Winners of the event in 1992 and 1993 with Barefoot Dash and Barefoot Marty, Bryan and Kathleen Murphy could have a big say in the outcome of this year’s Kerry Agribusiness Irish Leger classic, following their second-round win with Priceless Sky at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium last Saturday night.

Trained by Paul Hennessy, Priceless Sky had the best clock when covering the 550 yards in a fast 29.59. In heat four he disputed the early lead with Leap on Board but went clear down the far side and was in a commanding position by the halfway stage. He remained in control for the rest of the race to win by six lengths from the Patrick Guilfoyle-trained and Limerick-owned Leap On Board. A qualifier in third place – two lengths back – was O Garney Patch, trained by Bernard Coffey and owned by Helen Coffey, Sixmilebridge.

However, Derby winner Skywalker Puma is still going strong despite coming under pressure from the impressive Cabra Buck in heat two. The Derby winner placed second at the opening bend and down the back, where he was forced to check. However, he piled on the pressure to overtake Cabra Buck just before the home bend and ran on to win by a length in 29.75. Cabra Buck was runner-up and third spot went to Boher Supreme, eight lengths back. Lacking good early pace and baulked at the opening bend, Starlight Miller, owned in Shannon by Tom and Niall O’Sullivan, failed to qualify from this heat.

Draw for the quarter-finals next Saturday night: Heat 1: 1 Ardkill Star; 2 Priceless Sky; 3 Camas Crash; 4 Danmar Benny; 5 Tibetan Skies; 6 On his Toes. Heat 2: 1 Droopys Comedian; 2 Boher Supreme; 3 Coolard Chief; 4 Cabra Buck; 5 Dragon Shield; 6 Varra Swallow. Heat 3: 1 Cashen Mafuma; 2 Sparta Maestro; 3 Kingo; 4 Varra Rumble; 5 Money Talks; 6 Skip Soda (w). Heat 4: 1 Moss Lane; 2 Head For Fame; 3 Leap On Board; 4 Out For Gold; 5 Skywalker Puma; 6 O Garney Patch.

Speaking about the progress of the biggest event in the Limerick Greyhound Track calendar, Imelda Cahalan, commercial and operations manager at the stadium, said there was, as ever, great interest in the event and they were delighted with the turnout for the heats so far.

They had a great start to the classic, with the Derby and Oaks winners successful in their heats. Competition this year was of an extremely high calibre and so, understandably, anticipation was mounting in advance of the quarter-finals next Saturday night.

Elsewhere on the Limerick card last Saturday night, Killaloe owner Michael Kennedy won the third race, an A3-graded 525 with his Gortglas Suzie in trap one. The daughter of Blue Savings-Zipolip had the best break to set up an early lead and show the way for the rest of the race to win by a length and a half. Her clock was 29.15.

The card also included the Bob Sweeney Auto Towing Ahane GAA A4 525 final. Mohane Supreme was the early leader but after a slow start, Solvitas Miller took up the running at the second bend to lead for the remainder of the race for a four-length win in 29.08. John O’Kelly’s Cragaknock Tango was also slow away but finished well to take runner-up spot for the Mullagh owner.

Three semi-final heats of the Kileedy GAA A2 Dual Distance 525/550 were decided in Limerick on Friday night. Winner of heat two in great style and with the best clock of the night was Upland Chill (Bit Chili-Fastaway Baby) owned in Cratloe by Harry Galvin and Sean Dineen. With the best break, Upland Chill was in front all the way for her three-length win in an exciting 28.74. Runner-up was Carhumore Crash. Just outside the qualifiers in third place was Mary Crotty’s Inislosky Pinny. The other heat winners were SporryKing (28.85) and Nippy Girl (28.77).
Upland Breeze, also owned by Harry Halvin and Sean Dineen, met trouble at the opening bend and finished third in an A8-graded 525 won by Christys Gold in 30.14.

 

Dicks Worldbound beats off ­challenge to win top-graded race

Killaloe trainer Michael Downes won the top-graded race in Galway on Friday night with Dicks Worldbound.
Owned by Janet Downes, the son of Head Bound-Teds Miss World was second for most of the race but a strong challenge in the run home paid off when just getting the better of the Donie Duggan-trained Cragataska Flash, owned by Kay Lynch. The winning distance was a short head and the time for the A1-graded 550 yards race was 30.60.

