Lismadine Jack wins Galway feature race

WEST Clare owners, Paddy Troy from Lisheen, Kilkee and Conor McInerney won the top-graded race in Galway on Friday night with Lismadine Jack.
This was an A1 graded affair over 525 yards and Lismadine Jack went off the 2/1 favourite from trap two. Ebony Blitz, in trap three, was first to show and even though moving slightly wide over the opening bend, she still had a length on Lismadine Jack and Earth Stap Gone at the second. However, as they made their way down the back, Lismadine Jack joined the leader and there was nothing between them until Ebony Blirtz again moved out in front over the final two bends. But on the run-in, Lismadine Jack came again and the son of Droopy’s Vieri-Clonreddan Tina proved to be the stronger when beating Ebony Blitz by a neck in a time of 29.23. The  runner-up is trained by Frank Browne for the Murphy Agri syndicate from Kinvara.
Gort owner-trainer Mauirice Mullanney had a winner in an A2 graded race over 550 yards with Jeddies Star. The winner showed great early pace in the long run to the opening bend to take control as early as the halfway stage and the son of Boherfuff Light-Heard the News raced on for a three-length win over the favourite, Days Like This. Filling third place was the Michael Downes-trained Ascot Race (John Hourigan and Pat Reeves).
The Miltown Malbay-owned Malbay Odyssey (Kevin Burke) finished third in his first ever race, the opening an A8 graded 525 won by Candy Boy (29.51).
Another owner from the Miltown Malbay area, Michael Mahony, came out tops in the second race of the night with his Knockcallan Girl in trap five. This was an S9 graded 350 and the winner was fast off the mark to lead by four lengths at the first bend from Black Ding in trap three. The daughter of Razldazl Billy-Knockdine Lady continued to set the pace and although she went a little wide at the home bend, she still had over three lengths on Black Ding at the finishing line. The time was 19.52.
An S4 graded sprint race came up with another Clare-owned winner, this time Wilbrook Fawn doing the business for Michael Davoren, Ennistymon. Loose Sugan (trap three) and Rinnwood Val (trap two) the joint 5/4 favourites started well and there was little between them as they raced to the opening bend. At this point, Loose Sugan took a slight advantage but Wilbrook Fawn (trap five) was now making ground on the outside. It was between the three of them as they raced up the straight but Wilbrook Fawn (Prince Monalulul-Missouiri Dame) managed to get in front to win by a head in 19.41 from Loose Sugan and Rinnwood Val.
Kilmihil owner, Martin J Keane was out of luck when his Capturethedream was just pipped in an S2 graded 350-yard race. The fawn dog started well to lead by three lengths at the opening bend. However, he went wide and allowed Grenanstown Lady make ground on the inner. And in a great contest up the straight, the Nenagh-owned Grenantown Lady just got there by a short head. The time was 19.30.
The Kilimihil owner-trainer also had to settle for runner-up spot again when his Clapton Master contested the next race, an A6 graded 525. Tomars Fantasy in the inside trap was best away to lead by two lengths rounding the opening bend. Coming from the back straight, the leader was pressed by both Pieview Blue (trap five) and Clapton Master (trap three) and in the run for the line, the Máirtín Seoighe-trained Pierview Blue, who survived a hefty bump at the opening bend, prevailed to win by a length and three quarters from Clapton Master in a time of 29.57.
East Clare was to the fore in the next race, an A4 graded 525, won by the Donal Cooney-trained Killuran Lady, owned by Gary Cooney. The pace was set by the Inagh-owned Triggs of Inagh and the remainder were headed by Killuran Lady in the inside lane. However, at the second-last bend Killuran Lady (Droopy’s Maldini-Killuran Premier) got through on the inside and quickly drew away to win the race by over seven lengths  in 29.24 from Facebook Fan.
Kinvara owner, Gina McDonagh, won the final race of the night with the John McDonagh-trained Glenfort Lee, a reserve runner in trap three in an A3 graded 525. The winner and Bumblebee Bingo in trap six had two lengths on the rest of the field early on. Down the back, Glenfort Lee (Hades Rocket-Glenfort Rumble) had two lengths on Gone to Garry and while Bumblebee Bingo came with a renewed effort as they race towards home, Glenfort Lee prevailed by three parts of a length in 29.43.

