After dominating all his heats on the way to the final, Melodys Diamond failed at the final hurdle when the Paul Hennessy-trained Locnamon Bridie landed the Roche’s Feeds Oaks final at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium last Saturday night.

Owned by Bill Chawke, the winner, who was 5-4 favourite, was third behind Dooey Cranky and Melodys Diamond (11-8) after rounding the first bend.

Melodys Diamond could find no way through by the rails and Locnamon Bridie, after switching wide diown the back, returned to her favourite position by rails to mount her challenge over the final two bends.

The Cork Oaks runner up and daughter of Royal Impact-Locnamon Nell railed superbly and with a powerful run over the final few yards she overtook Dooey Cranky to clinch a half a length win in 28. 56.
The fast-finishing Melodys Diamond was beaten a head into third place.

It was the second big win of the night for Paul Hennessy, who also won the Ladbrokes 600 in Shelbourne Park with Ringtown Snowy owned by Paul Hynes, Ballinasloe.

The other big race in Limerick on Saturday night, the final of the Johnny Waters Memorial A5 Novice event (worth €1, 000 to the winner) was won by Proper Peach (Kinloch Brae-Proper Lulu), who took over from Aer Deco at the fourth bend to go on to win by two lengths in 42. 47. The winner is owned in Kilkenny by Willie O’Connor.

Elsewhere on the card, Ennis owners, Patrick and Kevin Darcy won the eight race, an open 350 with their trap one runner, Bypass Joe. Leading from the opening bend, the white and black son of Royal Impact-Ardvagga Dazl finished in style to win the race by four lengths in a time of 18. 74 for his seveneth career win.
There were two Clare winners in Limerick on Friday night, the first of which was that of Inislosky Jacko (Ballymac Ruso-Inislosky Daisy) owned by Mary Crotty, O’Briensbridge.

In a thrilling finish to the A6-graded 525, Inislosky Jacko came charging home to overtake and beat Christys Breeze by half a length. His time was 29. 55.

Five races down the card,  Sean Hehir from Dunsallagh, Miltown Malbay, had a winner with Dunsallagh Pride. The son of Droopys Scolari-Dunsallagh Lucy was in fine form for his tilt at this A3-graded 350 and soon made his intentions known with a fine break from trap four. Leading all the way, Dunsallagh Pride crossed the line a length and a half in front of Killahan Rock. The time for his third win on the trot was 19.02, a career best. It was also his ninth career win.

Beanfield Parke, owned by Tom Flanagan, Russa, Ennistymon, was runner-up to win a place in the Race Sponsorship A3 575 final. The daughter of Droopys Maldini-Sabre Tooth was involved in the second semi-final heat when beaten two lengths into second place by Chocolate Run, the 31. 73 winner.

The first semi-final heat was won in 31. 85 by Gunboat Terrific.

 

Killuran Lad gives way to Gurrane Princess

Clare owners had to be satisfied with minor placings after the Pat Guilfoyle trained and Kilmallock owned Gurrane Princess won the final of the Facebook and Twitter Pages A5-graded 525 stake at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium last Thursday night.

Prominent  from the start was the trap six runner,  Killuran Lad, owned and trained by Donal Cooney,  Broadford.  He had a length on Gurrane Princess  (trap four) as they came to the opening bend, where Ballycasey Girl was in third place by the rail.  However, as they made their way down the back, Gurrane Princess slipped through by the rail and by halfways had opened up a three-lengths advantage.  The winner railed well over the final two bends to secure the final by three and a quarter lengths in a good time of 28. 87 from Killuran Lad.  It was two and a quarter lengths back to the third-placed Ballycasey Star, owned by Don Gallery,  Shannon.  

Trainer Donie Duggan from Tulla will be doubly represented in the Like Us On Facebook A7 525 final in Galway this weekend.  Katieonfaya, who he trains and Knoppogue Care, who he owns and trains,  were first and third respectively in the second semi-final heat of the event last Thursday night.

The front runners from the start were Tipp the Bonner and Magical Lance but there was  big bunching of the field as they turned down the back.  As they passed halfway, Katieonfaya  (Killahan Phanter-Donoghmore Lass),  in trap one and trained by Donie Duggan for Peter and Enda Mulrooney, swept into the lead. Two lengths clear rounding the third bend, Katieonfaya stayed on well to win the race by a length and three-quarters in 29.64 from the Cloughjordan-owned Magical Lance.  Knoppogue Care,  owned and trained by Donie Duggan,  took third spot,  over two lengths back.

