Good strike rate for Clare

Clare owners secured a total of 10 wins over two nights of racing at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium. They had four wins on Thursday night, including a double by Kilmihil owner, Martin J Keane, six on the following night but drew a blank on Saturday.
There were eight races on the card on Thursday night and the opening three races were semi-finals heats of the Christmas Parties S7 sprint stake.
Ennis owners Robert Carkhill and James Brown had the winner of the first race with Elwick Ragtag (Head Bound- Raggletagglerosie) in trap five. Black Dragon and Ollys Molly disputed the early lead from the favourite, Manus Fantastic. The favourite carried his rivals wide at the opening bend and this gave an opening to Elwick Ragtag to go through and win the race by two-and-a-quarter lengths in 19.86 from Fast Fit Jack (John Quinn, Gort) with Manus Fantastic, owned by Eoghan McInerney, in third place.
There was no Clare qualifier from the second semi-final, which was won in 19.57 by the Tuam-owned Monagea Becky.
The third heat gave Martin Keane the first part of his double with Joinedupthinking (Royal Impact-Face Value) in trap three. This was a very impressive debut win for the October 2009 black, who strolled clear after the opening bend to record a big 12-and-a-quarter lengths win in 19.42. Runner-up was Opel Astronomic, owned in Lahinch by Gerry McNamara.
Another Clare owner, Martin Sexton, also came away with a fine win from the following A8-graded 525 with Jacksies Maeve in trap four. Longsox and Lurgan Drifter were the front runners from the start but down the far side Jacksies Maeve started to improve her position and the daughter of Ballymac Maeve-Jacksies Nicki availed of the opening when the leader moved wide at the home bend. She slipped through on the rail and at the line had half-a-length on Luurgan Drifter.The time for the race was 30.03.
North Clare owners, Johnny Burke and Aoife Tubber kept up the pressure for the Banner County with another win in race five, an A4-graded525 with Sues Princess (Head Bound-Boozed Lorraine), in trap one. Showing good early pace, Sues Preincess led by a lengtth at the opening bend from the Ennistymon-owned Dromoher Snoopy and in a very tight finish Sues Princess got there by a head in 29.70 from Megan Flanagan’s black and white bitch. West Clare home owner, Brendan McDermott was third with Hilltop Tomboy.
Another West Clare owner, Anne Maguire, provided the third home with Wood Ruby in an A6-graded 525 won by the locally owned Willrose Jack in 29.68.
Clapton Master , a litter brother of Joinedupthinking, gave Martin Keane the second part of his double in an A4-graded 525. Blackstormlady was first to go in front but she was overtaken in the run up by Clapton Master, who went well clear down the back and while losing some ground on the way home, he still had four-and-a-quarter lengths on his nearest rival at the line. For his maiden success, Clapton Master had a clock of 29.51. Runner-up was Wood Crash, owned by Carl Maguire, Kilrush and Adrian Ennis, Kilkee.
The bumper race, an A5-graded affair over 525 yards, went to the Loughrea-owned Slim Away. Leading at the first bend by two lengths, he extended his lead to five and won by close on six lengths in 29.74 from Clonreddan Sam, owned by Tom Keane, Cooraclare. Third place went to Flandys Secret (Conor Flanagan, Ennistymon).