Powerstown Park – where dogs become legends

THE Clare challengers were kept well apart when the draw for  the national coursing meeting was made on Sunday night.
A total of six runners with Clare connections will go to slips for the Boylesports.Com Derby (64) and the Greyhound and Pet World Oaks (64) in Clonmel with four more included in the reserves for the new-look national meeting.
The three-day meeting has been changed from being an event early in the week to a weekend attraction so that all the action in Powerstown Park will be on Saturday, Sunday and Monday next, starting at 11.30am each day.
ICC secretary, DJ Histon, told  The Clare Champion they decided to change the usual format for a number of reasons. Foremost in their mind was to give everyone an opportunity to attend the national meeting. With the meeting on weekdays, school and college students were prevented from supporting the event. In the current econmic climate, some workers could find it difficult to take time off to attend on week days.
He added the huge attendance at the draw augured well for the meeting. Bookings were very strong in local hotels for the first ever weekend national meeting
When the draw was made on Sunday night, the first Clare-owned dog out of the hat for the Derby was Windfarm Hill, trained by Pat Curtin for owners, Michael Eustace, Ennis, and Kevin Barry, from near Clonmel. Drawn in the first quarter, Windfarm Hill (16/1), who qualified from East Donegal, meets Droopy’s Bestie (16/1), the Dungarvan winner, owned by Michael Dunphy, Portlaw.
Next out was Phoenix Bruno (20/1), the Dundalk and Dowdallshill qualifier, owned by Diarmaid and Eoin Garrahy, Clonlara, and Ian Reilly, Johnstown, County Meath. He has a second-quarter clash with Team Tyson (25/1), owned by Joe McCarthy, Bandon, and representing the Fermoy Club.
Also drawn in the second quarter is Kermadec (33/1), owned by John Quinn, Ennis, and Ger Mahony, Loughrea. The Nenagh qualifier goes to slips with the Castletown Geoghegan qualifier and Glin-owned Go On Slogan (28/1).
Barefoot Magnus (50/1), owned by former Ennis resident, Bryan Murphy, Cayman Islands, is drawn in the fourth quarter, against Screwdriver (33/1), the Galbally winner.
Reserve C is Guts and Fire, who won the reserve at the South Clare meeting for Louise Meaney, Burrane, Killimer, and Helen Fitzgerald, Tralee, while litter brother, Sharp Dancer, who won the Killimer-Kilrush reserve for John Meaney, Burrane, and his son, Jason, is reserve E. Reserve  F is the George Gallery-trained Colossal Impact, winner of the Ennis Clarecastle reserve, for members of the Colosasl Syndicate from Ennis and Kilmaley.
Competing in the first quarter of the Oaks is Kinielty Jazz (40/1) carrying the hopes of Liscannor brothers, Declan and Terry McDonagh. The Tubbercurry winner meets Miss Katie (40/1), who won at Macroom for John Murphy and Peter Reynolds, Mitchestown.
Drawn in the third quarter of the Oaks is the Miltown Malbay-owned Knockbrack Lucy (25/1) who came through the South Clare card for trainer Michael Nestor and owners, Killian and Keevan Nestor. She meets Ardmore Charmer (33/1) who won at Westport.
Bend Your Kee (20/1) representing Mullagh native, Dr Paddy O’Kelly, Mullingar, and Tim McAuliffe and the Castletown Geoghegan Coursing Club also has a third quarter date with Stay Straight (33/1) who won at Ballingar for Roscrea owner Robert Moloney.
In the fourth quarter is Winsome Kate (33/1), who won at Tradaree for Sean Doyle, Barefield, Ennis, and  Donal Cooney, O’Callaghan’s Mills. She comes up against Minorcas Flyer ( 16/1), the County Carlow winner, owned by Pat Harty, Leamybrien.
Reserve E in the Oaks is Gambain Lady, owned by Bernard Quinn, Woodpark, Newmarket-on-Fergus and Sinéad and Emer Guiney, Newmarket, County Cork. She won the Rathcormac reserve.
n The ICC have arranaged for special buses to bring supporters to Clonmel over the three days. The Clare bus will leave the Halfway Bar, Ennis each day at 8.30am, returning one hour after coursing.