Galway double for Quin owner

THERE was no joy for Clare owners in the final of the Food Packages A7 525, the feature race, at Galway Greyhound Stadium on Saturday last. However, for Ballyhickey, Quin owner-trainer, Frank Browne it was a good night after scoring a nice double with his Mine Chariot and litter sister Mine Echo.
The winner of the Food Packages final was the English-owned and Martin Tucker-trained Mash Mad Snowy in trap two. Summerfield Buzz in trap four went off the odds-on favourite but he was slightly hampered coming away as Tayl Bound in trap six and Nells Fantasy in trap three led on the run to the bend from Mash Mad Snowy.
Tayl Bound led by a length down the back but passing halfway, Mash Mad Snowy (Droopys Maldini-Shades Of Snow) started to move. He went two lengths clear rounding the second-last bend and raced on to win by two and a half lengths in 29.24 from Tayl Bound and Summerfield Buzz. Outside the first three home were Donie Duggan’s Knoppogue Green and Nells Fantasy, owned in the Miltown Malbay area by Helen O’Brien and Michael Mahony.
There were two Clare qualifiers and two from South Galway in the two chief supporting contests, the semi-finals of the Fundraising At The Dogs A4 525. Rubber Bandit in the inside trap and Bua Tommy in trap three set the pace in the first semi-final heat to lead the Kilmihil-owned Clapton Master rounding the first bend.
However, down the back, Clapton Master (Royal Impact-Face Value) started to make up ground quickly and by the third bend he was out in front. There he stayed to record a three-and-a-half-length win in 29.34 for owner Martin J Keane. The runner-up was Precious Black, while third place went to Master Slick, owned by Tommie Gallagher, Cooraclare.
The Gort-owned Sellout Fast Fit in trap five was best away in the second semi-final to lead by two lengths rounding the opening bend from Ineagh Gold (trap six), with another Gort owned contestant, Jennick (trap three), in third place.
It was Jennick who made the best progress at the halfway stage and taking the lead when coming from the back straight, the son of Hondo Black-Soviet Victoria came flying home to record a 29.11 win by almost five lengths for owners Jennie Griffin and Nick Bailey. Ineagh Gold was runner-up and third spot went to Sellout Fast Fit, owned by Peter Connolly and John Quinn.
Frank Browne scored the second part of his double in the top graded and final race of the night with Mine Echo in trap five. This was an A3 graded 525, which saw Capula in trap four and Mine Echo in five break well in front of the the 5/4 favourite Knoppogue Mate in trap one.
After rounding the opening bend, Knoppogue Mate went in front but then checked to allow Mine Echo go clear down the back. It was one-way traffic after this with Mine Echo (Hades Rocket-Jumeirah Jess) stretching clear to win comfortably by a margin of close on 12 lengths in a time of 29.46. The runner-up was Knoppogue Mate and completing the all-Clare finish was Kyles Dreamer (Irene Barry, Inagh) in third place.
Litter sister, Mine Chariot, won earlier on the night with a time 29.51 for the A4 graded 525. First to show were Mine Chariot in trap one and Glenfort Dove in trap three and they led from Haveweanineinfive.
Even though moving a little wide at the first corner, Mine Chariot held on to her one-length advantage at the halfway stage and made no slip up from then until the finishing line, where she had two and a quarter lengths on Glenfort Dove, owned by Ballyvaughan native, Brigid D’Arcy.
Jacksies Lotto, owned by Loretta Sexton, Quilty, was the runner-up in the first race of the night, an A7 graded 525,won in 29.51 by Magical Romeo.
John Quinn from Gort won an S6 graded sprint race with Fast Fit Dan, who was in command all the way for his 19.02 and three-and-a-half-length win.
Ennis owners Anthony Brigdale and Margaret Burns won an A5 graded 525 with their trap-one runner, Blaze Phanter (Hondo Black-Knockdrum Lady). First to show were Kickback Larry in three and reserve runner Tommys Tippy in four, with the 5/4 favourite Blaze Phanter (trap one) just behind them in the inside lane. Getting through at the opening bend, Blaze Phanter was the pacesetter for the rest of the trip to win by two and a half lengths in 29.43 from Kickback Larry.

