Good Slick pipped in final

Clare owners landed as total of 10 races over two nights at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium last weekend.
Cooraclare owner, Tommie Gallagher came close to bringing off the feature race on Friday night when his Good Slick was beaten by a short head.
This was an A3 550 final in which Outback Kirsty, in trap five, and Springwell Mandy, in four, disputed the advantage on the long run to the opening bend, where Good Slick, in trap one, and Comeonthebanner both made ground on either side of the leaders. Good Slick and Springwell Mandy led Comeonthebanner by a length as they headed down the back but the locally owned Comeonthebanner made ground rounding the second-last bend to lead by a length turning for home. Off the bend though, the son of Head Bound and Maroochydore swung wide but held out to beat Good Slick in 30.91.
The concluding three 550 yard contests were semi-finals of an A5 mini stake and the opening heat was won in 30.76 by Own Collision from Grenanstown Lady and Strides Beauty.
Sean Hehir from Dunsallagh, Miltown Malbay, made a return to the winner’s arena when his Dunnsallagh Lisa (Droopys Scolari- Dunsallagh Lucy), in trap one, won the second semi-final heat. The pace maker was Heathlawn Snow, in trap four, but Dunsallagh Lisa railed beautifully at the opening bend and as they neared half ways she moved through to challenge Heathlawn Snow. Dunsallagh Lisa then went clear at the third bend and stayed in front for a five and quarter lengths win in 30.94 from the reserve runner, Chrisola, trained in Quin by Frank Browne for Michael Browne and John Moran.
The third semi-final was won by Carrowgarriff (Westmead Hawk- Wocked Marita) owned in Gort by Eleanaor Mullins and Eimear Curtin. She led all the way for her 30.56 win and winning distance of nearly seven lengths.
The Clare-owned Mister Oh (Droopys Scolari-Dunsallagh Lucy) won the opening, which was an A9-graded 525. Owned by Sinéad Coughlan, Mister Oh broke well from trap six to set up a lead of a few lengths. She was four clear at the half-way stage and at the line had four and a quarter lengths on Ashcarne Ivy. The time was 29.78.
The second race, an S9-graded sprint created huge excitement and it was a battle all the way between the locally owned Wood Roisin and Fast Fit Jack, owned in Gort by John Quinn. Fast Fit Jack opened an early half-length lead on Wood Roisin, with two lengths back to Michael O’ Donoghue’s Larchill Molly. However, Wood Roisin railed well at the opening to go slightly into the lead and at the line had a short head on Fast Fit Jack. The time was 19.80. Larchill Molly took third place.
Quilty owner, Frank Cleary won the next race, a novice 525, with Ballard Kuzco, (Ballymac Maeve-Jacksies Nicki). Heathlawn Jack in trap two and Lurgan Pride, in four, led the way but at the opening bend there was trouble and Ballard Kuzco in trap five managed to get through to lead at the second bend. In his first race, Ballard Kuzco was well clear at the halfway mark and raced on to win by three-and-a-half lengths in 30.44.
The Rynal Ruane-owned Outback Prentiss (Indian Ruler-Youllbesolucky) was a trap-to-line winner of an S5-graded 350 from Wilbrook Jake (Mary Davoren, Ennistymon) and Corker Maldini (Kevin Fahey, Kiltartan). The winning distance was four-and-a-half lengths and the time 19.46.
Another trap-to-line winner of an S3-graded 350 was the locally owned McHugh Lass (Droopys Kewell-Durham Lass). She won by five-and-a-half lengths in 19.14 from reserve runner Wilbrook Queen (Michael Davoren, Ennistymon).
Breaking well from trap four, Mine Echo (Hades Rocket-Jumeiran Jess) overcame the challenge of Peadars Touch to move inside and lead at the opening bend in an A3-graded 525. Owned and trained by Quin’s Frank Browne, Mine Echo progressed to a three-length lead down the far side and came home with two lengths to spare in a time of 29.44. The runner-up was Peadars Touch, trained by Donie Duggan for Shannon owner, Peter Russell.

