Nifty win for East Clare trainer

East Clare trainer Donal Cooney had another good win at Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday night, this time in the Newmarket-on-Fergus GAA A4 Buster over 525 yards.

Winning for him on this occasion was Two Nifty in trap six. The Tralee-owned daughter of Kinloch Brae-Minnies Svetlana put in a strong challenge at the third bend, was in front at the home bend and raced on for a two and a half lengths win in 29.44.
In the all-Clare finish Snuggie Boy (Breda Casey, Newmarket-on-Fergus) was runner-up and Rudi Blue, trained by Darryl Hopper for Cheryl Hopper, Liscannor was a length-and-a-half back for third place.
The Eamon Finn trained and Butlerstown, Waterford owned Lisnaskill Ross won the Ladbrokes.com Irish Greyhound Derby Trial Stake final in Limerick on Saturday night.
With a trap six draw, the son of KillahanPhanter-Lisnakill Cindy led from the opening and drew clear to register an easy four lengths win in 30.05 from the Graham Holland-trained Bawna Missile who was slow away from trap one.
Fast clocks – all below the 29-second mark – were recorded in all of the seven first round heats of the Limerick Brakes A2 Quad Distance stake, also in Limerick on Saturday night. The best clock – 28.57 – went to Munster Trophy (Head Bound-Ogaras Dropgoal) the six-lengths winner of heat five.
The other heat winners were: Free Shadow (Westmead Hawk-Free Kewell) 28.94; Tintreach Tully (Ballymac Maeve-Alabama Star) 28.96; Colling Wood (Westmead Hawk-Night Time Lady) 28.77; Riverside Esther (Hondo Dingle-Riverside Polly) 28.90; Pool Hawk (Westmead Hawk-Blue Sapphire) 28.73) and Another Cowboy (College Causeway-Sandals Oz|) 28.86.
Gortglas Suzie (Blue Savings-Zipolip) was the first of a number of Clare winners at the Limerick track on Friday night. Owned by Michael Kennedy, c/o Killaloe Post Office, the white and black bitch got a fast start from trap two in the opening race of the night, an A4-graded 525. She was in front for all of the trip for her four-lengths win in 29.30 from Goforitblack owned by Liam Shannon, Ballynacally.
Nicola Downes was another Killaloe winner, her Yeah Me (Heah Man-Minnies Divine) recovering from a slow start from trap four to take over the running at the third bend and race on for a four lengths win from Glasson Lad. The time was a good 28.77 despite the slow start.
The Downes family was again represented in the following race, an A4-graded 525,but this time they had to settle for runner up spot with Bearhaven Gale. The race was won in 29.48 by the Kilmallock-owned Rathdromin Mags who beat the slow starting Bearhaven Gale by six lengths in 29.48.
Parteen-based trainer Joe Collins scored another win in Limerick on Friday night when Scariff Hawk was successful in the second semi-final heat of the Limerick and Clare GOBA A1 575. Leading down the back, the son of Westmead Hawk-Patterdale Luna stayed on well to beat Three Guesses by four lengths in a time of 31.61. The winner is owned by members of the Shanakyle syndicate.
The Patrick Guyilfoyle-trained Rustle of Leaves (Scarty Lad-Anhid Colleen) won the opening semi-final heat in 31.63.
Forced to check at the third bend, Blue Tarquynn, trained in Shannon by Jim McLoughlin for members of the JDD syndicate, Shannon, finished third in an A2-graded 525 won in a fast 28.93 by Action Breaker who had four lengths on Christys Ash. Blue Tarquynn was beaten a neck into third place.
North Clare owner-trainer, Tom Flanagan, was the only Clare winner at the meeting in Limerick on Monday night. His black bitch Contentious (Droopys Kerwell-Coldwar Baby) scored her seventh career winning when first across the finishing line in a semi-final heat of the Limerick and Clare GOBA A3 event over 525 yards. She challenged down the back, led at the third and came home a two lengths winner in 29.16.
Shanakyle Jet, owned and trained in Parteen by Joe Collins, was forced to check at the opening bend and finished third in an S6-graded sprint.
Limerick Racing Support Officer, Liam Kennedy, reports that the Dock Road venue will have a fundraiser in aid of Limerick Pride on this Friday night. The card will include the final of the Limerick-Clare GOBA A1 575.
The Saturday night meeting will be a fundraiser in aid of Crumlin and Chernobyl. The card will feature quarter finals of the Limerick Brakes A2 Quad Distance sweep over 550 yards and the final of the Syndication A3 525 and finals of the Limerick-Clare GOBA A4 550 and A3 525,
Limerick will again race on Monday night with semi-finals of the Limerick-Clare GOBA A3 550, A4 525 and Novice 750.
At the Limerick sale on July 10, the top lot was Cabra Slinky who won his sales trial in 29.13 and was sold for €2,500.

