Jacksie’s owner roars loudest in Oran Majestic

The West Clare-owned Jacksies Roar was among the winners when first-round heats of the €17,000 Oran Majestic A5 525 got underway in Galway on Friday night.
The white and fawn son of Ballymac Maeve-Jacksies Nicki, carrying the hopes of owner, Martin Sexton, was racing for the first time and afer a good break from trap one, he forced his way through by the inside rail as they rounded the first bend.
He managed to go five lengths clear by the halfway stage and when he crossed the line, he had almost the same distance to spare on Chocolate Solder, trained by Noel Mullins for Eleanaor Mullins and Bernie Curtin, Gort. The time was 29.61.
The Pat Guilfoyle-trained Runaway Turbo in heat three was the fastest of the first-round winners with a clock of 28.66.
Among the heat winners were Forest Sam (Royal Impact-Forest Swallow) trained by Maurice Mullanney, Gort for Philip Mullaney. Running wide on the run up, he went into the lead as they came to the opening bend. He was four lengths clear down the back and was still that distance in front as he crossed the finishing line ahead of Dusty Carpet. The clock for this heat was a fast 28.87.
A qualifier from heat two – won in 29.39 by Grenanstown Ama – was TJ McMahon’s Legacy.
Also through to the second round is Clonkelly Eagle, owned by John O’Sullivan, Kinvara. He was runner-up in heat eight, won by Jumeirah Prince in 29.38.
The 48-dog event is again sponsored by Des and Elliott Whyte of the Oran Kennels in honour of their Oran Majestic, a great winner of the 2006 Flaherty Markets Corrib Plate and the Puppy Derby. They are represented in the Oran Majestic A5 event by their Oran Prince, who won heat one in 28.87.
Knoppogue Mate (Kinloch Brae-Climates Kewell) won the top-graded race of the night, an A2 affair over 525 yards, for owner and trainer Donie Duggan from near Quin.
Leading by two lenghts as they came to the opening bend, the winner was stil in control as they came from the back and raced clear to win by four-and-a-half lengths in an impresisve 28.82 from reserve runner, Davris Jim, trained by Davy Lavelle.
Third home was another resereve, Brickhill Lubos, trained by Albert Long for the Boys Club Syndicate from County Mayo.
In the opening race of the night – an S4/S5 graded sprint – Ebony Blitz, owned in Quin by Frank Browne, was third placed.