BALLYVAUGHAN native, Brigid D’Arcy, who had a winner in Galway the previous night, was back in the winner’s arena on Saturday night after her Glenfort Dove won the top-graded race.
The winner and daughter of Go Wild Teddy and Loclar Kassi was smartly away in this A1-graded 550 to lead Burnenrubber and Tyrur Heavey by just over of two lengths as they approached the opening bend. By the halfway mark Glenfort Dove was well clear and led by five lengths at the third bend. Eventhough she tired slightly on the run home, she still had two and a half lengths to spare to beat Burnenrubber in a time of 30.38.
Crusheen owner, Oliver O’Keeffe tasted success in the very first race of the night, an A8 garded 525 with Dunbar Copper in trap two. The lead changed a few times before NineMinus Two returned to the front at the second last bend however, on the run home Dunbar Copper was moving well along the rail and the son of Westmead Hawk-Moyvane Ranger just got in front to hold off and beat Playback Ranger by half alength in 30.01.
Kilkee owner, Barry Harte had a successful trip from West Clare as his Fishermans Scoby emerged as the winner of an S5-graded 350. Backed into 5/4 favourite, the son of Matt Hyland and Fishermans Lucky won by five and a half lengths in 19.27. Having been headed early on by Aisling Arthur’s Triggs Of Inagh, the Kilkee owned brindled went clear on the outside at the opening bend and came home in front to the loud cheers of supporters and connections.The runner-up was Dunbar Disco owned by Oliver O’Keeffe, Crusheen.
The Cummer owned Miss the Bronze, winner of an A4-graded 350, always led the way from trap five and as they turned for home and the chasers bunching up, the black strode clear to beat Bernard Coffey’s O’Garney Mal by three and three parts of a length in 19.34
Birrogue Jer in trap three, Cragbrien Honcho in four and Combo Lomu on the wide outside were best away in an S0-graded 350. However, on the crown of the bend Birrogue Jer went two lengths in front but up the straight Cragbrien Honcho, owned in Ennis by Patrick Cronin and JackMarkham, put in a renewed effort .However, Birrogue Jer held out to win by a neck in 19.05.
The field was tightly bunched as all six runners made their way to the opening bend in an A2-graded 525 yards race.Slightly in front at this stage was the Frank Browne trained Tommy Tippy from Rockabilly Magic and Tyrur Leo. Running on the outside, Rockabilly Magic just edged in front at the half way stage and stayed there to beat Tommy Tippy, owned in Quin by Tommy Corbett and Patrick Hassett, by two and three parts of a length in a time of 29.03.

Dromoher Joe wins top race

The Tuam owned Dromoher Joe (Boherduff Light-Coldwar Baby) won the feature race in Galway on Thursday night from Mine Hazel, representing Quin owner-trainer, Frank Browne.
This was the concluding race, which was an A2-graded affair over 525 yards and from the start both Dromoher Joe and Mine Hazel were the main contenders.However, from the opening bend the Tuam owned black had the advantage which he extended to three lengths down the back. And while Mine Hazel closed the gap somewhat he was still a length behind at the finishing line. The winner’s time was 29.12.
Only the Kilrush owned Fitzler Duchess in trap one  and Skellig Boy in three managed to escape the bunching at the opening bernd in an S9-graded 350 race. Turning for home Fitzler Duchess led by a length but the Ger Holian trained Skellig Boy (Royal Impact-Rith Saor) proved the stronger on the run home to win by a length and a quarter in 19.75 . The runner up is owned by John Fitzgerald.
The Clare owned Kaffule (Niamh Quinn) made ground from the rear between the final bends in an A7-graded 350 to challenge Esker Lil who held out to win by three parts of a length in 29.62.
Coolarne Billy, the winner of an S7-graded 350, went three lengths clear after avoiding trouble among the chasing pack. However, in the concluding stages of the race Matts Jett, trained by Joe Collins for the Shanakyle syndicate, came with a great late run but Coolarne Billy held out to win by a neck in 19.61.
Ennis owner, Frankie Sheehan, followed on from his good win at this venue last week with another first past the post performance on Thursday night. This time he succeeded with Boundry Dispute (Black-Shaw-Sheehans Cottage) in an A6-graded 525. The Charlie Wheeler trained Chantilly saw off a number of challengers to go one length clear at the first. The Jennie Griffin owned and trained Dunarus Razza came close at the half way stage but he was forced to check at the third bend. And in the run home Boundry Dispute came with a great run on the inside to catch the leader and win by nearly three lengths in 29.83.
Quin based owner and trainer, Frank Browne, again had to be satisfied with runner-up spot in the tenth race, an A3-graded 525. His Mine Crash  was in front from the start and looked the likely winner from between the final two bends. But Headford Mack came late with  a run on the outside to win the race by a neck in 29.31. Three parts of a length adrift for third place was Drimeen Crash, owned by Paddy Coote, Drimeen, Ennis.

