No joy in Carrabane finals

CLARE owners recorded four wins in Galway on Saturday night but failed to pull off a win in either of the two finals, the Carrabane A2 575 or the Carrabane Community A3 525.
The County Mayo-owned Sonny Tazz, in trap five, went off favourite for the A3 final but he missed his break and was badly impeded at the opening bend. Outback Kirsty and and Somebody Special were the early leaders from Cavansheath Messi in third place. However, as they came from the back, Cavansheath Messi was the new front runner and he held the rest of the runners at bay to win the race by one-and-a-half lengths in 29.53 from Outback Kirsty. Beaten a neck into third place was Somebody Special, trained by Noel Mullins for the Rooster Syndicate, Scariff.
Ascot Ace (John Hourigan, Quin, and Pat Reeves) in trap five and Alice Rumble (Janet Downes, Killaloe), both trained by Mick Downes filled the minor places in the A2 575 final won by the Seamus Fahy-trained and Cork-owned Tromora Dot (Droopy’s Scolari- Prestige Aoife). Well away in the inside, the winner led by two lengths at the operning bend from the Doonbeg-owned Gipsy Madam and Ascot Ace. With crowding behind her, Tromora Dot went clear by four lengths and while Ascot Ace in trap five challenged strongly from the home bend, Tromora Dot held out to win by half a length in 31.88 from Ascot Ace. Nearly two lengths back for third place was Alice Rumble.
The first of the Clare wins was in the opening race of the night, the S9 graded sprint won by Woodlawn Rumble (Ace Hi Rumble-Ferryside Miss), owned by John Conway, Kilrush. The winner, in trap two, and Miss the Gold, in five, were best away and they were evenly matched in the long run to the opening bend. However, as they rounded the bend, Woodlawn Rumble  went to the front by a few lengths and while Scotish Deal posed a threat, there was to be no denying Woodlawn Rumble who recorded a one and a half lengths win in 19.79.
Frank Casey from Stonehall, Newmarket-on-Fergus made it win number two for the Banner with Boherash Torpedo in the second race on the card, an S7 graded sprint. Fast Fit Lar, the Gort owned and 5/4 favourite, in trap six, and Rudi Blue, in two, were fastest off the mark but as they negotiated the opening bend, Boherash Torpedo came between them to take the lead and the race was as good as over  a few strides later. The son of Hades Rocket-Boherash Charity) won by five-and-a-half lengths in a time of 19.56 from Fast Fit Lar (John Quinn) and Hilltop Wings (Jeremiah Lernihan).
Ennis owners, Sean J Heeney and Tony Quinn, made it three on the trot for Clare with their Cahercalla Risk (Scarty Lad-Risk Everything) in race number three, an A5 graded 525. Reserve runner Slim Away, in six, was first to show but on the run to the bend, he was passed by Cahercalla Risk, in trap four. Two lengths clear at the opening bend, the Ennis-owned black performed well down the back to go three lengths clear at the third bend. He romped home a two-length winner in 29.52, much to the delight of his Ennis connections.
To Miltown Malbay owner, Michael O’Brien, fell the honour of having the last Clare success of the night with his Knockdine Black in an A4 graded 525-yard race. The pace setter was the trap-five runner, Tyrap White, who led by half a length from another Clare-owned runner, Speed Tramp in trap six. Tyrap White was two lengths clear down the back, extended the lead to three by the halfway stage but Knockdine Black in trap one was starting to move. By the third bend, he was right up with the early pace maker and in an all-Clare finish got up close to the line to win by half a length in 29.56 from Tyrap White owned in Shannon by Sean McAllen. Half a length back for third spot was the Michael Downes-trained and Janet Downes-owned Tell Me Skinner.
Kerrane, owned in Gort by Willie Carr and Shane Counihan, finished third in the next race, an A6 graded 525, won in 29.61 by Oranmore Astro.
Runner-up in an S3 graded 350 was Killerk Sammy owned by Kieran Nugent and Aaron Nugent. The three-length winner in 19.17 was Rocky be Slaick.
The Hughie Kelegahan-owned Aulton Hawk (Westmead Hawk-Loclar Cia) won the bumper race, an A3 graded 550, leading the Cooraclare-owned Fernpark Express by two lengths at the opening bend. This was the order in which they finished, Aulton Hawk winning by a length and three quarters from Ann Carey’s black. The time was 30.97.

Two Clare winners
THERE were just two Clare succeses over the two nights of racing at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium.
The winner on Friday night was Marty Crotty from O’Briensbridge whose Inislosky Swift (Kinlock Brae-Turbo Flight) was first to cross the line in an A3 graded 525. Getteing a great start from trap one, the black bitch went on to win by a length-and-a-half in 29.16.
In an earlier race, Shanell Coco, owned by Bridget Casey, also from O’ Briensbridge, was runner-up to Orlas Treasure, the 29.65, winner of an A8 graded 525.
Third home in his A3 graded 525-yard race was Jennick (Jennie Griffin and Nick Bailey, Gort).
Helen Coffey, from near Sixmilebridge, won an A3 graded 525 with her O’Garney Rock (Ballymac Maeve O’Garney Pearl) in Limerick on Saturday night. Coming strong down the back straight to  lead over the home bends, O’Garney Rock had a winning distance of five lengths in a time of 29.00.
Placed in their races on the same night were Exit One (JJ and Sean Crowe, Ennistymon), Beezy Daisy (Maura McDonagh, Kilnamona) and Holly Wood Pat Carey Cratloe).