delight and Dromoher Fern.
The winner made ground from here to the back where she went four lengths clear. However, her lead was gradually reduced in the run home and she just held off the late charge by Manus ­Snowdrop (Siofra McInerney, Manus) to win by a short head. Her time was 29. 44.
Heats two and three were won by Headford West (29.53) and Windfield Lass (29.57) while the Niall Warren, Kilmaley-trained Colossal Lad, owned by members of the Colossal Syndicate (Leona Ryan, Ennis and Niall Warren, Kilmaley) won the final heat. A son of Scarty Lad-Clonlaheen Snog, the winner was slow away but showhow managed to get through on the inside at the opening bend and from the back he dominated matters. He was an emphatic twelve-and-a-quarter-length winner in a time of 29. 59.
Zoning Money, owned in Ennis by Tony Quinn and Sean J Heeney, was third home in an an A7-graded 525 won by Wise Hawk (29.45).
Another who finished third in his race – an A3 graded 525 – was Howleys Boreen,owned by Kevin Fahey, Kiltartan.

Reward for attracting new sponsorship

The Irish Greyhound Board is set to reward owners and trainers of the sport of greyhound racing through a new sponsorship promotion.
There are currently 20,000 registered owners of greyhounds in Ireland who will be encouraged to seek out new sponsors for the sport, in return for a reward worth up to 15% of the sponsorship value. The reward will include either admission or restaurant vouchers for use in the stadium, allowing them to continue to enjoy a night at the dogs and support their local stadium.
Adrian Neilan, CEO of the Irish Greyhound Board, said the management team is excited to launch the initiative. “With spending power down for everyone, a new, more creative approach to our sponsorship should help them to maintain the calibre of competition that the Irish greyhound industry has come to expect.
“The value of sponsorship to the sport cannot be underestimated – it is a vital lifeline in their success. Everyone at IGB looks forward to welcoming new sponsors on board in their sport and of course to continuing to work with existing sponsors, with whom IGB have enjoyed great relationships with over the years. IGB will be asking owners and trainers to use their own network of businesses, work colleagues and friends to help IGB source new sponsorship partners,” he said.
The intention is to trial this for a period of three months.