Debut win

Colossal Man, trained by George Gallery Jnr Ennis and owned by by the Colossal syndicate, Ennis made his debut race a winning one in Thurles last Friday night. The son of Hondo Black-Volcanic Ridge had a trap four berth in the openingA8/A9 graded 525 yards race and he led from start to finish to beat the 4/6 favourite, Liosgarbh Mead,by three lengths in a time of 29.74. Members of the Colossal syndicate are Leona and Patricia Ryan, Ennis and Niall Warren, Kilmaley.
At the same venue on Saturday night, the Michael Downes trained Reargrove Gent, was slow away from trap five in the John Healy Lawnmowers A3 600 final. He put in a strong finish but had to be satisfied with third place.
The 33.16 winner of the event was Lemon Cha. In an earlier race, a first round heat of the Abbey CBS India Project over 525 yards, Rathorpe Texas, owned by Martin Kelly, Tubber, was always second and finished asa runner up, five-lengths behind Colourful Fox who covered the trip in a time of 29.04.

Win for Mullanney runner

Quarter Poet, trained by Maurice Mullanney, Gort for a Dunmore syndicate, headed the market for the top graded race in Galway on Friday night and duly obliged with a 28.92 win in the A1 graded 525.
He was two lengths to the good at the opening bend and extended the lead to five lengths racing down the back. He came home an impressive winner, three and three parts of a length ahead of Manus Blubell owned by Mrs Tess McInerney, Manus,Clarecastle.
In the opening 525 yards race, Half A Yard (Mrs Mary Browne, Quin) was third home. The race was won in 30.16 by the Athlone owned Baylin Survivor.
The reserve Sherco Blue saw off a number of challenges to defeat Sweeping Tim by a neck in 30.07 in an A7 graded 525. Third home was Scariff Sublime owned in Shannon by Mrs. Eileen Gallery.
Ballyvaughan native Mrs Brigid D’Arcy was on the ball in race five, a 525 for A6 graders, with her reserve runner, Glenfort Lee. The son of Hades Rocket and Glenfort Rumble led all the way to beat Karalla Star by  seven and a quarter lengths in 29.27.
Brickhill Frank, trained by John Browne,took third spot in an S2 graded 350 which was won in19.09 by the Gerry Holian  handled Millroad James.
It was a contest between Clare and Galway in the concluding stages of an A3 graded 525 which was won in style by Cragbrien Black (Hondo Black- Rachaels Picture), owned by Martin Cronin, Ennis and Master Robbie Markham. The early leaders were Fast Fit Maroon and Buffalo Bash. However, at the half way  stage Cragbrien  Black changed into a different gear and swept past on the wide outside and led from here to the finishing line.
He beat Fast Fit Maroon, trained by Jack Mahony for John Quinn, Gort, and Fr Wilie Cummins, Galway, by three and a quarter lengths in 29.17. Third placed was Buffalo Bash owned by Ms Anna Carey, Cooraclare.
With the benefit of the inside lane, Tyrur Rooney led by two lengths at the opening bend in an S2 graded 525. Going to thet third bend he was five clear but in a close finish he held out to beat Bling Bling Anna (Patrick Cronin, Meelick)by half a length in 29.08. Snuggie  Boots, owned by Ms B Casey, Newmarket-on-Fergus, took third place.