It was a good weekend for Gort trainer Maurice Mullaney, Castletown  who had a double at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday night  and followed up with another winner at the Limerick stadium on the same night.

Noel Mullins, also from Gort, won the big race in Galway on Friday night and his connections had more success in Limerick on Saturday night.

The  Castletown-based trainer had the first part of his Galway two-timer in race three, an A8-graded 525 with Swift Milo in trap six. The son of Vans Escalade-Swift Blitz went off the odds-on favourite and after leading at the opening bend stayed in front to win the race by five lengths from McHugh Willrose. The time was 29.52. Third home in the same race was Oursortofman, owned by Denis Clohessy and John Lahiffe from the Killimer-Kilrush area.

The Mullaney double was achieved in race six, an A6-graded 525 won by Piper Mingo (Droopys Vieri-Flamingo Girl).

The 4-6 favourite bombed out of trap three to lead all the way for  his eight-and-three-parts of a length win in 29.21 from Vals On Time. Third place went to Cyprus Kate, owned in Shannon by Lila Keane.

There was a third Gort winner on the card when Carrowgarriff (Westmead Hawk- Wicked Marita) performed brilliantly to win the second-last race, the top-graded A525 yards for Eleanor Mullins and Eimear Curtin. The Ollie Curtin-handled black bitch also went off the 6-4 favourite from trap one and after succeeding to get in front at the opening bend, remained there to produce a fast finish with an impressive clock of 28.80, the best of the night. She won by nearly six lengths from the locally owned Comeonthebanner. Third home was Dicks Worldbound, trained by Michael Downes for Janet Downes, Killaloe.

Nells Fantasy (Premier Fantasy-Knockdine Lady), owned in Miltown Malbay by Helen O’Brien and Michael Mahony, was the first of the Clare winners. She won the second race on the card, a sprint for S8-S9 grades. The 9-4 chance was another who led from the opening bend to  record a 19.79 win when finishing almost three lengths in front of Whistling Titan, owned in Kinvara by Gina McDonagh.

Cratloe owner Gerry Manley won an A7-graded 525 with Confused Jenny (Barefoot Bolt-Pennys Shelly) in trap six. She hit a different gear with the line in sight to deprive the County Meath-owned Clairwell Jewel by half a length with a clock of 29.92.

Mine Chariot (Hades Rocket-Jumeirah Jess) was a winner for Quin owner-trainer  in an A3-graded 525 that produced a great finish. Knockdine Black (trap one) owned by Michael O’Brien, Miltown Malbay, looked the likely winner after leading from the home bend. However, Mine Chariot finished like a train to  pip him at the line and win by a neck in 29.72.

The card concluded with a win for Kilrush owner John Fitzgerald, whose Fitzler Express (Scarty Lad-Rathglass Girl) was first home in an A2-graded 550. She was the front runner from the opening bend and continued to set the pace from there to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths in 30.35.

Placed in other races were the Stephen Murray-trained Jasons Princess, Dunsallagh Lisa (Sean Hehir, Miltown Malbay) and Out of the Sky, also trained by Stephen Murray and owned by Martin Williams, Quin, which finished runner-up to Miss The Premier, the fast  28.96 and five lengths winner of an A0-graded 525.

 

Jacksies lets out another roar

The unbeaten Jacksies Roar continues to have a  very attractive card for owners, Martin and Noreen Sexton and trainer, Frank Cleary, all from Ballymakea Mor, Quilty.

The white and fawn son of Ballymac Maeve-Jacksies Nickie made his first appearance at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium last Saturday night a winning one when coming home first in a semi-final heat of the Bridge Building A1 event.

Leading the way from trap one, he was always in front and at the line  stopped the clock at 28.67 for a career-best time. It was also the fastest clock of the night. In qualifying for the final, Jacksies Roar – who has won all his races in Galway up to this – beat the money on favourite, Yellowtown Girl, by two lengths.
Shyladee Lass, owned by Bridget Casey, O’Briensbridge, also qualified for the final after finishing runner-up in another semi-final heat won by the Ardagh-owned Voltair Rumble by three lengths in a another fast time, 28.83.

The first of three semi-final heats was won in 28.99 by the Shagolden-owned Millroad Larky, who beat Liscahane Shaw by a short head.

Through to another final is Bling Bling Dana, owned by John Meehan, Newmarket-on-Fergus. She finished runner-up in one of two semi-final heats of the Greyhound and Petworld A4/A5 Non Winners event. She missed her break from trap one but finished  well to take runner-up spot, three-and-a-half lengths behind the 29.15 winner, Dadum Dadum. The first semi-final heat was won in 29.51 by Deejay Blue, who beat Haughty Kate by half a length.

Shannon owners, Thomas and Niall O’Sullivan will be represented by their Starlight Kevin in the Ballymac Under/Ballymac Ruso @ Stud A0 600 final. He finished third in a semi-final heat won by Knockardtry Dan  in 32.57, beating Ballymartin Wok by one length. Starlight Kevin was a further two-and-a-half lengths back for third place.

The other semi-final was won in 32.82 by the Lisnagry-owned Varra Captain from lass Cause and Lakota Spirit.
O Garney Patch, trained by Bernard Coffey for his wife, Helen Coffey, Sixmilebridge, qualified for the final of the Vans Escvalade @ Stud A1 575 when finishing runner-up in a semi-final heat in Limerick on Saturday night. Jolly Lillie led all the way from trap one but O Garney Patch (trap six) put in a great challenge on the way home but just failed by a neck. The winner’s clock was 31.87.

