Record-breaking run by Definate Opinion

THE record-breaking run by dual Cesarewitch winner Definate Opinion (Surf Lorian-Josiva) was the big talking point after first-round heats of the 2011 Kerry Agribusiness Irish St Leger were decided at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium last weekend.
His winning time in heat three was 29.54, three spots quicker than the record set by Farley Turbo in winning last year’s Irish Leger.
Trained by Pat Guilfoyle for Finola Richardson, Doon, he got off got off to a flyer from trap four to lead Judicial Academy and Varra Cpatain down the back. At the line, the new record holder had five lengths on Judicial Academy with Varra Captain two lengths back for third place.
As expected the unbeaten Ocean Crash (Crash- Ocean Lucky) owned and trained by Tom Fitzgerald, Jnr in Parteen, won the opening heat in a time of 29.98. He led from the second bend to take the race by two lengths from Aranock Hand.
Showing good early pace in heat two, Holly Wood, owned by Pat Carey, Cratloe, was in front at the opening bend but was overtaken by Shelbourne Geoff down ther back. And at the line, it was Shelbourne Geoff (29.83) by seven lengths from Holly Wood.
Pull the Plug was the 30.17 winner of heat four while Ennis-based owner, Michael Hogan, won heat five with the Paul Hennessy-trained What a Tornadio in trap five. Leading down the back, the  son of Crash-Late Delievery finished well to win the heat by three lengths in 29.67 from De Ex Factor, also trained by the Gowran man.
The sixth and final heat on Friday night went to Killian’s Express with a clock of 29.96.
Due to conditions, times were slower for the Saturday night heats with only two greyhounds getting below the 30 second mark-Soviet Marco (29.95) and Paradise Casino (29.99).
Inislosky Magoo, owned by Mary Crotty, O’Briensbridge, qualified from heat seven. Tyrur Valdez led all the way to win by two lengths in 30.50 from the South-East Clare owned black son of Astronomic- Rushaun Breeze.
Big Appetite was the 30.33 winner of heat eight with the Kilmallock-owned Soviet Marco doing the business with the fastest clock in the following heat.
Rathorope Hawk (Westmead Hawk-Rathorpa Star) has been doing well for Tubber owner, Martin Kelly, in recent tines. He followed up with another good performance on Saturday night when leading at the second bend to win heat 10 with a clock of 30.35. He won by three and a half lengths from Tyrur Lohan, the odds-on favourite. 
There were two more qualifiers from the final heats.
Inch Gunner, owned by Tony Daffy, was fourth in heat 11, which was won was by Paradise Casino.
The Denis O’Malley-trained Ballyhannon (Seamus Diggan) was runner-up in the final heat won by Dream Walker who had four lengths to spare in a time of  30.30.
For the second-round heats next Saturday night, Inislosky Magoo is drawn in trap four in the opening heat with 1. Tyrur Columbo; 2. Definate Opinion; 3. Banba the Face; 5. Allowdale Prince; 6. Peony Flash. Ballyhannon (trap two) and Holly Wood (trap three) are drawn in heat two with 1. Big Appetite; 4. Whatsupjack; 5. Dua Dearg; 6. Knockdrinna Pact.
Three more of the Clare qualifiers for round two of the classic are drawn in heat six. Inch Gunner (trap one), Rathorope Hawk (trap two) and What a Tornado (trap four). With them are   3. Mohane Eile; 5. Boherash Torres and 6. Pool Hawk.
Ocean Crash runs from trap three in heat eight with 1. Gleenanore; 2. Hey Gringo; 4. Burn Em Up; 5. Tyrur Valkdez; 6. Judiicial Acamedy.
Donoughmore Lass (Tyrur Ted-Any Customer) trained by Michael Downes for Galway owner, Enda Rooney won her semi-final heat of the Scanlon Services Station A3 semi-final in Limerick last Friday night. In a tight finish, the fawn just got in front of Broadacres Jet at the line to win by a neck in 29.06. Two lengths back for third place was the Donie Duggan trained Manus Teddy (Pat McInerney, Manus). The second semi-final was won in 29.26 by Treaty Brigade.
Placed in their races in Limerick on Saturday night were Upland Lake (Harry Galvin, Cratloe) and Black Sod (John Meaney, Kilrush).