Majestic performance to win Corrib Plate heat

Opening round heats of the Flaherty Markets Corrib Plate were decided at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium on Thursday night in the lead up to the festival of racing at this venue during the first week of August.
By far the most exciting and fastest winner of the first round heats was Oran Style, owned by Des Elliott Whyte from Roscommon.
Drawing clear from the rest of the field after leading at the opening bend in heat four the son of Oran Majestic, had an easy 11 lengths win in 28.95. The runner-up was Malbay Rodger, a first time runner for Gerry Burke, Miltown Malbay.
A qualifier from the opening heats was Galway Bound, trained by Noel Mullins of Gort for members of the Arch Rivals syndicate, also from Gort.
The winner of the heat was the Loughrea owned Scots Law (Astronomic-Winetavern Peach) who was in front from the opening bend. Slow away from trap four, Galway Bound finished four-and-a-half-lengths behind the 29.70 winner.
Winner of heat two was another Gort owner, Tony Walsh, whose Another Problem came in as a reserve in trap one. The brindled son of Head Bound-Curryhills Fairy was running his first race competitive race and led at the first bend to set up a four lengths lead,
However, in a desperately close finish he had to hold out to win by a neck from Kielduff Oz (trap two) who started to close in from the third bend. The clock was 29.23.
Other heat winners were the Patrick Guilfoyle owned and trained Magical Roddy (Hondo Black-MsPepinstep) 29.11; the Gerry Holian-trained Successor (Hondo Black-Missing Sangel) 29.40; the Monastervein-owned Lughhill Sonya (Razldazl Billy-Pams Lilly) 29.05; the Woodquay-owned Lynwood Ellen (Hondop Black-Summerfield Jean) 29.89 and the Navan-owned Hee Haws Ollmhor (Droopys Robhino-Droopys Jean) 29.46.

Clare owners draw a blank at Galway track

From their 18 runners, Clare owners failed to come away with a winner from the Galway track on Friday night.
They had runners up and placed dogs in a number of races, the first of which was Scattery Bullet in the very first race of the night, an A9-graded 525. Owned by members of the Scattery syndicate from the Killimer area, the wide running Scattert Bullet was always second to the Thurles-owned Wagga Lee who won the race by two lengths in 30.03. Scattery Bullet was runner up.
Eighty Five, owned by Frank Casey, Stonehall, was similarly placed in the next race, an A8 graded 525, won by Tipp the Bonner in 30.14. However, after leading by five lengths up to the third bend the 5/4 favourite had a close call, as his winning margin was only a neck from Eightyfive.
Trained by John Browne for the Rinenna syndicate of Clare owners, Runway Charlie finished third in an S6/S7-graded 350 won in 19.37 by Mary Moran’s Ollys Nifty.
After meeting a lot of trouble near the opening bend, Glasheen Eden was also third in an A6-graded 525 for Kilkee owner, Brendan Browne. The Co. Cork owned Unknown Jessie won the race in a time of 29.64.
First home in an S4-graded sprint was the Nenagh-owned Bubbles Catunda who had opened up a two lengths lead as he came from the back straight. The Tony Fahy trained runner stayed in control of affairs for the rest of the race to win by two lengths from Willbrook Queen (Michael Davoren, Ennistymon). The clock was 19.06.
The Newmarket-on-Fergus owned Boherash Torpedo railed well to take the lead by a length from French Touch at the opening bend in an A5-graded race. With the rest of the field going wide off the bend, French Touch got on terms with Boherash Torpedo and there was nothing between them as they raced down the back. Between the final two bends French Touch edged out to eventually win by a length and a half from Boherash Torpedo. Three and a quarter lengths further back for third spot was Clonmore Duke owned by Mary Kennedy, Ballynacally.
Miltown Malbay owner, Sean Hehir, had the early leader in Dunsallagh Pride in an S2-graded sprint. Fast away as usual, he led by two lengths from the closely bunched pack at the opening bend. As they rounded the bend Acert came through to challenge, as did Jumeirah Socks on the wide outside. As they turned for home it was Jumeirah Socks who dictated matters as he went on to win by two and a quarter lengths in 19.16 from Acert with Dunsallagh Pride in third place, four lengths back.
There was a thrilling finish to the last race on the card, an A3-graded 525 involving the locally owned Windfield Lass and Garryfine Ben, owned by the Limerick-based and Leitrim (Kilmihil) native David Browne. First to show was the trap six runner, Kylea Dreamer, owned in Inagh by Irene Barry, to lead by a length from Garryfine Ben in one with Windfield Lass (trap four) in fourth place as they rounded the opening bend. The Inagh-owned runner was three lengths to the good from Garryfine Ben at half-ways but after railing well at the home bend, Windfield Lass came through to go in front close to home. Garryfine Ben came with a great burst but just failed as Windfield Lass was declared the winner by a neck in 29.43. Garryfine Ben was runner-up and a length and a half back for third place was Kylea Dreamer.

