Four Clare owners enjoy Galway spoils

Clare owners scored four wins at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium last Thursday night but the top-graded race of the night escaped them when the Mick Downes-trained Alice Rumble finished runner-up.
This was an A2-graded race over 550 yards and the outside runner, Leos Bettina, went off the 6- 4 favourite. The Nenagh-owned black did not delay from traps to lead Colie O’Loughlion’s Pal Duke by two lengths at the opening bend. This was still the order as they moved down the far side and as they reached the line Leos Bettina had three and a half lengths on the Janet Downes-owned Alice Rumble, who had moved into second place. Third home was I Remember Paddy, trained by Stephen Murray for Ennis owner, Frankie Sheehan.
The opening semi-final of the St Thomas GAA Club 525 resulted in a 29.38 win for the Rynal Ruane-trained Jumeriah Joe (Brett Lee-Droopys Just), who beat Glenbrack Shane by two lengths in a time of 29.38. Third home was Wooly Spiral, owned in Ennis by John Darcy.
Varra Polly, the odds-on favourite, trained in East Clare by Donal Cooney for the Boys Club syndicate, came out on top in the second semi-final with a clock of 29.16. The early leader was the Ballyvaughan-owned Pinnacle Roxy in trap five but from the half-way stage Varra Polly started to make inroads and the daughter of Head Bound-Varra Lark had closed to within a length at the home bend. From this onwards she continued to advance and at the line had two and a quarter lengths on Springwell Alex, with Pinnacle Roxy (Michael Costello and Douglas Culligan) a length back for third place.
There will be more Clare interest in the final of the Ballaghderreen GAA A3 final this weekend. Three semi-finals were decided last Thursday night when the Donie Duggan-owned and trained Knoppogue Mate won the opening heat. The Pat Guilfoyle-trained Ms Deltafire, a winner last week, was the hot 4-6 favourite in trap four but when the traps lifted it was the Kinvara-owned Glenfort Lee in trap two who got away best. Down the back he had Ms Deltafire and Donie Duggan’s black hot on his heels and as they came to the third bend the favourite was now in front by a length. However, the picture was to change again at the home bend when Knoppogue Mate (Kinloch Brae-Climates Kewell) challenged and gradually pulled away in the run to the line to win by two and a quarter lengths in a time of 29.34.
In the second semi-final, the Nenagh-owned All Goes Well hit the front at the second last bend and went on to win the heat by two lengths from Glenfort Dove, owned by Ballyvaughan native, Brigid D’Arcy. The time was 29.35.
The 29.41 winner of the final heat was Bumblebee Bingo from Cloonturk Jet.
Tom Flanagan, from near Ennistymon, will have two runners in the final of the Ballaghdereen GAA Club A5 Stake. His Peposterous (Droopys Kewell-Coldwar Baby) finished third in the first semi-final heat last Thursday night and his litter brother, Consequential, was winner of heat two.
The opening heat was won in 29.13 by the Seamus Fahy-trained Bit View Kenny (Head Bound-Honchos Trix) who beat the Gerry Holian-trained Good To Go by five and a half lengths. Peposterous was a length and a half back for third place.
Danmar Penny in trap six, was the money-on favourite for heat two but once the traps lifted it was a contest between Kilara Blonde, in trap three and Tom Flanagan’s Consequential, in trap four. The eventual winner took control after rounding the opening bend and while he was still leading the way down the back, Danmare Benny was improving on the wide outside. The favourite came nearer over the final two bends but it was still Consequential out in front and he remained there to win by two and a quarter lengths in 29.49 from Danmar Beauty, with Fair Exchange taking third place.
Cooraclare native, Tommie Gallagher was again on the mark with his Pat Be Slick, who won the first race of the night, a semi-final heat of the Food Packages A7 525. The even-money favourite gave his owner some anxious moments, however, as he was slow away from trap two to give the early lead to Tayl Bound, in trap five. But by the half-way mark the favourite was now in second place after avoiding trouble up front and in the run-in the son of Hondo Black and Bling Bling Flo was the stronger finisher. At the line he had one and a half lengths on Tayl Bound. The time was 29.98.
The Darren O’Donoughue-owned Destroyer won heat two in 29.58.
Always in the lead in an S6-graded 350 yards race, Glencrue Breeze held out to win by three parts of a length in 19.55 from the West Clare-owned Burnpark Cheryl (Maria Browne).