Top graded race for Bit View Kenny

THE Athlone-owned and Seamus Fahy-trained Bit View Kenny won the top graded race in the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium on Friday night from the Shannon-owned Peadars Touch.
This was an A2 graded 525 and the final race of the night, which saw both dogs going neck and neck to the opening bend. At the bend, Bit View Kenny cut inside, forcing Peadars Touch to check and subsequently being led by three lengths hitting the back straight.
Owned in Athlone by the Crossriver syndicate, Bit View Kenny (Head Bound-Honchos Trix) remained in front to beat Peadars Touch, trained by Donie Duiggan for Peter Russell, Shannon, by a length and three quarters in 29.17.
Gort trainer Noel Mullins also had a good night with County Hurlers winning an A6 graded 525. This was the 11th career win for the veteran son of Brett Lee-Lees Ella Pride, owned by Sean Mullins, Gort. Clear by three lengths at the opening bend, he was well on his way down the back to come home nearly five lengths in front of the County Cork-owned Unknown Argument in 29.29.
Rynal Ruane’s reserve runner, Outback Kirsty, led for most of the way to win an A5 graded 525 in 29.38 from Clone Siobhan and the West Clare-owned Hilltop Tomboy (Brendan McDertmott).
The Albert Long-trained Brickhill Bobby won the first of four heats of the benefit night’s A8 525, leading all the way for a 29.78 win.
The Tom Fitzgerald (Salthill) owned and trained Tomars Leo won heat two in 30.17, while Killuran Polly (Gary Cooney, Broadford) was third in heat three, again won by the Tom Fitzgerald-trained Tomas Conor in 29.77.
The fastest clock, 29.43, was recorded in the final heat won by the Pat Guilfoyle-trained Twosugaralice, who led over the final two bends to win by three and a quarter lengths from Chocolate Soldier, trained by Noel Mullins for Eleanor Mullins and Bernie Curtin. Two lengths further back for third place was Billies Wood, owned by Pat Carey, Cratloe.
New Quay Lad, owned by Jack Mahony, Loughrea, won the third sprint of the night. At the first bend he was two lengths ahead of the Ballyvaughan-owned Pinnacle Roxy and this was the order in which they finished. New Quay won by three and a half lengths in 19.28 from the Michael Costello and Douglas Culligan-owned black.
Unknown Buzz in trap three just led round the opening bends from Jumeirah Socks in five with Willbrook Fawn (trap six) in third place on the outside in an A5 graded 525. The Tony Hegerty-owned Unknown Buzz (Royal Impact-Brookline Silver) led by two lengths after they passed the halfway stage from Jumeirah Socks but it was the Ennistymon-owned Wilbrook Fawn who gave the strongest challenge in the run home.
However, Unknown Buzz just held out to win by a neck in 29.42 from Michael Davoren’s fawn bitch. Patrick and Bridget O’Loughlin’s Jumeirah Socks was three parts of a length back for third place.

Killinan Cool the surprise winner of Kudos final

THE final of the Kudos Creative Open 525 final did not go as expected at Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday when Killinan Cool was a surprise winner.
The 4/1 chance in trap two, trained by Graham Holland for Joe Mcilhone, Thurles came out fastest to lead all the way for his 28.45 win. The son of Big Daddy Cool-Bridie Knowbest won by two lengths from joint 5/4 favourite, Cashen Mafuma, trained by Chris Houilihan. The other joint favourite, Lass Cause in trap six, missed her break and finished last.
Race two on the card, an A4 graded 535, produced a Clare winner. Although slow away from trap five, Clonreddan Jet (Tullow Rumble- Tullow Lady) got through to lead at the fourth bend to secure a 29.22 win for owner David Hogan. The winning distance was four lengths from Liosgarbh Silver. Third home in an S0 graded sprint was Milesian Lark (Pat Conlon, Cree).
The card also featured two semi-finals of the Donie Cusack memorial A2  event over 550 yards. Challenging down the back and leading at the third, the Essex-owned Rockchase Zico won the first heat in 29.78 and by three lengths from Shyladee Lass, owned by Briget Casey, O’Briensbridge.
The Doon-owned Fair Fantasy was the 29.92 winner of the second semi-final.
Scariff Hawk, owned by members of the Shanakyle Syndicate, Parteen and trained by Joe Collins, stayed on well at the finish but was just beaten by a neck by the Graham Holland-trained Killinan Dancer in an A2 graded 600. The time was 33.12.
Placed in their races in Limerick on Friday night were Gortglas Suzie (Michael Kennedy, Killaloe Post Office), Cragaknock Ciara (John O’Kelly, Mullagh) and Snuggie Boy (Breda Casey, Newmarket-on-Fergus).
The Limerick track will host a fundraiser meeting in aid of Gael Chólaiste, Luimnigh on Friday night. The 12-race card will feature an open 550 with €400 and a trophy to the winner.
There will be two finals on Saturday night, the Donie and Phily Cusack Memorial A2 over 550 yards and the final of the Kudos Creative Catering A1 575, each with a winner’s prize of €1,200 and a trophy.
Monday night racing resumes next week with first-round heats of the Kudos Creative Catering A1 Tri Distance over 550/575 and 600, with €1,200 to the winner and a trophy. Entries close this Thursday at 12 noon.

Upcoming sweepstakes:
Kudos Creative Catering A2 Bitch 525: first-round heats on Monday, April 2, entries close on March 30 at 12 noon;
Flaming King A5 525: no back graders and must have run at least two races in Limerick, first-round heats on March 30 and entries close next Monday at 12 noon;
Betfair Open 660 Trial Stake: two semi-finals on March 30 and entries close next Monday.
The next sales in Limerick will be on Tuesday, April 17 at 12 noon. Entries close on April 10.

Another Tornado let loose

ENNIS owners Michael Hogan and Peter Mullgan, who won last year’s Irish St Leger with the Paul Hennessy trained What a Tornado, are having an exciting time with their latest runner, She’s A Tornado.
A daughter of Droopys Scolari–Forest Holly and previously known as Burning Forest, she has won five of her seven races at Shelbourne Park, all in great times.
Her latest win was last Saturday when clocking 28.85 for her win in the Scottish Derby Trial Stake open 525. She also won open stakes in 28.62 and 28.51. Again trained by Paul Hennessy, her next target will be the Munster Oaks in Curraheen Park, Cork in two weeks time.