The Noelle McCarthy-Divilly-owned Noelles Primco (Ace Hi Rumble-Noelles Magico) won the first semi-final heat in 29.19 from Signedandsealed and Headford Sam.

The opening race of the night for A4-graded runners was won in 29.49 by Harbour Bullet from Tyrur Sammon and Mine Moment, owned by Frank Browne,  Quin.

The lead changed hands twice before the Spiddal-owned Sadbhs Princess came again on the way home to snatch victory by a head from Frank Browne’s Mine Lark.  The time for the A8-graded 525 was 30.02.  Third spot went to Snuggie Bubble, owned by Breda Casey,  Newmarket-on-Fergus. 

Old Fort Banjo stayed on well to win an A6-graded 525 by a length and a quarter in 29.87 from Ballina Rambler, with third place going to Killonaghan Jess, owned in Fanore by PJ O’Donoghue.

Dolores takes feature race

Tyrur Dolores deprived the Clare-owned and trained Carmels Touch of a win in the featured race, an A3-graded 550, in Galway on Friday night.

It was the winner and runner-up who set the pace, with Lee Bandit in close attention by the rail as they rounded the first bend. As they raced down the back, Carmels Touch (trap three) was out in front of Tyrur Dolores by a length. Although going wide as they turned fo home, Tyrur Dolores, trained by John McDonagh for Tom McDonagh, Tuam, was the stronger finisher and had the advantage at the line by two and a quarter lengths from Carmels Touch, trained by Donie Duggan for Shannon owner Peter Russell. The time was 30.59.
Kilbannon Bertie scored the first part of a double for the McDonagh team when finishing first in an S2-graded 350 in 19.10.

Trainer Donie Duggan did have the consolsation of having the fastest winner of the night, Fred the Pilot, winner of an A4-graded 525. The son of Cashen Legend-Shiraz Surprise, owned by Aisling Hannon, Tulla, led from the start from trap five. Still showing the way down the far side and with bunching at the second last bend, Fred the Pilot steered home alone to win by six and three parts of a length with a fine 28.73 clock from Outback Kirsty.

There was a Clare winner in the opening race of the night, anA5-graded 525. Success in this race went to the trap six runner, Wood Pistol (Ballymac Ruso-Wood Pickle), owned in Kilrush by Art Maguire and Tom Cambridge. The winner came more into the picture down the far side when joining the leader, Willrose Chief. They then pulled clear of the rest and over the final two bends Wood Pistol started to take over and had a length advantage at the line on Willrose Chief. The time was 29.75.

Cillowen Waltz, owned in Ennis by George Gallery, finished third in an S8/S9-graded sprint won in 19.73 by McHugh Champ.

The fine effort by Good Slick, owned by Tommie Gallagher, Cooraclare, just failed in an A6-graded 525 when beaten a neck into second place. Glensaul Star in trap four made just about all the running to record his fourth career success. The winner, a daughter of Premier Fantasy and Deerpark Rachel, led by a length from Small Cragg rounding the opening bend. Down the back, both Maglass He Bound and Good Slick began to close and when the leader swung wide of the home bend, Good Slick made a great effort to get in front but the line just came in time for Glensaul Star, who had a clock of 29.73. Another West Clare-owned runner, Moyvana Cross (PJ O’Halloran) was third home, one length back.

There was an all Clare finish to an A5-graded 525, which saw the Headford-owned French Blaze lead once the traps lifted. Close behind were Snuggie Jack, in trap one, and Confused Bigbang, in five. However, rounding the opening bend, Confused Bigbang shot out in front to lead by three lengths approaching halfway. When the chasing pack began to close in over the final two bends, both Snuggie Jack and Clonlusk Spice, in trap four, were in with a great shout. Close to the line  Clonlusk Spice (Crash-Flying Magico), owned by Liam Shannon, the Burren, got up to defeat Confused Bigbang (Gerry Manley, Cratloe) by a length and a quarter in 29.56. It was a length back to the third-placed Snuggie Jack, owned in Newmarket-on-Fergus by Myles Cummins.