Pal Duke wins in style

CLARE owners have been making a habit of winning many of the top-graded races at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium of late.  Inagh owner-trainer, Colman O’Loughlin continued the trend last Thursday night with his Pal Duke getting the better of all in the concluding A3 graded 525.
Drawn in the wide outside, the son of Droopy’s Scolari-Cathy of Inagh broke smartly to set up an early two-length lead from the Pater Scales (Liscannor)-owned  Bogberry Kitty in five and Bellaghy Twink in three. He was still two lengths to the good at the halfway and  took control coming from the back to win by two and three parts of a length in 29.50 from the reserve runner,Tyrur Feeney.
TJ McMahon’s Bodyshop Flame was third in the first race of the night, an A4 graded 525 won by Tyrur Alexandra in 29.30.
Getting the better of Milesian Story and Balrobuck Biz in the fourth race, an A7 graded 525, Conor Fahy went on to make it a double for the family with Tyrur Scholes who won the race in 29.49 and by half a length from Milesian Story owned in West Clare by Patrick Conlon.
Clare and South Galway owners were involed in the final shake-up for honours in an S8 graded 350-yard race. Fitzler Bolt, Corker Maldini and Woodpark Blaze were locked together in the race to the opening bend where  Woodpark Blaze in one moved off the rail and carried Fitzler Bolt with her. This paved the way for Corker Maldini in two to move two lengths clear but he had it all to do before beating Viper Castle by a short head in a time of 19.88. The winner is trained by Jennie Griffin in Gort for Kevin Fahey, Kiltartan, while Viper Castle is owned in Kilrush by Michael Clancy. Third home, Woodpark Blaze, is trained by Stephen Murray for Tradaree Coursing Club member, Johnny Quinn.
Fitzler Chip (Colm and Oran Fitzgerald, Kilrush) was runner-up to the 19.49 winner of an S6 graded 350-yard race, Captain Brittles, trained by John Corbett.
Also a runner-up in an A5 graded 525 was Miss Slick, owned by Tommie Galagher, Cooraclare. The 29.90 winner by one and three-quarter lengths was Bumblebee Rosie.
Another Cooraclare owner, Tom Keane, was on the ball in race six which was for A5 graders over 525 yards with his Clonreddan Sam. The son of Droopy’s Vieri-Clonreddan Tina brought off a shock win and was available on the tote at odds of over 20/1. Roy of Inagh led early on but the chasing field closed in going down the back. Before they reached the finishing line, Clonreddan Sam had made his way to the front to win by nearly three lengths in 29.85. The runner-up was Roy of Inagh owned in Inagh by Sean Arthur.
Clare and  South Galway were again in the frame following the outcome of an A5-graded race over 525 yards. Setting the pace from trap six was TJ McMahon’s Bodyshop Legacy who led at the first and increased his lead to five lengths following bunching at the rear of him. However, as they turned for home, the Jack Mahony-trained World Cup Wonder, owned in Gort by Sinead Lawlor, came with a great run to win in the last few strides by three parts of a length in 29.69. Bodyshop Legacy was runner-up and Paddy Conlon’s Milesian Surf took third place.

