Galway victory for Miltown owner

For yet another week, a Clare-owned runner won the top-graded race at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium. On this occasion, the honours went to Miltown Malbay owner, Ciara Burke, whose Malbay Bawn was first to cross the line in the competitive A2-graded 525 on Thursday night.
Malbay Bawn, in trap five and Beallaghy Twink, the 7-4 favourite, in trap one, were fast off the mark and they led the Ennis-owned Bypass Our Way at the opening bend. Turning down the back, Malbay Bawn started to take a grip on the race and went clear of the rest of the field headed by Bypass Our Way.
The son of Royal Impact-Rita Saor remained in front to win by a half-length from Bypass Our Way with a clock of 29.31. Third place went to Bellaghy Twink, one-and-a-quarter lengths back. The runner-up is owned by Paddy Darcy.
The card also featured the first-round heats of both the Food Packages A7 Stake and the Ballaghdereen GAA Club A5 52.
The final heat of the Food Packages A7 Stake went to West Clare owner, Tommie Gallagher with his Pat Be Slick. The locally owned Summerfield Ali, in trap four, went off the 6-4 favourite and dominating early on, he was in front by four lengths as they turned down the back from Headford Lady, in one, and Pat Be Slick, who was slow away from trap five.
However, as they came to the third bend the leader’s lead was cut to two lengths and nearing the finishing line Pat Be Slick (Hondo Black-Bling Bling Flo) put in a mighty effort to get in front and win by half-a-length in 29.88 from the favourite.
A Clare-owned qualifier for the semi-finals of the Ballaghderreen GAA A5 on Thursday night is Consequential (Tom Flanagan, Ennistymon) who finished third in his heat. Also through to the semi-finals is the Noel Mullins-trained and Gort (Sean and Mike Mullins) owned County Hurlers, who was runner-up to Sonny Tazz, a heat winner by three parts of a length in 29.46.
Gort owner, John Quinn had a trap-to-line winner with Fast Fit Jack (Hades Rocket- Torpeys Mai) in the opening race of the night, which was an S9-graded sprint. The winning distance in a time of 9.84 was three-and-a-half lengths.
Later on in the card, an S2-graded sprint race went to Sunside Dawn, owned by
Michael McDonnell, Kilrush. There Goes Jojo, the money-on favourite in the inside trap and Capturethedream, in trap two, were best away and as they came to the opening bend they were one length in front of Sunside Dawn, in trap three.
As they rounded the bend, Capturethedream went in front but he was joined by Sunside Dawn (Kinloch Brae-Sunnyside Rose), who gradually edged in front on the run-in to win by two lengths with a clock of 19.50. Capturethedream was runner-up.
Gort trainer, Noel Mullins won the opening heat of the St Thomas GAA Club A4 525 at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday night with the Scariff-owned Somebody Special. Another heat winner was John Darcy from Ennis with Wooly Spiral.
In the opening heat, Georgias Girl, in trap six, came away well with Triggs Of Inagh (trap one) who railed well to set up a lead of a few lengths by the half-way stage. However, as they came to the third bend the field got closer and after they rounded the home bend, Somebody Special, owned by members of the Rooster syndicate, was the new leader. The black son of Westmead Hawk-Ms Firecracker was still in front as they crossed the line with Springwell Bunch a half length behind for runner-up spot.
Slim Away, in three, led from Glenbrack Paul, in six, as they headed towards the opening bend in heat two. With the leader running slightly off the bend, Glenbrack Paul took the lead down the far side and as they reached the halfway he was joined by the trap one runner, Wooly Spiral, who got in front as they left the back straight. Wooly Spiral (Bodyshop Spiral-Greygrove Legacy) was not to be denied as he raced on for a three-length win in 29.62.
The most impressive winner of the opening round heats was the trap three runner, Hatchet (Tyrur Ted-Mulciar Millie). He was winning for the 16th time for Tuam owner Edward McDonagh. For his trap-to-line success he had a clock of 29.21, beating the Shannon-owned Tyrap White (Sean McAllen) by seven-and-a-quarter lengths.
Another good winner in the concluding heat four was Varra Polly (Head Bound- Varra Lark), trained by Donal Cooney from Killuran for the Boys Club syndicate. The fastest of the opening round winners, Varra Polly was in front as they reached the third bend and there she stayed to win by six and a quarter lengths in a time of 29.12 from Pinnacle Roxy, owned in Ballyvaughan by Michael Costelloe and Douglas Culligan.
There were two Clare-owned winners from opening round heats of the Ballaghdereen GAA Club A3.
Cloonturk Jet (Cloonturk Champ-Parkside Edel) was a trap-to-line winner of the opening heat, beating reserve runner Cabin Wood, owned by Pat Carey, Cratloe by four-and-a-quarter lengths. The time was 29.35.
Ballyvaughan native, Brigid D’Arcy won heat two with Glenfort Dove (Go Wild Teddy-Loclar Kass). Sellout Fast Fit was first to show to lead by two lengths from Speed Tramp in six at the opening bend. Sellout Fast Fit was in front by four lengths down the back but was losing ground when coming to the home bend, where Glenfort Dove was the nearest challenger.
As they came nearer the line Glenfort Dove just got there to win by a length in 29.50 from Hilltop Tomboy, owned in West Clare by Brendan McDermott. Beaten a head into third place was the Stephen Murray-trained Speed Tramp, owned by Michael Lillis and the MADJ syndicate.
Michael Downes, trainer and Janet Downes, Killaloe owner, had a qualifier with reserve runner Sailing in heat three. From the start, Saratoga Coco led from Tyrur Crowle with All Goes Well well placed when rounding the second bend. The Bridget Hogan-owned All Goes Well (Westmead Hawk-Aughavas) edged to the front along the inner as they came to the third bend but by now Sailing, in trap three had made up a lot of ground from the back. However, All Goes Well held out to beat Sailing by nearly two lengths in 29.32.
In heat four, Knoppogue Mate, owned and trained by Donie Duggan, finished in third place. The heat was won by the Pat Guilfoyle-trained Ms Deltafire (Brett Lee-Ms Firecracker) in 29.04.
Donie Duggan fared better in heat five, which was won by Peadars Touch, which he handles for Shannon owner Peter Russell. After the traps lifted, Peadars Touch, in trap two and Bumblebee Rosie, in three, disputed the lead from Tyrur Crowley in four.
Peadars Touch (Kinloch Brae-Climates Touch) railed well at the opening bend to extend his lead to four lengths at halfway and although the 6-4 favourite, Springwell Mandy, in five ran well from the home bend, Peadars Touch had four-and-a-quarter lengths to spare at the line with a clock of 29.18.
The Ger O’Reilly-trained All Wonders, in trap six, was a trap-to-line winner of the concluding heat in a time of 29.01. Almost six lengths back for runner-up spot was Glenfort Lee, trained by John McDonagh for Gina McDonagh, Kinvara. The West Clare-owned runner Ballyegan Lad (Ann McInerney) took third place.