Outside winner for Cooney family

THERE was East Clare success at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium last Saturday night at the all-sponsored Croom Community Development fundraiser.
Walkontheoutside (Royal Impact-Generosity) came in as a reserve, in trap one, for the absent Tullovin Ramble and went on to duly oblige trainer, Donal Cooney, Broadford and owner, Darren, his son. Merlin Hawk Hawk was the money-on favourite, in trap six, but was slow away and forced to check at the third. In contrast, Walkontheoutside bombed out of trap one  and his terrific early pace saw the black lead all the way for a handsome 28.65 win in the Brodericks Spar Coom A3 525 final. In the process, he beat Clounanna Pixie, the runner-up, by three lengths, for his third career win.
In the following race, the Charleville Cheese A4 600, the Nicola Downes (Killaloe) trained Portroe Craic was just deprived when beaten a head by the Pa Fitzgerald-trained and Surrey-owned Kerry Gap. The time was 33.22.
In an earlier A8 graded 525, Mary Crotty’s (O’Briensbridge) Inislosky Dive led at ther first bend but lost her lead at the third to the Abbeyfeale-owned reserve runner, Rember Ciara,who won the race by six lengths in 29.56 from Inislosky Diva.
The Stephen Murray-trained Ballymac Juice, owned by the X In Bed Syndicate from Feakle, got a bad start from trap three in an A4 graded 525 and finished in third place.The race was won in a fast 28.62 by the Shanagolden-owned Zulu Royal.
A good challenge by Gortglas Suzie (Michael Kennedy, Killaloe Post Office) from the third bend was not sufficient to win an A5 graded 525, which was won in 29.47 by Knockard Rose. The winning distance was two lengths.
In the second-last race of the night, Steragel Mine, owned by Brendan Carroll, Newmarket-on-Fergus, was baulked at the opening bend and finished third in an A5 575 won in 31.75 by Kish Chopin.
Meelick owner, Patrick Cronin, had a good start to proceedings at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium last Friday night when his Turbo Jet won the opening race of the night.
In his maiden race, the son of Farley Turbo-Fastaway Baby led from the opening bend on his way to a two-and-a-half-length win in 29.40 in the N1 graded Unraced 525.
In the second-last race of the night, Inislosky Jacko, owned by Mary Crotty, was third in an A5 graded 525, which produced a 20.23 winner in the Crecora-owned Carvill’s Hill.
The Limerick card this Friday night features first-round heats of the €3,000 Varra Stakes A4 525 with €1,200 and a trophy for the overall winner.
On Saturday night, there will be a fundraiser for Lattin-Cullen AFC and the feature event will be the Lattin-Cullen AFC Buster with the winner to receive €1,000 and a trophy.