Late dash brings deserved victory for Mine Hazel

It was a case of keeping the good wine to the last at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium last Friday night. Punters had to wait until the last race on the card to see the most impressive winner of the night in action, Mine Hazel, trained by Frank Browne, Quin and owned by Mary Browne.
The daughter of Hades Rocket-Jumeirah Jess was backed into 6-4 favourite for the A3-graded 525 but she got a setback at the opening bend, where she was baulked. Gone to Garry, in trap one, led at the first but as they approached the third bend Mine Hazel had made up some ground to go into fourth place. Gone To Garry was still the leader from Goodnight Kate but as they rounded the home bend Mine Hazel was in full flight and she flew home to win the race in very impressive style with a clock of 29.34. She won by two lengths from Goodnight Kate.
The top-graded race of the night, the A2-graded 525, was won in 29.07 by the Patsy Richardson-owned Faithful Man (Royal Impact-Josiva) who beat the staying-on Ascot Race, trained by Mick Downes, into second place. The time was 29.07 and the winning distance was a length and three parts of a length.
Pat Madiagn from Killimer had the first of three Clare wins on the night. In an S8-graded sprint his Clune Topps in trap four, the money-on favourite took over from an early stage and the son of Astronomic and Derrylough Topps was already four lengths clear racing towards the opening bend. Despite running wide around the opening bend, Clune Topps remained in control for his 19.29 and five and a quarter lengths win.
The Clare-owned Knockdine Dream (Eoin O’Brien) finished third in an A7-graded 525 won in 29.60 by Bumblebee Smokey from Hanover Blaze.
Ennistymon owner, Michael Davoren won the following race, an S4-graded sprint, with Wilbrook Fawn in trap four. A winner here last month, the fawn daughter of Prince Monalulu-Missouri Dame, was first to show from Rinnwood Val, in three, and Confused Mark. Rounding the bend, Confused Mark became the new frontrunner but as they headed for home Willbrook Fawn found her second wind and went on again to win by two and a quarter lengths in 19.37 from Confused Mark, owned by Gerry Manley, Cratloe.
The Martin Fahy-trained Haveweanine (Swords Prince-Glenbrack Tina) was a trap-to-line winner of an A6-graded 525 when beating Johnny Maher’s Clonfeigh Dream by four lengths in 29.28.
Dromoher Snoopy, owned by Mmegan Flanagan from near Ennistymon, was third home in the following race, an A5-graded 525 won by Crossmorewarrior (Kinloch Brae-Sunnysidee Rose) by five lengths in 29.39.
Members of the local St Michaels GAA Club are involved in the Dirty Nelly syndicate, owners of the Seamus Fahy-trained Dangan Dynamo (Droopys Maldini-Shoot Dogg), who won an A4-graded 525 yard race. He led at the opening bend and raced on for an eight-length win in 29.47 from Supernova Rocky (Carol Merrick, Ennis).
The County Galway-owned Pawne Smoke made all the running in an A4-graded 525 and was first to cross the line in 29.18, three and a quarter lengths ahead of Sunside King (Michael McDonnell, Kilrush)

Impressive Clare winners at Limerick stadium

Parteen trainer, Joe Collins won the last race on the card, the A1-graded 525, with Scariff Hawk at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium last Saturday night.
Owned by members of the Shanakyle syndicate, the son of Westmead Hawk- Patterdale Luna was going strong at the finish to win the race by half a length from reserve runner Snuggie Babe, owned by Breda Casey, Newmarket-on-Fergus. The time for the run was 29.41.
Shannon owner, Jim McLoughlin won an earlier race, heat three of the Shane O’Brien/Barbara Reeves A3 Memorial, with his Fergus Come Home in trap two. This was an impressive trap-to-line win for the son of Ballymac Maeve-O Garney Parl, who had six lengths to for his fast 28.84 win.
Liscannor owner-trainer, Darryl Hopper also got his name among the winners. He had the first winner of the night with his Hawks Hill Lilly (Head Bound-Mitzie), who was another trap-to-line winner. The brindled bitch had a winning distance of three-and-a-half lengths and her time for the A6-graded 525 was 29.06.
The Bill Chawkes Bar Open 575 (Grade A0) race had an exciting finish with the early leader Blackies Champ just holding on to beat Yeah Me (Nicola Downes, Killaloe) by a head in 31.62.
There was no Clare winner from the Limerick card on Thursday night. Placed in their races were Inislosky Ron (Mary Crotty), Trefnant Girl (Terry Roberts) and Lismadine Jack (Paddy Troy and Conor McInerney) and Gipsy Madam (Joan Normoyle and Imelda Grauer) in heats of the Christy Daly Memorial A2 over 525 yards.
Manus Hero and Portdrine Bobby won for John McInermey, Manus and Liam Carroll, Cratloe, respectively at the Limerick meeting on Friday     night.
Although mssing his break, Manus Hero (Droopys Vieri-Baby Jean) was going well at the finish to edge out Nuke Bound at the line to win the A4-graded 525 by a short head. His clock for the trip was 29.38.
Portrdine Bobby (Hades Rocket-Jumeirah Jess) was always in the clear for his 29.04 win in the final race of the night, an A1-graded 525. The impressive trap to line winner won by two lengths in 29.04 from Rallying Caul, owned by another South East Clare man, Dan Flynn and Liam Costeloe.
Portdrine Price, also owned by Liam Carroll, was beaten three lengths into runner-up spot by the 29.38 winner, Kerry Bound in an earlier A7-graded 525.