WEST Clare owner Jer Lernihan was the sole Clare winner in Galway last Thursday night when his Hilltop Tomboy obliged in the ninth race.
This was an A3 graded 525-yard affair in which the Seamus Fahy-trained Astronomic Luke in trap went off the 6/4 favourite. From the opening bend, it was obvious it was going to be a battle between the favourite and the Clare-owned black dog. And as they swung down the far side, the favourite cut inside to head off Hilltop Tomboy. At the half-way stage, Astronomic Luck had gone into a two-length lead and while Hilltop Tomboy was forced to go wide as they turned for home, the son of Droopys Vieri-Clonreddan Tina got up close to the line to win by half a length. His time was 29.49.
In the first race of the night, Scatteri Vieri, owned in West Clare by PJ O’Halloran and the Gort-owned Fast Fit Sky set the pace in this S9 350 affair but by the opening bend, they were caught and passed by Fast Flash Jack who went on to win the race by four and a half lengths in 19.37 from Scattery Vieri. Third place went to Fast Fit Sky owned by John Quinn and Ella Cantwell.
Going clear at the opening bend in the next race, an N2 graded 525, the Simon McDonagh-owned Tyrur Paidi dominated matters for the rest of the proceedings and finished an eight and a quarter lengths winner in 29.02 from Culleen Rascal-owned by Leo McNulty, Drumline, Newmarket-on-Fergus.
Rathorpe Spirit, owned in Gort by Madeline Walsh, was third in an S8 graded 350 won by Soldier way in 19.62.
Rounding the second last bend in an AS graded 525, the Anne Stack-owned Hellroad Messi (Big Daddy Cool-Pluto’s Tip) caught up with the leaders and went on to win the race by four lengths in 29.48 from Knockdine Diva owned by Helen O’Brien, Miltown Malbay. Beaten a short head into third place was Mine Scholes owned by Frank Browne, Quin.
The Frank Browne-trained and Quin-owned Tommy’s Tippy in trap two led the way in an A2 graded contest but at the opening bend, he left the way open for the trap one runner, Why so Beauty, to go through. The inside runner stayed in front for the remainder of the race and held off the late challenge of On Thaw Jarug to win by half a length in 29.21. Tommy’s Tippy was two lengths in arrears for third place.

 

 

Derby Hero proudly paraded at Galway

DERBY Hero Tyrur McGuigan took pride of place at the Galway meeting on Friday when he was proudly paraded.
Between the fifth and sixth races, he was brought on a lap of honour by young Conor Fahy who trains the champion for his father PJ who was also given a rousing reception with his wife, Mary and members of the Tyrur team.
And the hectic night ended on a high note for the Glenamaddy family when their Tyrur Heavey won the ninth race on the card, the A2 graded 575 in a time of 31.83.
The Michael Downes-trained and Quin-owned Carhugar Bobsie (trap three) was best away in the feature race of the night, the A1 graded 525. He was in command in the centre of the track but by the opening bend the Áine McCarthy and Noelle McCarthy-owned Twins Style in trap five had taken over. She extended her lead to four lengths and at the line had close on three lengths to spare on the runner-up, Bodyshop Flame owned by TJ McMahon, Moyasta, in an excellent time of 28.87. Carhugar Bobside was third home.
Noelle McCarthy-Divilly back in the winners’ enclosure after her Noelles Sportco won an A3 graded 525 in 29.15. She led at the opening bend and drew away to win by seven and a half lengths from Master of Chase owned by Master Gary Cooney, Broadford.
The John McDonagh-trained Kilbannon Magic led all the way in a 350-yard race to beat BogberryKitty (Tom Reynolds, Ennistymon) by three and a quarter lengths in 19.15.
The same trainer concluded a nice double when his Tyrur Feeney won the next race, an A3 graded 550. He was also a trap-to-line winner from trap six, beating Berlioz by nearly six lengths in 30.60. Beaten a neck into third place was the reserve runner, Mary Reidy’s Barntick Luke.
John Quinn’s Fast Fit Mill was third home in an A5 graded 525 won in 29.71 by Coolratty Waggle.
Another trap-to-line winner on the night was the Jack Mahony-trained Shrewd Buy who beat Alice Rumble, representing the Downes kennels from Killaloe, by two and a quarter lengths in 30.71for the A4 graded 550.
The Martin Fahy-trained Mall Menlo in trap four was first to show in the last race on Friday night’s card, an A2 graded affair over 525 yards. He led by a few lengths from Dromoher Joe and Pinnacle Muffin to the opening bend. Down the back, the Pat Casey-owned runner extended his advantage to six lengths over Pinnacle Muffin and although tiring slightly on the run home, Mall Menlo still had nearly two lengths to spare at the line in 29.21 from Pinnacle Muffin, trained by Tom Flanagan for Ballyvaughan owners, Douglas Culligan and Michael Costello.

