Quilty and Quin trainers double up

WHILE none of the major stakes came the way of Clare owners, they nonetheless recorded two wins from two finals at the annual festival of racing, which concluded at Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday night.
Both successes were on Saturday night and the first up was Frank Cleary from Ballymakeamore, Quilty, whose Ballard Kuzco featured well throughout the Gain Foods A3 event. Runner-up in the first round and a winner at the semi-final stage, he had a trap-three draw in the final and after a lively break was the front runner from the opening bend where the even-money favourite, Combo Jack, in trap three, moved off. Ballard Kuzco continued to lead the way but in the closing stages, the connections of the son of Ballymac Maeve-Jacksie’s Nicki were on their toes as the County Westmeath-owned Springwell Soda, a reserve runner in trap three, came with a late charge. However, Ballard Kuzco, also trained by Frank Cleary, was not to be denied his fourth career win and he held out to win by a neck in a time of 29.01. Combo Jack was two lengths behind for third place.
It was a good week for the Quilty owner-trainer as he also handles Kilcorcoran Manu, a winner in Galway on Friday night. The winner is owned by Frank’s nephew, Conor Cleary, centre-back on the Clare minor hurling team to play Dublin in the All-Ireland Minor Hurling semi-final in Croke Park on Sunday. In a pulsating finish, the son of Ace Hi Rumble-Ballard Nikita came charging through to deny Springwill Dill by a length and a half. The time was 29.14. The winning connections are hoping this win will be a good omen for the big hurling game over the weekend.
The second Clare owner to claim a final on Saturday night was West Clare native Frank Browne, now living in Quin. His representative in the Oran Kennells A5 final over 525 yards was Mine Chariot in trap two. The joint 7/4 favourite with the Donie Duggan-trained Kay’s Class was smartly away from trap two to lead at the opening bend. Extending his lead from this stage, the son of Hades Rocket- Jumeirah Jess coasted home to a four-and-a-quarter-length win from May’s Dazzler in trap three. The clock For Mine Chariot’s eighth career win was 29.00. Beaten a neck into third place was Kay Lynch’s Kay’s Class. Mine Chariot won his semi-final heat in 29.24 on the previous Wednesday night from Jumeriah Socks and Wood Nina.
This was the first part of a nice double for the Quin-based man. He also claimed the last race of the night, an A4 graded 525 with Mine Hazel, owned Mary Browne. This race produced another spine-tingling finish with Mine Hazel, a litter sister of Mine Chariot, catching up on Ballyhale Clair to win by a head in 29.48. A length and a quarter behind for third place was Wood Leo owned by Carl Maguire, Killimer, and Adrian Ennis, Kilkee.
Another West Clare winner on Saturday night was John Joe O’Dea from Derrylough whose Derrylough Boy won the first race on the card, an S9 graded sprint. A 7/4 chance in trap six, the son of Hometown Boy-Derrylough Topps, was the one to beat after the first bend. He continued to show the way to the finishing line where he had nearly three lengths on his nearest rival, Tyrur Azarenka (6/4) in trap three.
Ballyvaughan owner, Douglas Culligan, was in hard luck in the next race, an A7 graded 525 when his Pinnacle Star just failed to make it win number two for the Banner County. Leading from the home bend, he was involved in a great finish with reserve runner, Barebersfort Pudsy, who got the verdict by a neck in 30.02.
Young John, trained by Stephen Murray for Frank Sheehan, Ennis, was in the line-up for the final of the Race Week 350 affair. However, the Seamus Fahy-trained Quarter Poet in trap five looked the likely winner from early on and the 5/4 favourite got safely through for a three-and-a-quarter-length win in a fast 18.82 from Sellout Skip. Young John was the same distance back for third place.
Rathangan trainer, Reggie Roberts, is back making the headlines, this time with his very fast puppy, Mistaken, who went unbeaten on his way to winning the big final of the week, the €17,000 Oran Majestic A5 525 in Galway on Saturday night. The son of Ace Hi Rumble-Woodhill Spark was installed as the money-on favourite in trap three but he did not have it all his own way as he was hard pressed by Solo Traveller (trap one) in the final strides to by a neck in 28.86.