Mountshannon owner Kim Knell won the first race on the card with Canvas Star, an A3-graded 525. This race produced another close finish with Canvas Star ( Droopys Scolari-Herbs Best) getting the verdict by a neck from Harbour Lark, who led down the back. The time was 29.76.

West Clare owners Michael and Cathal Meaney, Tullabrack, had a first-time runner in Spot the Move (Ballymac Maeve-Own Prospect) in an N2/3-graded 525. He came away well from trap three, led at the opening bend and stayed in front for his two-and-a-half length debut win in 29.59 from the John McDonagh-trained Kilbannon Casey. Third home was Carry My Love ( Noel Mullins, Gort).

The Mac-D’s syndicate from Kinvara had the winner of the next race, an S9-graded sprint with Calla Rebel (Crash-Calla Princess) in trap six. Always the front runner, Calla Rebel won by four-and-a-half lengths in 19.45 from Frank Browne’s Mine Moment.

Kim Knell was just deprived of a double when her Canvas Aussie was overtaken near the line by the John Corbett-trained Mountjoy Dream, who won by half a length in 29.51.

The locally owned McHugh Lass led at the opening bend to deprive Consequential (Tom Flanagan, Ennistymon) and Cragbrien Hondo (Martin Cronin and Jack Markham) in an S2/S3-graded sprint. McHugh Lass won by three-and-a-quarter lengths from Consequential, with Cragbrien Hondo a further three lengths back for third place.

Quin owner Frank Browne was compensated by his Mine Chariot (Hades Rocket-Jumeirah Jess) coming home first in an A3-graded 525. He put in a strong gallop at the home bend to earn a one-length win in 29.46 from Bumblebee Rosie. Third home was Noel Mullin’s Full Blunt.

The Maurice Mullaney-trained Mickys Scolari was runner-up in the last race of the night, an A2-graded 550 won by Gerry Holian’s Wings of Glory in 30.47.

Mr Consistent lives up to his name in Galway A2 for trainer Fahy

The Seamus Fahy-trained and syndicate-owned Mr Consistent lived up to his name in Galway on Saturday night when winning the top-graded race from Faoie, owned by Martin Griffin, Caherea.

In the final race of the night, an A2-graded 550, Mr Consistent went off the 5-4 favourite and after leading at the home bend, drew clear to win by seven-and-a-quarter lengths.

Gort owner Darren O’Donoghue was runner-up with his Destroyer in the opening race, an A3-graded 525. Leading from the opening bend, the Martin Fahy-trained Haveweanine went on to win by almost five lengths in 29.07.

Helen O’Brien from Miltown Malbay had the first Clare win of the night with her Knockdine Dazl (Razldazl Billy-Knockdine Lady) in an A5-graded 550. Getting a good start from trap five, the black bitch always looked good for her 30.88 win when beating Cools Rose by nearly four lengths.

Snuggie Blue (Minnies Pavola-Buddhas Bae) won her maiden race for Newmarket-on-Fergus owner Breda Casey. She blasted out of trap five to lead all the way for her two-and-a-quarter lengths win in 19.54 from Nells Fantasy (Helen O’Brien and Michael Mahony, Miltown Malbay).

Kinvara owner John O’Sullivan won the next race with Micks Blessing (29.96 for the A6-graded 525).
Unknown Sally was a trap-to-line winner of an S4-graded sprint, finishing two-and-a-quarter lengths in front of Boherash Torpedo (Frank Casey, Stonehall). The clock was 19.30.

Eleanor Mullins and Mark Curtin from Gort got on the winner’s list as a result of their Stone Boy King winning his maiden race, an A6-graded 525, by eight-and-a-quarter lengths in 29.09.

After a slow start, a strong finish by Erris Kid saw him get the nod by a neck from Frank Browne’s Ebony Blitz in an A4-graded 525.The time was 29.40.

Third home was the Donal Cooney-trained Glenside Evans, owned by Frank O’Meara and members of the Green Leaf syndicate from East Clare.