Another tornado win for Cork owner

Cork owner, Tony Hegarty won for the second week on the trot with the Tony Hegarty trained Unknown Tornado in one of the two featured races in Galway on Saturday night.
In the A2 graded 525 Unknown Tornado  (Crash-Unknown Lulu), led all the way for his one length win over the Mungret (Pat Horgan) owned and Pat Conway trained Rubber Bandit. The time was 29.07
In the other A2-graded race on the card all six runners wre lined across the track as they came to the first bend. Rounding the bend Solvitas Boy hit the front followed by ComboJack and the Shannon owned Peadars Touch as they made their way down the back. Increasing his lead as the race progressed to half ways Solvitas Boy, trained by Pat Conway for Pat Horgan, went on to win the race by four lengths in a time of 29.22 from Tyrur Sammon. Beaten a neck into third place was Peadars Touch, trained by Donie Duggan for Peter Russell.
Taking the initiative at the opening bend and helped by crowding among his rivals, the Tuam-owned Bumblebee Messi won the first race of the night, an S8 graded sprint, by five-and-a-half lengths in 19.70 from the West Clare owned and first time runner, Monmore Gold  (Tommy Purtill). Third was reserve runner, Micks Blessing, owned in Kinvara by John O’Sullivan.
Another Kinvara owner, Billy Kilroy, had better luck in the next race that was won by his Glenbrack Annie in trap four. This was an A8-graded 525 and there was little between all runners as they came to the first bend. Monmore Clare in one and owned by Clare Purtill and Harbour Lad in three railed best to dispute the lead down the far side.
Monmore Clare kicked clear by a length as they passed the halfway mark but as this stage of the race Glenback Annie was making up ground from the back of the field and as they made their way from the back straight the daughter of Bit Chill-Glenbrack Tina took over as the new front runner and go to win the race by two lengths in 30.03 from Monmore Clare.
The third race on the card, an S7-graded 350, produced another win for Inagh owner, Aisling Arthur with her Triggs of Inagh.
Drawn in trap one, the daughter of Droopys Scolari-Cathy of Inagh made full use of the inside lane to create a three lengths lead as they rounded the opening bend. With the rest of the field going slightly wide, Triggs of Inagh was now four in front as they turned for home. The chasing pack had not given up, however, and made up some ground but at the line it was Triggs of Inagh by one-and-a-half lengths in 19.56, much to the delight of the Arthur family and the Inagh contingent.
John O’Sullivan made it another win for Kinvara with his Clonkelly Eagle doing the business in an A5 graded 525. From the start the winner and Rosiejo disputed the lead and it was the latter who was in front by a length as the hit the back. However, Clonkelly Eagle closed in again and took the lead after rounding the third bend.
The son of Ninas Worldclass-Smooth Point survived the challenge of Rosiejo to take the race by three parts of a length with a clock of 29.85.
The Doonbeg Gipsy Madam finished third in an A3-graded 525 won in 29.10 by Spiddal Star.
In an A4-graded 525, the Dave Lavelle trained Davris Jim recovered from being in fourth place going down the back to take the lead off the home bend and go on to win by four lengths in 29.14 from Tommie Gallagher’s reserve runner, Breda Be Slick.
The combination of Stephen Murray, trainer and owner, Frankie Sheehan from Ennis, came through on the eighth race, a 525 for A4 graders.
They had 5/4 favourite, Young John, in trap four and he was well placed behind the early leader, Bumblebee Bingo (trap five), as they came to the opening bend.
Moving up a gear the son of Hondo Black-Money Go Lucky took over from the early leader as they passed half way and from here until the finishing line it was all Young John who had five lengths on runner up, Willrose Hawk. The time was 29.08 for his fourth career success.