Snuggie Babe wins

There was a later start than usual to the card in Galway on Saturday night because of a rugby game but this did not bother Newmarket-on-Fergus owner, Breda Casey, whose Snuggie Babe won the top-graded race of the night, the A2 550.
Kildroum Impact, the money-on favourite, in trap six, and Snuggie Babe, in the inside trap, disputed the lead approaching the opening bend just ahead of Knockdine Black (T2). Kildroum Impact went on by a length from the opening bend and made it two lengths down the back. However, over the final two bends the Myles Cummins handled Snuggie Babe (Group Rooster-Christians Lady) started to move in on the leader and became the new front runner in the run home. She won the race by two and a half lengths in 30.44 from Kildroum Impact, with third place going to Knockdine Black (Michael O’Brien, Miltown Malbay).
Clare-owned runners dominated all three semi- finals of the www.igb.ie On Line Bookings A4 550. The early advantage in heat one went to Clapton Master (Royal Impact- Face the Value) owned by Martin Keane, Kilmihil. With the advantage of the inside lane, he led by a length and increased it to two down the back. Over the home bends Giftfromhelen (Tom O’Gorman, Miltown Malbay) reduced the lead but Clapton Master held out to win by a half-length in 30.93. Third home was Fernpark Express (Anne Carey, Cooraclare).
The second semi-final was a hetic affair with little between the first three to cross the line. At halfway, Dromoher Snoopy led by two lengths but rounding the third bend Clonfeigh Dream took over in front. However, the Noel Mullins-trained Somebody Special, in trap one, was closing along the rail and off the home turn the son of Westmead Hawk-Ms Firecrackergot got on terms and as the three raced to the line, it was Somebody Special that stuck his neck out to win for members of the Rooster Syndicate from Scariff by a short head in 31.22. The runner-up was Johnny Maher’s Clonfeigh Dream and beaten a neck into third place was Dromoher Snoopy (Megan Flanagan, Ennistymon).
The third semi-final heat was won by reserve runner, Garryfine Ben, owned in Limerick by West Clare native, David Browne.
Winter Dream and Glenbrack Paul led early but Garryfine Ben, in one, moved inside to join them up front to join the issue along the inner entering the back straight As they passed halfway, Garryfine Ben started to dominate and the son of Royal Impact-Burnpark Hanna moved on to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths in 30.74 from Winter Dream.
There was early success for the Clare contingent with Fanore Mac (Elite State-Lake Lodge) winning the first race of the night for Fanore owner, PJ O’Donoghue. Although Capoola Lily, in trap three, was first to show, Fanore Mac in the inside trap had moved in front by the opening bend. Five lengths clear down the back, Fanore Mac crossed the finishing line first, three-and-a-half lengths ahead of Knockdine Dream (Eoin O’Brien, Miltown Malbay). It was the second career race for Fanore Mac, whose winning clock was 29.34.
Nells Fantasy (Helen O’Brien, Miltown Malbay) was third in an A6-graeded 525 won by Cloonturk Show (29.64).
Mythical Tar, owned by Master Ryan Flanagan and trained by Tom Flanagan, Russa, Ennistymon, was winner of an A4-graded 525. The son of Boherduff Light-Coldwar Bay led all the way for his ninth career win. Florys Fabulous challenged over the closing stages but Mythical Tar was always in command for his one length win in 29.75.
Sellout Fast Fit, owned by Peter Connolly and John Quinn, Gort, was third in a sprint race won by Glenwood Cool (19.08).

Rumble in unraced final

There was no Clare winner in Limerick last week-end but Kilcornan Rumble, owned in Ennistymon by Tom and Billy O’Connor, qualified for the final of an unraced 525 stake.
He was third home in the race, won by Twins Turbo in 29.16. The other semi-final winner was Millbank Beauty (29.21).
Placed in their races over Friday and Saturday nights were Upland Lee (Harry Galvin, Cratloe); Starlight Ash (Tom and Niall O’Sullivan, Shannon); Malbay Messi (Ciara Burke, Miltown Malbay); Kilatal Chimes (Denis Torpey, Clarecastle); Scariff Hawk, trained by Joe Collins for the Shanakyle syndicate and Portdrine Bobby, owned by Liam Carrol, Cratloe, who was overtaken near the line and beaten by a half-length in an A1-graded 525.