Jacksie beaten in Galway feature

After a series of fine wins,  the Quilty connections of Jacksies Roar had to settle for runner-up spot in the feature race of the night,  the A0/A1-graded 550,  at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday night.

Clonrooske Blue was smartly away from trap six to lead on the run-up from Jacksies Roar, in trap one, with Tyrur Latoya  (trap three) in third place making the turn. However,  Jacksies Roar came good down the back to go three lengths clear but as they exited the far side,   Tyrur Latoya (Kinloch Brae-Tyrur Liz) had closed the gap considerably. As they headed for home,  the John McDonagh (Tuam) trained Tyrur Latoya hit the front and stayed there to beat Jacksies Roar by a length and a half in 30.23. Up to then,  Jacksies Roar had won all his races over the 525 yards distance.

In all,  there were five Clare-owned winners on the night,  including two in first round heats of the Carrabane Community A2 525.

The first Carrabane winner was Mad For Money  (Hondo Black-Money Go Lucky) trained in Sixmilebridge by Bernard Coffey for John Whelan,  also from Sixmilebridge. Ronnie Rumble in trap two  and Heathlawn Blaze in trap six disputed the lead but with Ronnie Rumble moving a little wide,   Mad For Money in trap one got a fine run along the rail to go a length clear racing towards the halfway mark. The winner started to take over as they negotiated the third bend and at the line had two and a quarter lengths to spare on Feed Me Cherrys,  owned by Kim Knell,  Mountshannon. The time was 29.15.

Heat two went to the Frank Taylor,  Galway-owned ComboTaylor in 29.28 while North Clare owner,  Tom Flanagtan, Russa,  Ennistymon,  won heat three with his trap one runner,  Consequential  (Droopys Kewell-Coldwar Baby). After an even break,  Conseuenetial just held the advantage at the first bend and with two lengths between all the runners as they came to the third bend,   Consequenetial was still the one to beat. In the desperately close finish,  Consequential  just got up to beat Twosugaralice by a neck in 29.61 with just another neck to the third-placed  Muloc-owned by Martin Griffin,  Caherea.

The Claregalway-owned Noelles Fabio won heat four  in 29.05 and by two lengths from Hughie Keleghan’s O Garney Princess.

Shannon owner Sean McAllen started the ball rolling for the Clare contingent when winning the first  race of the night, an A4-graded 525 affair, with Smithstown Paddyin trap five. Glenside Evens and Amy Be Slick were the early pace maker but down the back Amy Be Slick moved wide and Smithstown Paddy switched inside and the son of Minnies Pavlova-Buddhas Babe raced into a good lead  to eventually win by six and a half lengths in 29.13 from Glenside Evans,  trained by Donal Cooney for Frank O’Meara and East Clare members of the Green Leaf syndicate.

The  Ger O’Reilly trained and Lisnagry-owned Fork Handle (Ballymac Maeve-Mottos  Dawn) went clear at the first bend and was still in front  at the finishing line to win an S5-graded sprint in 19.09 and by four lengths from Mine Raven, owned by Frank Browne,  Quin.

Ballyea-based owner-trainer, John Browne, also had a winner on the night,  his Rathmeehan Brett  (Eden Brett-Rathmeehan Angel) scoring from trap five in an S4-graded 350. Mossey Be Slick and Tyrur Winnie were first to show but they were quickly joined by Rathmeehan Brett, who was out in front and looking good at the opening bend. The winner went slightly wide off the home bend but  stayed on well to win by almost three lengths in 19.25 from Mossey Be Slick.

Trainer Donal Cooney and owner Darren Cooney,  Broadford, had  the winner of race five,  an A5-graded 525, with Friar Street  (Kinloch Brae-Maries Honcho). While Tyrur Damo in trap six was best away,  Friar Street was well up and running to lead at the first bend by a length. Gradually extending his lead down the back,  Friar Street was well in control for  the remainder of the race to win by close on 10 lengths in 29.15.

Leading all the way,  the Pat Conway-trained and Ballinasloe-owned Glass of Guinness  (Droopys Vieri-Heathlawn Flame) had a clock of 29.16 for her two lengths win in an A4-graded 525 from Feed Me Oysters, owned by Kim Knell,  Mountshannon.