Kennedy Cup semi-final slot for Ballyhannon

Ballyhannon is still in a position to make it an exciting year for the Duggan family from Castlefergus, Quin. He has reached the semi-finals of the Vetsearch International White E Kennedy Cup at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium after qualifying from secoind round heats last Saturday night.
He finished in third place in the fastest heat of the night won in 28.69 by the Templeglantine and Pat Guillfoyle trained Joey JoJo Junior who was sent off the 5/4 favourite. Drawn in trap three, the winner broke fast to lead all the way and beat the Ardfert-owned KilloraneBoy by two lengths. Ballyhannon was the same distance back for third spot.
The clock stopped at 28.81 for Ballymac Lefanta, the winner of the opening heat by four lengths from Bua Dearg. The last qualifying place in this heat went to Belvedere Fox.
Slow off the mark from trap one and baulked on the way, Cabra Legend, the even money favourite, finished in last place in heat three, which was won in 29.05 by Air Fordce Hawk who challenged from the third bend to win by a neck from Jeddies Star. St Louis Spirit  finished well to take third spot.
There was another rupset in the final hear when the 6/4 favourite, Scarlet Danny, was baulked at the first bend where he disputed the lead. The Michasel Shine trained Knockbawn Sirius took up the challege at the third bend and crossed the line two-lengths in front of Hovex Fantasy. Rockane Girl took the final qualifying place.The time for this heat was 28.89.
The first semi-final next Saturday night is a fairly hot one with the inclusion of three heat winners from last weekend, Knockbawn Sirius, Air Force Hawk and Joey Jojo Junior.
Ballymac Lefanta, who had the best clock in round one, is drawn in trap one in heat two and alongisde him is Ballyhannon.
The draw is heat 1: 1, Jeddies Star; 2, Rockanes Girl; 3, Knockbawn Sirius; 4, Killorane Boy; 5, Air Force Hawk; 6, Joey Jojo Junior. Heat 2: 1, Ballymac Lefanta; 2, Ballyhanon; 3, Hovex Fantsy; 4, Belvedere Fox; 5, Bua Dearg; 6, St Louis Spirit.
Placed in their races in Limerick on Saturday night were: Inislosky Swift (Mrs Mary Crotty, O’Briensbridge); Rathorpe Blanco (Martin Kelly, Tubber); Killaloe Rose (John Seymour and Pat Reddan, Killaloe) and Frisco Rumble (Spelman, Riordan, McDonagh, syndicate, Shannon).
There were two Clare successes at the same venue on Friday night. Shanakyle Tango (Kinlock Brae-Tahina Mint) winning an A7-graded 525 for the Shanakyle Syndicate from Parteen and Limerick. Trained by Joe Collins, Parteen, Shanakyle Tango had a fast break from trap five and raced on to record a trap to line win in 29.59. The brindled bitch won by two lengths from Tyrap Bolt.
The other Clare win came in race nine, a semi-final heat of the Friends of Centrepiece Studios A3 event, by Manus Chestnut, owned by Pat McInerney, Manus. Trained by Donie Duggan, Manus Chestnut ran from trap two and like the previous winner, he led all the way to win by two lengths from Harcas. The white and fawn son of Crash-Baby Jean, had a clock of 29.45. Hi Three Blackie won the secnd semi-final in 29.10.
Placed in other races were: Goforitlady (Liam Shannon, Ballynacally); Upland Lake (Harry Galvin, Cratloe), the George Gallery-trained Colossal Man and Pro Bono (Martin J Keane, Kilmihil).

Local owner wins Garmivit final

The final of the Gain Garmivit A4-Stake was the feature event at Galway Greyhound Stadium last Friday night and it was won by the locally owned Scranton Express, trained byTom Fitzgerald for Mrs Marion Fitzgerald, Salthill.
The Ballyvaugahan-owned Pinnacle Roxy was prominent from the start but at the opening bend Electro Digweed shot through to set up a lead of one length. Blue Scolari then came into the picture to put up a strong challenge but it was Scranton Express who made most headway between the final two bends after coming from the back of the field. He ran on magnificiently to catch the front runners on the way home and win by a head from Electro Digweed with Blue Scolari a length in arrears for third place. The time was 29.85.
It was a bitterly cold evening and following stewards deliberations before the final contest, the track was rated 0.15sec slow for sprint races and 0.30sec slow for the 525-yard races.
Declan Browne from Ballyea had a winner in the second race, an A6-graded 350, with his Corcrigg Beauty. From the
opening bend the John McDonagh trained and Kinvara owned Killea Rocket held a length advantage over the eventual winner. However, as they raced for home Corcrigg Beauty (Droopus
Vieri-Burnpark Kay) had that extra bit of power to win the race by a head for Declan Browne. The winner’s time was 19.93.
Trainer Donie Duggan and owner, Brian McInerney from Manus, added to their Limerick win of the previous night with Manus Returns in an S6-graded race over 525 yards. Wolf Wistle and Kilara Blonde exchanged the lead up to the halfway stage. Coming from the back, Manus Returns switched to the inside rail and went clear at the home bend to win by a big nine lengths from Hold It Meg owned by Liam Shannon, The Burren. Manus Returns, who was the 4/5 favourite, clocked 29.93 for the trip.
Ennis owners John Keane of Ennis and Frank White of the Halfway pub in Ennis returned to winning ways with their Mythical Tar in an A5-graded 525 yards race. There was an even break but at the first bend the Tom Flanagan-trained Mythical Tar just edged out in front and was still in front down the far side. Coming nearer home Balrobuck Billy came like a train but Mythical Tar (Boherduff Light-Coldwar Baby) had enough in reserve to hold out and win by a neck in 29.96.
The second last race on the card, an A3-graded 525, also provideds a storming finish. Ezjohn led up to the half way stage butby the third bend Banna Maghic was the new front runner. Hold It Jennie, owned by Mark Shanbnon, the Burren, then came on level terms on the crown of the home bend and went on to lead by one length. However, Banna Magic hads notgiven up the ghost yet and in a hectic finish got up to beat Hold It Jennie by half a length in 29.78.

