Flanagan enjoys purple patch on two tracks

As well as winning an A4-graded 525 with his own Petosterous (Droopys Kewell-Coldwar Baby), Tom Flanagan,’s breeding was also to the fore in other races at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium on Thursday night.
Pinnacle Muffin (Boherduff Light Coldwar Baby) won an A4-graded final and the runner-up was Mythical Tar from the same litter. Pinnacle Rocy, also from the same litter, won an S2-graded sprint race while Flandy’s Secret (Boherduff Light-Flandy) owned by Conor Flanagan, was third in an A6 final.
To top it off, Flanagan from Russa, Ennistymon, was also among the winners in Limerick on Friday night. Middlepark Mal (Droopys Maldini-Scattery Maid), trained by the North Clare man for Ennistymon publican Michael Marrinan, won for the third time on the trot.
In Galway on Thursday night the Seamus Leahy-owned Headford May (Ballymac Maeve-Teddy Hoe), with three wins from three outings, was the hot favourite to keep her 100% record intact and she obliged with another fine win, this time with a clock of 29.28. The runner-up was Winter Dream and in third place was Conor Flanagan’s Flandys Secret.
The Ballyvaughan-owned Pinnacle Muffin was off to a flyer of a start from trap five in the A4-graded final to lead by two lengths at the opening bend. Challenging her was the Jack Mahony-trained Radharc na Padre but he found trouble at the bend and Pinnacle Muffin went further ahead down the back. With more bunching at the third bend, Pinnacle Muffin set sail for home to record a 29.24 win for owners, Douglas Culligan and Michael Costelloe, their second of the night. The winning distance was close on seven lengths. The runner-up was Radharc nas Padre and third place went to the reserve runner Manus Snowdrop, trained by Donie Duggan for Siofra McInerney, Manus.
The first of two semi-finals of the Carrabane A2 575 stake went to the Mick Downes-trained Ascot Ace, owned by John Hourigan, Quin and Pat Reeves. First to show was the Doonbeg-owned Gipsy Madam but getting a nice inside run, Ascot Ace joined the leader at the half-way stage. At the third bend, Ascot Ace surged in front and the son of Ace Hi Rumble- Floating Lass went on to win by two-and-a-half lengths in a time of 31.88. Second home was Gipsy Madam, trained by Jimmy Normoyle for Joan Normoyle and Imelda Grauer.
Mick Downes also had a qualifier from the second semi-final, Alice Rumble, owned by his wife, Janet Downes, finishing runner-up to the trap-to-line winner, Tromora Dot, owned by Kevin and Heidi O’Sullivan. The time was 32.16 and the winning distance was five lengths.
Two semi-finals of the Carrabane A3 stake over 525 yards were also decided and in the opening heat Somebody Special, trained by Noel Mullins for the Rooster syndicate, Scariff, finished in third place.
Leading from the opening bend, Mary Moran’s Ollys Molly won the opening S8-graded sprint by four and a half lengths in 19.98 from Ferryside Rumble, owned in Killimer by Geraldine Ryan.
Pinnacle Roxy won the first part of the double for Ballyvaughan owners, Michael Costelloe and Douglas Culligan in the second race of the night, an S5-graded 350.
She made a lively start from trap four to lead by three lengths at the opening bend and went on to win by four-and-a-half lengths in 19.40 from her litter brother, Mythical Tra, trained by Tom Flanagan for Ennis owners John Keane and Frank White.
County Hurlers (Brett Lee- Ellas Pride) trained by Noel Mullins for Gort owners Sean and Mike Mullins, returned to winning ways in an A5-graded 525. He clocked 29.57 for his five-and-a-quarter lengths win over Michael Davoren’s Willbrook Dame. Third home was Calling Belle, trained by Mick Downes for members of the Vodka and Pajamas syndicate, Ennis.
Willbrook Queen, also owned in Ennistymon by Michael Davoren, was third placed in an S4-graded sprint.
Tom Flanagan won the fifth race on the card, an A4-graded 525 with Petosterous (trap six). After breaking well, he led around the opening two bends and stayed in front all the way to win by six lengths in 29.05 from the West Clare-owned Ballyegan Lad (Anne McInerney).
West Clare and North Clare owners featured among the winners in Galway on Friday night.
The Leitrim (Kilmihil) owned Burnpark Cheryl (Royal Impact- Burnpark Cuckoo) won an S7-graded sprint in a time of 19.57. Owned by Maria Browne, she won by five lengths. Third spot went to Fast Fit Jack (John Quinn, Gort).
Killimer native, Pat Madigan won an S2-graded sprint with Clune Topps (Astronomic- Derrylough Topps), who was also runner-up in the Surplus Members Stake at the Killimer-Kilrush coursing meeting on Sunday. He won in Galway with a clock of 19.44, three lengths in front of Nenagh Breeze. Third home was Craghbrien Jack (Martin Cronin and Jack Markham).
Brigid D’Aracy, originally from Ballyvaughan, was in the winner’s enclosure with Glenfort Dusk (Premier Fantasy-Glenfort Rumble) in an A6-graded 525. The winner came good over the last two bends to win by one length in 30.09. The Clare-owned Buddhas Babe (Rian and Christian Cummins) was third.
Placed in their races were the Stephen Murray-trained Cill Dubh Range, Nells Fantasy (Helen O’Brien and Michael Mahony, Miltown Malbay), Knockdine Black (Michael O’Brien, Miltown Malby, Knockdine Dazl (Helen O’Brien) and Snuggie Belle (Breda Casey, Newmarket-on-Fergus) and Burnpark Leonard (Maria Browne), who finished runner-up and third respectively in the Bumper A3-graded 550 won by Danmat Caoimhe in 31.05.

Limerick winner

Popular and well-known doggie man, Michael Marrinan, Ennistymon, had another win with his Middlepark Man in Limerick on Friday night.
In a grade A0 550, the son of Droppys Maldini-Scattery Maid), trained by Tom Flanagan, led down the back to go on and win by five lengths in 30.00.
Sixmilebridge owners, Mary McMahon and Stacey O’Gorman had a winner at the Clare Camogie night at same venue on Saturday night. Their Honchos Diva (Crash-Banner Honcho) won the Abbey Tavern (Quin) sponsored A4-graded 525 by three parts of a length in 29.63.
Trainer, Stephen Murray also had a win with Jasons Hawk (29.05) in the St Francis Credit Union Ennis-sponsored A2-graded 525.