 

Flying start for Clare dogs in first round at Thurles

FIRST-round heats of the €3,460 Bet With Tote A3 over 600 yards got underway in Thurles last Thursday night. The locally owned Ever Special was a trap-to-line winner of heat three in 33.41, beating Cabin Wood, owned by Pat Carey, Cratloe, by four lengths. Another qualifier in third place was Wood Crash (Carl Maguire and Adrian Ennis (Kilrush).
A Limerick meeting was held in Tralee on Thursday night last when Rallying Time (Droopy’s Vieri-Nimble Timble) won the first race of the night for East Clare owner, Dan Flynn. The black and white bitch won by five lengths completing the A3 graded 525 yards race in 29.20.

Shelbourne finals

PEGGY, trained by Stephen Murray for Ennis owner, Frankie Sheehan, was just pipped in the Shelbourne A1 575 final in Shelbourne Park last Saturday night. The son of Black Shaw-Sheehans Cottage challenged strongly in the run home but was beaten by a head by the Larry Mason trained An Tochar Rocket. The winner’s clock was 31.77.
Cool Ivy Hill, owned by Noel Hehir, Inagh, was a trap five runner in the €1,000 Shelbourne A1 final over 525 yards but did not feature among the first three home after being baulked at the opening bend. The trap-to-line winner of the race by three lengths in 28.71 was the 7/4 favourite Touch of Class.
Bryan and Kathleen Murphy of the Cayman Islands won a Shelbourne Open 525 semi-final with the Paul Hennessy trained Barefoot Bolt in 28.78.

 

Derrylough Cove takes opener at Galway track

IT was a more rewarding time for Clare owners at the Galway track on Saturday night when they came home with four winners.
Conditions were very wet throughout but the night started in the best possible way for Derrylough owner-trainer, JJ O’Dea, whose Derrylough Cove won the opening race on the card. This was an A7 graded 525 which saw Derrylough Cove (World Class-O’Garney Mist) lead the way from trap two. He was chased by Burma Lass who found trouble rounding the opening bend and as a result, JJ O’ Dea’s brindled extended his lead to six lengths. He was reeled back before the race concluded but still had two lengths to spare at the line from Good to Go. The winner’s clock was 29.60.
John Quinn’s Fast Fit Ruby was runner-up to the 19.18 and five-length winner, Moon Minor, in an S4 graded 350.
Reserve runner in trap three, Pinnacle Roxy, trained by Tom Flanagan for Ballyvaughan owners Michael Costello and Douglas Culligan, was the second Clare winner on the night. The daughter of Boherduff Light-Coldwar Baby overtook the early leader, Rathorpe Eagle to led at the opening bend of this A4 graded 525. Going well on the inside, she pulled away from the rest of the field to win by nearly four lengths in 29.39 from Goforitgirl owned by Liam Shannon, Ballynacally.
Michael Downes, trainer, and Janet Downes, owner, were on the ball in race seven, an A5 graded 525 with Sailing in trap two. Trap six runner Work of Art set the pace and down the back Sailing was still in fourth place. However, by the third bend, the son of Droopy’s Kewell-Barntick Sally started to move and was looking good at the final bend. And on the run home he got in front to beat Work of Art by two and a half lengths in 29.57.
Monmore Lad, owned in West Clare by Claire Purtill, got a lively start from trap one in an A5 graded 525 to lead over the opening bends. However, near the half-way mark, he was joined on the outside by Manic Kewell and they raced neck and neck up to half ways in the run-in when Manic Kewell took over to win by three parts of a length from Monmore Lad in 29.76.
There were four Clare-owned runners involved in an A4 graded 525 and the one to take the honours was Knockbrack Yeman in trap six, owned by Margaret Nestor, Miltown Malbay. Bridge Bloke in trap one and owned by Anna Cartey, Cooraclare, railed well to lead by two lengths from Knockbrack Yeman who switched inside passing halfways. Rounding the third bend, Knockbrack Yeman edged to the front but he had to hold off a strong challenge from Bumblebee Ivan to win the race by half a length in 29.46. Nearly two lengths back for third was Bridge Bloke.