Spotlight on Frank Browne in Galway

The spotlight was on Quin owner and trainer, Frank Browne in
Galway on Saturday when his Mine Echo (trap three) delivered the top performance of the night to win an A3-graded 525 yards race.
With her customary slick break from traps, the daughter of Hades Rocket- Jumeriah Jess was quickly into her stride to lead by two lengths going to the opening bend. By the half way mark she had gone further in front after railing superbly and while Fernpark Gold, owned by Anne Carey, Cooraclare, made up some ground between the last two bends, Mine Echo was well to the fore and raced on to win by five lengths in 29.59. Fernpark Gold took the runner-up spot.
The track was once again rated 0.15 slow for sprint contests and 0.30 slow for contests over the 525-yards.
The Clare-owned Moya Mae (Kay Lynch) finished second in the opening race of the night, an A7-graded 525, which went to the Ballina-owned Jorja Christie. This was her maiden win, finishing six lengths in front of MoYa Mae with a clock of 29.96.
The Johnny Burke-trained Crusheen Flyer, owned by the Four Men and a Lady syndicate from Crusheen was placed third in an S6-graded 350 won by Lorrha Hold On (19.80).
The first Clare winner of the night was Ding Hero owned by Robert Carkhill. The well supported and Donie Duiggan trained son of Crash-Raggletagglrosie was smarly away from trap four to lead by three lengths at the halfway stage from Fernpark Express, again owned by Anne Carey. From this stage the winner pulled away to win by six lengths in 29.68 from Fernpark Express.
Martin Cronin, Ennis, and Jack Markham recorded a second win for the Banner in race six with their Cragbrien Honcho (Top Honcho-Castleview Lady). This was an S1 event over 350-yards in which the winner made all the running to take control approaching the first bend. He ran wide off the home bend but still had plenty in reserve to go on and record his fifth career win, taking this race with a time of 19.35. The winning distance over Frank Browne’s Mine Cash was three-and-a-quarter-lengths.
West Clare owner, Mrs Ann McMahon made it a three timer for the Banner with her Hugs for Heather in an S6-graded 525. The daughter of Bodyshop Spiral- Greygrove Legacy led at the first and avoided trouble behind her. She dominmated all the way to the line to record her maiden success. The wining distance in a time of 20.90 was nearly five lengths.
The concluding stages of an A4-graded 525 saw three Clare owned dogs battle it out for supremacy and the winner in the end was the Stephen Murray-trained I Remember Paddy, owned in Ennis by Frankie Sheehan. Anna Carey’s (Cooraclare) Bridge Bloke showed the way from trap two to lead at the first and double his advantage down the back. However, the gap started to close between the final two bends where I Remember Paddy (Black Shaw-Sheehans Cottage) started to make up ground. He got inside Bridge Bloke in the run for home to hit the front and win by three parts of a length in 29.85. Runner-up was Bridge Bloke who beat Mall Rocky (Michael Casey) into third place by a neck.
The Ballyvaughan owned Pinnacle Muffin won the final race of the night, an A2-graded 525.
This was another all Clare finish which saw Phils Boy and reserve runner, Brickhill Frank, showing the way. Down the back Pinnacle Muffin hopped into second place and coming from the back straight drew alongside Brickhill Frank.
Although she went a little wide off the home bend Pinnacle Muffin (Boherduff Light-Coldwar baby) ran on to win the race for Douglas Culligan and Michael Costelloe by two-and-a-half-lengths in 29.90. Runner-up was Glenfort Dove (Mrs Brigid D’Arcy, Birr and Ballyvaughan) and third place went to Sailing (Mrs Janet Downes, Killaloe).