Chocolate Run won the first semi-final heat in 31.60.

Broadford trainer Donal Cooney will have a runner in the final of the Shane O’Brien/Barbara Reeves Memorial A3 525 final in Limerick next weekend. Glenside Evens, who he handles for members of the East Clare-based Green Leaf syndicate, was second  home in the second semi-final heat last Saturday night. The heat was won in 28.92 by the locally owned Ould Flower, who had five-and-a-half lengths on the East Clare-owned black.

Terrys Gift won the first semi-final heat in 29.34 from Tyrap Titan and Hes Brave.
Also decided were three semi-final heats of the Christy Daly Memorial A4 525.

Trained in Gort by Maurice Mullaney, the Newport-owned Mickys Scolari (Scolari Me Daddy-Sporty Woman) led down the back on his way to a two lengths win in the first semi-final heat in 28.92. The runner-up was the locally owned Kish Chopin.

Also through to the final of the A4 event is Steragel Mine, owned by Brendan Carroll, Newmarket-on-Fergus. Bumped at the opening bend, the black finished with great burst but Athlacca Husky just held out to win by a neck in 29.12.

The third semi-final heat was won in 28.95 by the Crecora-owned Christys Ash, who beat Kish Lowry by three lengths.

Upland Chill, owned by Harry Galvin, Cratloe and Sean Dineen, County Kerry, qualified for the final of  Droopys Kennels A2 550 after finishing third in the opening semi-final heat won in 30.55 by reserve runner Banbas Bongos, who beat Move On Bell by half a length. Upland Chill was beaten three parts of a length into third place.

The Gort-owned Stone Boy King (Eleanor Mullins and Mark Curtin) led at the home bend and remained in front to win the second semi-final heat in 30.10 by beating Shaws Active by two lengths. Third-placed qualifier was Bricken Maley.

Willie wins New Year final

Leading from the back straight, the Noel Mullins-trained and Gort-owned Whiplash Willie won the top race in Galway on Friday night, The New Year A4 525 final, worth  €900 to the winner.

Just showing in front from the start from trap five ahead of Cahercalla  Risk and Tyrur Ella on the outside lane, the son of Westmead Hawk-Wicked Marita slipped back  to fourth place briefly as they rounded the opening bend. Cahercalla Risk now had the lead  but it was short lived as Whiplash Willie was back in top gear at the halfway stage and was back in front by the third bend. He  powered on to win  by five lengths in 29.12 from  Cahercalla Risk, who has been performing very well in Galway for Ennis owners, Sean J Heeney and Tony Quinn. Third place  went to Good Slick, owned by Tommie Gallagher, Cooraclare.

Ennis publican, Ciarán Browne had the first of four Clare winners when his Cranny Coolmeen, trained by Kieran Browne of the Burnpark kennels, came out best in the opening race on the card, an A4-graded 525. Though slow away from trap  one, the son of Shaneboy Lee-Burnpark Hanna made up ground by the rail down the back. His run was halted briefly as they rounded the third bend but on the way home he put in a strong finish to win by a length and a half in 29.51 from the 6-4 favourite, Canvas Aussie owned in Mountshannon by Kim Knell. Third home was the Donie Duggan-trained Peadars Touch, owned by Peter Russell, Shannon.

Race two, a sprint for S8 graders, went to Mythical Coldwar, the even-money favourite, owned by Tom Flanagan, Russa, Ennistymon. The daughter of Central City-Coldwar Baby (trap two), led from the first bend and held out to beat Bumblebee Messi by a length and a half in 19.59. Third home was the Kilrush-owned Fitzler Star (Liam and Eilish Fitzgerald). It was the second win from two outings for Mythical Coldwar.
Tom Flanagan was deprived of a double when his reserve runner, Mythical Emily, was runner-up in an A7-graded 525. It was won by Randy Lark, who led from the back to win by over two lengths from the Russa-owned white and black bitch. The clock was 29.65.

Another runner-up was Paris Jane, trained by Donal Cooney for John Doyle, who lives near Ennis. The three lengths and 19.77 winner of the S5-graded sprint was the Roscrea-owned Cabriol Prancer.

It was first-time lucky for Brookville Dash (Ace Hi Rumble-Shanavulin Sally) in an A5-graded 525. In her first outing, she came with a renewed effort on the way home to beat Willrose Champ by three-and-a-half lengths in 29.36. The winner is owned by Pádraig Ward, Ennis. Third spot went to Frank Browne’s Mine Moment.

In an A3-graded 550, the Carriganavar-owned Unknown Marina  led all the way to win by three lengths  in 30.49 to deprive Knoppogue Mate, owned and trained by  Donie Duggan and Clonlusk Spice (Liam Shannon, Burren), who filled the minor placings.

After leading at the opening bend, the Tuam-owned Bumblebee Skippy remained in front to win an A4-graded 525 by nine-and-a-half lengths in a fast 28.99 from Mary Browne’s Burnpark Alfie and the Noel Mullins-trained and Gort-owned Chocolatesoldier (Eleanor Mullins and Bernie Curtin).

The final race on the card, an A3-graded 525, went to North Clare owner, Liam Shannon, Burren, with Hold It Heather (Premier Fantasy-Glenfort Rumble). The race produced a thrilling finish, with Hold It Heather depriving  Mine Rocket (Frank Browne, Quin) by a short head in 29.69. Third spot went to Carry My Love, owned and trained by Noel Mullins, Gort.