The previous race, the Race Week A4 525 final, was also won by the Rathangan trainer with his 4/5 favourite Night Smoke (Ace Hi Rumble- Casual Steps) who had three and a half lengths on Coolalough Gem in 29.00.
The West Clare-owned Clune Mystery (Pat Madigan and Rachel Mulqueen) finished third in the Kudos Catering At Galway A8 final on August 1 won by Amy Be Slick (19.49).
Ealu West, trained by Martin Fahy for Michael Sheedy, Darragh, won his semi-final heat of the Race Week A4  in 29.01 but failed to finish among the first three home in Saturday night’s final.
The Browne family from Leitrim, Kilmihil, will have a runner in the final of the Flaherty Markets A7 final this Thursday night. Burnpark Jane (Edet Brett-Burnpark Beauty), owned by Maria Browne, won her semi-final heat in Galway last Thursday night with a clock of 29.42, leading from the opening bend and staying on to beat Summerfield Gold by a length and a half.
Out of the Sky was the 20.03 winner of the other semi-final from Gowerhass Tune owned in West Clare by Mary and Michael Liddane. Trap draw for the final: 1. Burnpark Jane; 2. Badgerfort Wally; 3. Out of the Sky; 4. Gowerhass Tune; 5. Unknown Argument; 6. Summerfield Gold.
Varra Polly, trained by Donal Cooney for the Boys’ Club Syndicate from East Clare, qualified for the final of the Race Week A2 event over 525 yards when finishing runner-up to the 29.01 and three-and-a-half-length winner, Solvitas Boy. Third spot was claimed by Donie Duggan’s Knoppogue Green.
Ardera Rambo won the other semi-final in 29.61.
Ennistymon owner Michael Davoren had Wilbrook Queen in the Oran Majestic S3 final but had to be satisfied with third place, the race going to Balllybrone Jack in 19.59.
In an A6 graded 525, Full Blunt (Noel Mullins, Gort) and Glasheen Den (Brendan Browne, Kilkee) finished in second and third places respectively behind Noelle’s Swiftco, the 29.25 winner by nearly two lengths.
Dry and Mild, a 7/1 outsider won the Flaherty Markets’ Corrib Plate final. Oran Style was the 6/4 favourite in trap five but he was badly baulked at the opening bend and went back to fifth place. Owned in Templemore by Gil Liddle, Dry and Mild (Express Ego- Mild Flavour) went clear down the far side but Oran Style started to come back into the picture over the final two bends and in a very exciting finish, Dry and Mild got there by a neck from Oran Style. The time was 28.97.
As well as Kilcorcoran Manu, Peadar’s Touch and Hold it Heather won for Clare owners in Galway on Friday night.
Trained by Donie Duggan for Peter Russell, Shannon, Peadar’s Touch (Kinloch Brae-Climate’s Kewell) was in flying form from the start in the Flaherty’s Market A2 race over 550 yards. He led all the way for his exciting length-and-a-half win from the locally owned Come on The Banner in a time of 30.52. Third home was Lismadine Jack owned by Paddy Troy, Kilkee and Conor McInerney, Clarecastle.
North Clare owner, Liam Shannon, Burren, got his name among the winners courtesy of his Hold it Heather in an A3 graded race. Well placed going into the third bend, the daughter of Premier Fantasy-Glenfort Rumble went clear at this stage to win by nearly seven lengths in 29.49 from Sellout Fast Fit owned by Peter Connolly and John Quinn, Gort.
Glenfort Dusk (Brigid D’Arcy, Ballyvaughan) was runner-up to Winter Dream who won a 700-yard race by a length and a quarter. The time was 39.93
Also runner-up in his race, an A1 graded 525, was Donie Duggan’s Knoppogue Mate who was beaten six lengths by Kildroum Impact who had the best clock of the night, 28.46.