Another big win for Clare

BURNPARK Royal made it another big win for Clare at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium last Friday night.
This was in the  Galway Camogie Board Buster Stake, which was the highlight of the meeting.
The A4 graded 550, sponsored  by Supermacs, saw Tiermani Vieri in one and Burnpark Royal in three get the better of the early exchanges from the Newmarket-on-Fergus owned and 6/4 favourite, Snuggie Bear. The leaders got safely around the opening bend as Goforithondo went off the bend. Burnpark Royal then went two lengths clear by the halfway stage and from here, there was no catching the Mary Browne-owned son of Royal Impact-Burnpark Cuckoo  and and at the line he had close on five lengths on Frank Casey’s Tiermana Vieri in 30.56.  Beaten a neck into third place was Gorfortithonda owned by Liam Shannon, Ballynacally.
The top graded race of the night went to Tromora Dot (Droopy’s Scolari-Prestige Aoife), trained by Seamus Fahy for Kevin O’Sullivan, Cork and Owen Treston, Mayo. Lismadine Jack (Paddy Troy and Conor McInerney) was first in front after the traps lifted and was still clear at the halfway stage. However, Tromora Dot was well placed at this stage and took the lead at the second-last bend, racing on for as a 29.11 win, beating Snuggie Babe (Breda Casey, Newmarket-on-Fergus) by nearly two lengths. Lismadine Jack was beaten a head into third place.
However, the Newmarket-on-Fergus owner was back in the top spot after her Snuggie Boy (Group Rooster-Christian’s Lady) won the next race, which was for A2 graders over 550 yards. Leading at the first bend was Martin Keane’s Ad Lib in trap two from Leo’s Bettina (trap four) and Snuggie Boy (trap three). Down the back, the Kilimihil-owned Ad Lib had an advantage of two lengths on Snuggie Boy but as they turned for home, the Newmarket-on-Fergus-owned white and black switched inside and just got up close to the line to beat Ad Lib by a head in a time of 30.56. Third place was filled by Wood Crash owned in Kilrush by Carl Maguire and Adrian Ennis.
The Gerry Holian-trained Airforce Kerrie won the opening race, an A5 graded 525, in a 29.26, beating Anna Spot, trained by Sean Cooke, by four lengths.
Ennistymon owner, Michael Davoren, had the second winner on the card, an S5 graded 350. His Wilbrook Queen in trap six was in second place behind Sprucey Bonus as they made their way down the home straight and in the race to the line, Willbrook Queen (Prince Monalulu-Missouri Dame) got to the frOnt to win by two lengths in 19.43. Third home was Rathorpe Rancho (Madeline Walsh, Gort).
Bugsy’s Snowball (Patrick Malone, Kilrush) was third home in an A9 graded 525 won by the locally owned Whistle Mouse in 29.58.
An S4 graded 350 produced a very close finish with the Des Flaherty-trained Rinnwood Ella holding out to beat Glenfort Dove, owned by Brigid D’Arcy by by a head in a time of 19.31.
In the winners’ arena after another 350-yard race was John McInerney, Manus with his Manus Hero. The son of Droopy’s Vieri-Baby Jean, trained by Gerry Holian, was well positioned to take control at the opening bend he and went on to beat Crafty Valastro by five and a half lengths with a clock of 19.04.
The Nenagh-owned Karalla State made all the running in an A6 graded 525 to beat Fernpark Phanter (Anna Carey, Cooraclare) by a length and a half in 29.95. Third home was the reserve, Master Roster (Myles Cummins, Nerwmarket-on-Fergus).
Howleys Boreen, owned by Kevin Fahey, Kiltartan, led for most of the way in the A4 graded race but from the home bend, the Shane Dervan-owned Korkhina found another gear to catch Howley’s Boreen at the line and win by a short head. The time was 29.87.

Dangan Dynamo thunders to victory

DANGAN Dynamo, owned by the Dirty Nelly syndicate from Bushypark and Pat Hogan’s Aulton Leo were among the winners in Galway on Saturday night.
Included on the card were two semi-final heats of the Kinvara GAA A2 graded 525. The Burke brothers, Paul and Paddy, won the opening heat with Bumblebee  Bingo (29.70) from Jumeirah Joe. Third place was filled by Pat McInerney’s Manus Vieri.
The Oughterard-owned Carol’s Contender won the second semi-final heat in 29.02 from May’s Champion. A qualifier in third place was Kineilty Spice owned by Declan and Terry McDonagh, Liscannor.
Three first-round heats of the Red Mills All-Ireland  A3 Series over 525 yards were also decided.
Noel Hehir’s Shift Ivy Hill (trap one) was well placed in heat one but went wide at the first to give way to Patsy Richardson’s Faithful Man who went on to win by five lengths in 29.32 from Shift Ivy Hill. Third place went to the Frank Browne-trained Mine Hazel.
Noelle McCarthy’s Noelle’s Hero was trap-to-line winner of heat two, wining by three and a quarter lengths in 29.19 from Mary’s Lass.
Heat three was a thriller with a number of dogs in contention at the halfway mark. Up the home straight, they were four dogs abreast of each other but it was the Tony Fahy-trained Own Town Lad who prvailed, winning by one length in 29.61 from  Kilcorcoran Lark, owned in Ennistymon by Thomas O’Connor.
Also on the card were two semi-finals of the In House Kitchen A4 over 525 yards. The Ballina-owned Ballina Rambler took control at the halfway stage in the opening semi-final and went on to record a two-and-a-quarter-lengths win in 29.13 from Varra Bruno (Carina Cosgrove and Conor Cooney). Third home was the Noel Mullins-trained County Hurlers.
Pat Hogan from near Ennis must have been delighted with the form of his Aulton Leo in the second semi-final. He was well away from trap two, led at the first and was three lengths clear at the halfway stage. The son of Westmead Hawk-Newbridge Jewel, handled by Mick Enright, then went on to win his firstrace at his third attempt. His time was 29.28 for his two-length win over Gurrane Doll with Ice Lightening taking third place.
Dangan Dynamo (Droopy’s Maldini-Shoot Dogg) gave members of the Dirty Nelly syndicate plenty to shout about after registering his second career win. On this occasion, he ran from trap two in an A5 graded 525 and was in front at the opening bend. Glenbrack Peter came within a length at the third bend but the Ray McCarrick-trained Dangan Dynamo just pulled away to win by seven and a half lengths in 29.49 from Slaheny Hope owned by Peg Lenihan, Newmarket-on-Fergus.