Clare owners celebrate at Limerick birthday bash

THERE were wins for Killaloe and Miltown Malbay owners in Limerick on Friday night when the stadium celebrated its first year in operation.
Janet Downes from Killaloe was an early visitor to the winners’ arena as her Alice Rumble was winner of the second race on the card, an A4 graded 525. In a fairly open race, Rondon, in trap one, led at the opening bend but Alice Rumble (Westmead Hawk-Droopy’s Precious) kept her best effort for the closing stages. She put in a strong challenge in the run-in to take the lead near the line and win by one length in 29.28 from Gorforitblack owned by Liam Shannon, Ballynacally. The winner is trained by Mick Downes.
The next Clare win was in the eighth race, a grade 2 750-yard event. In a very close and exciting finish, Kilcorcoran Manu (Ace Hi Rumble-Ballard Nikita), owned in Miltown Malbay by Conor Cleary, got up near the line to score a short head win from the Matt O’ Donnell-owned, The Other Shandy. The time was 42.25.
After leading down the back. Manus Chestnut, owned by Pat McInerney, snr, Manus was overtaken at the home bend and beaten three lengths by the County Limerick and 28.97 winner, Speed Tapper, in an an A2 graded 525.
Michael O’Donoghue, of Loughrea and formerly of  Ennis, won the last race on the card with Larchhill Lee (Tyrur Lee-Loyal Irish). Leading at the second bend, he won the race by four lengths in 30.06 from the fast-finishing Snuggie Babe (Breda Casey, Nerwmarket-on-Fergus).
After being slow away and checked at the opening bend, Not A Bob, trained by Denis O’Malley for the Castlefergus syndicate, Quin, recovered well to take runner-up spot in in an SD1 graded 350. The 18.94 winner of the race was reserve runner, Christys Karl, trained by Neilus O’Connell.
The Ballyneety-owned Ishka Boy was a trap-to-line winner of an A5 gradeed 525 in a time of 29.04. Another reserve runner, Portdrine Queen, owned by Liam Carroll, Cratloe, challenged strongly over the final two bends and in the run in but was beaten a length and a half.
There were two more Clare successes at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday night when the card featured first-round heats of the A1 Farley Turbo@ Stud Mini Open over 525 yards,.
Parteen trainer Joe Collins won heat two with Scariff Hawk owned by members of the Shanakyle syndicate. The son of Westmead Hawk- Patterdale Luna showed more power in the run home to win by one length  with an impressive clock of  28.97.
Also on the card was the Sales @ Limerick A2 575 final with the odds fancing the trap six runner, Barntick Joker, owned in Clarecastle by Mary Reidy. The favourite was slow away but stayed on to win the  race by one length from If Your Passing. The time was 31.60.

Bellaghy Twink blazes to victory in Galway

THE North Clare-owned Undercover Rocky and Bogberry Kitty were in the line-up for the concluding A2 graded 525 in Galway on Saturday night but both were out of the frame when the Martin Fahy-trained Bellaghy Twink took control from the home bend to win by three and a half lengths in 29.43.
Bellaghy Twink, in trap three, and Bogberry Kitty, in six, broke well and were neck and neck to the opening bend where the Darren McPeake-owned Bellaghy Twink railed  well to go three lengths clear as they raced to the half way mark. Davris Joy (trap one) looked a big threat as he closed in along the rail at the second-last bend. However, Bellaghy Twink (Westmead Hawk-Menlo Twink) went clear again to take the honours from Combo Jack and Davris Joy.
Wood Crash, owned in Kilrush by Carl Maguire and Adrian Ennis, was prominent from the start in an A3 graded 550-yard race but Danny Potter-owned Danmar Caoimhe (Brett Lee-Tyrur Rachel) went three lengths clear down the back where Tyrur Feeney went a clear second. Danmar Caoimhe stayed in front to win by two and a quarter lengths in 30.92 from Tyrur Feeney. Wood Crash finished in third place.
The Paul Burke-trained Bumblebee Rosie was an easy winner of race two, an A6 graded 525, in 29.44. The runner-up was Glenfort Dusk (Bridget D’Arcy, Birr and Ballyvaughan).
The Inagh-owned Kylea Dreamer, in trap six, and Master Slick, in five, representing Tommie Gallagher from Cooraclare, started best in an A3 graded 525 to lead by a length from Goodnight Kate (trap three) who railed well around the opening two bends. Goodnight Kate and Kylea Dreamer matched strides out front as they made their way to halfway but as they came from the back straight, the slight advantage was with the Gerry Holian-trained Goodnight Kate. And the daughter of Westmead Hawk-Briarhill Lady just  held out to survive the late charge from  Burnpark Leonard (Mary Browne) by half a length in 29.83. Third place went to Kylea Dreamer owned by Irene Barry, Inagh.
Kilrush owner Michael Clancy won the first race of the night, an S6-S7 graded 350 with Viper Hider in trap two. The son of Ciara’s Castle and Viper Nikita broke well to lead Cloughtanny Lad and Willbrook Paddy by just under a length approaching the opening bend. Here Viper Hider railed well cutting off his nearest rivals and went on for a 19.67 win, beating Glencrue Breeze by four and three parts of a length. Wilbrook Paddy (Michael Davoren, Ennistymon) was beaten a neck into third place.
Clare-South Galway owners dominated the closing stages of an S5 graded 350. From the start, the spotlight was on trap-one runner, Sue’s Rocket, trained by Johnny Burke for Ennis owner, Jerry Moloney. The son of Droopy’s Scolari-Ballaghboy Cool led by a length at the opening bend. As they rounded the bend, the rest of the runners got in each other’s way and Sue’s Rocket drew away to win by nine lengths in 19.51 from  Runway Patrol, trained by John Browne for members of the Rinenna syndicate, most of whom work in Shannon Airport. A length and a quarter back for third place was Rathorpe Rancho (Madeleine Walsh, Gort).
All six runners got off to a lively start in an S3 graded 350 and as they raced to the opening bend, it was the trap two runner, Kilbanmnon Magic, who just edged in front from Outgback Prentiss, in trap one, and Yoyojo ,in trap three. The leader cut inside when rounding the bend forcing those nearest to check and she then went clear to win by one and a half lengths in a time of 19.56 for John McDonagh (Tuam) and Tuam owner Willie McDonagh. Runner-up was Outback Prentiss and third home was the  Michael Downes-trained and Janet Downes-owned Tell Me Skinner.
It also turned out to be another rewarding trip for Inagh owner-trainer Colie O’Loughlin whose Pal Duke was again in winning form. The son of Droopy’s Scolari-Cathy of Inagh was backed into 6/4 favoruite for this A 4 graded 525 and as they raced to the opening corner he led the way from the trap six runner, Windfield Lass with the Sixmilebridge-owned O’Garney Mavis (trap one) also well in contention. As they came to the half way mark Pal Duke extended his lead to three lengths and he remained well in front for the remainder of the trip to score a four and a quartre lengths win in 29.28 from O’Garney Mavis (Helen Coffey).
Quin trainer Frank Browne was another who did not come away empty handed. Chrisola (Hades Rocket- Jumeirah Jess), which he handles for Michael Browne and John Moran (Quin) was a trap four runner in an A4 graded 550-yard race and after the field was closely bunched from the start, Duke’s Bonnie took a slight lead from Chrisola and Davris Jim in the red jacket. The  remainder of the field was less than a length adrift rounding the opening bend. Chrisola made ground on the outer as they turned down the back to challenge Duke’s Bonnie as Davris Jim closed on the rail approaching the third bend.  Chrisola kicked clear as they rounded the bend to establish a one length win in 30.86 from Dukes of Bonnie.

Galway trials
TRIALS, both schooling and official, were cancelled at the Galway Greyhound Stadium on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. The stadium will have a session of schooling trials from 5pm – 8pm this
Thursday evening and official trials will be held after both Friday and Saturday racing.

Junior A football semis this weekend

THE race for the Junior A Football Championship will be taken a step further this Saturday when the semi-finals take place.
Doonbeg is the venue for the meeting of Kilrush and Cooraclare at 2pm, while Meelick and Coolmeen will meet at Shannon at 4pm. This is a repeat of the Division 4 League final which ended in a draw during the summer, the replay of which is scheduled for next week.
The Junior A relegation play-offs begin this Saturday also. Lissycasey and Éire Óg will be in opposition at Coolmeen at 2.30pm, while Cooraclare B and Wolfe Tones will clash at 4.30pm in Lissycasey. The losers of both of these games will meet a week later and whoever loses that tie will drop down to Junior B for 2012.
Meanwhile, the first of the Junior B football semi-finals take place this weekend with Clonlara meeting Shannon Gaels at Ballyea on Saturday. In the same competition, Corofin and St Breckan’s replay their quarter-final game the same afternoon in Ennistymon with Clondegad awaiting the winners in the semi-final a week later.

€20,000 available in grants for sports clubs

CLARE Sports Partnership has announced that it is in a position to offer sporting clubs and community organisations the opportunity to avail of funding for the 2011/ 2012 season.
The aim of the funding is to increase participation numbers within the organisation, especially in the target groups of women and girls, people with disabilities, older adults, disadvantaged communities and the unemployed. The funds have become available through core funding from the Irish Sports Council and revenue generated from the 2010 and 2011 An Post Cycle Series.
Chairperson of Clare Sports Partnership, Máire Johnston, said, “We are delighted that we are in a position that we can offer such a grant scheme, given the current economic climate. We have approximately €20,000 available for clubs and organisations to apply for.”
John Sweeney, co-ordinator of Sports Partnership, added, “Successful applicants will have to prove how they can increase active participation numbers with this grant”.
Application forms and guidelines can be downloaded from www.claresportspartnership.ie or email cathy@claresportspartnership.ie. The closing date for applications is strictly 4pm on Wednesday, October 27.