Record Derby run by Razldazl Jayfkay

The Dolores Ruth-trained Razldazl Jayfkay was all the talk after a sensational win and a new track record in a second round heat of the Williamhill.com English Greyhound Derby in Wimbledon on Saturday night.
In what was regarded as one of the great all-time performances, he hit the ground running once the traps lifted and proceeded to demolish the rest of the field to win by  13-and-a-half lengths with a new time of 28.08 for the 480m trip. 
Now cut to 3-1 favourite for outright success in the event, Razldazl Jayfkay was completing a second-round treble for Dolores Ruth, who won two more heats on Friday night with Razldazl Rioga (28.54) and Razldazl Bugatti (28.45).
Trainer, Pat Curtin is still very much involved in the outcome of the English Derby, his Shelbourne Geoff qualifying for round three after being runner-up in heat three on Friday night.
Owned by a syndicate that includes Clare’s Murty McMahon and Noel Hehir, Shelbourne was beaten one length by John McGee’s Ruthless Man, who posted a winning time of 28.54.
Shelburne Geoff (w) is drawn in trap six in heat three for the third round heats on  Saturday night. He is in the company of 1, Mill Bling Bling; 2 Droopys Loner; 3 Mark My Words; 4 Westmeath Maldini; 5 Go Go Sonic (w).
Pat Curtin said he was happy enough with the performance of Shelbourne Geoff to date and while he had a muscle problem after getting a few bangs over the opening rounds, he was confident tat his charge would be in good shape for Saturday night.
He added that Shelbourne Geoff had a good chance of winning  the heat  if he  comes away from traps before the trap five runner, Go Go Sonic.

Bookmakers in stadium dispute

The bookmakers did not stand in Limerick on Friday night or Saturday night. They are in dispute with the track over what they state is decision to move them from their usual location in front of the  track to a  place nearer the stadium.
A spokesman for the bookmakers said they were told that on wet nights their umbrellas were obstructing  a view for punters standing between the stadium and the track. The bookmakers pointed out that this would only occur a few times in the year and on wet nights patrons tended to view the races from inside the stadium.
Asked to comment on the situation, Adrian Neilan, CEO of the Irish Greyhound Board stated, “On an on-going basis, the IGB work with local track stakeholders to continually strive to improve various aspects of stadium performance.
The usual basis for consultation is a series of internal meetings and discussions to share concerns and air grievances.
In that regard, this will be an internal matter resolved with discussions with the parties involved directly.”

Crossmorewarrior takes third in top race for Lahinch owners

Crossmorewarrior, owned in Lahinch by Robert and Malcolm McDonnell, was third in the top-graded A2 525 race in Galway on Friday night, won by the Stephen Hegarty-trained and Tony Hegarty-owned Unknown Tornado.
The winner led Crssomorewarrior by two lengths at the opening bend, extended that lead to five at halfway and crossed the line two lengths ahead of Slim Away in 29.24. Crossmorewarrior was four lengths back for third place.
The card was dominated by heats of the Supermacs A7 525  run in conjunction with the Galway Hurling Board, that will have a fundraiser at the track on May 25.
The forty-eight dogs taking part in the Supermacs event represent 44 hurling clubs in the county, in addition to four local chartities.
Cooraclare owner, Anne Carey won the opening heat with Fernpark Rocket, in trap six.
Leading by a length at the first, the son of Hades Rocket-Express Wish extended that lead down the back and at the line was five-and-a-quarter lengths clear of Mark It Down, owned in Gort by Eleanaor Mullins and Mark Curtin.The time was 29.65.
Trained by Noel Mullins for the Arch Rivals syndicate from Gort, Strange Clouds was third in heat two, won by Rockfield Regina in 29.50.
The Roscrea-owned Where Donie won heat three in 29.28 from Unknown Gem and Obrsen Brandy, while 29.51 was the winning clock for Significant Bet in heat  four from Weather Bar and Glasheen Queen (Brendan Browne, Kilkee).
The combination of Maurice Mullaney, trainer and Philip Mullaney, Gort, owner,was successful in heat five, which was won in 29.75 by their Forest Sam from Barebersfort Jane and Capoola Ruby.
Noel Mullins also had a qualifier in heat six with his Full Blunt, who was third home. The winner in 29.45 was Shiloh Valley from Headford Rumble.
Ballyea owner-trainer, John Browne won heat seven with his newcomer, Rathmeehan Bonus. Led by Unknown Jessie and Definate Appeal from the start, the son of Head Bound-Loughanboy Molly managed to squeeze through at the opening bend to lead the field.
Well on top as they made their way from the back straight, Rathmeehan Bonus had a winning distace of six-and-a-quarter lengths. His time was 29.14.
The eighth and final heat produced another Clare winner, Alexandra, owned in Miltown Malbay by Sean Meade and Sean Hehir.
The daughter of Head Bound-Paradise Alanna was not in the picture from the start as Kilara Blonde and Triggs of Inagh disputed the lead.
However, it was the trap five runner, Headford Premier, who got in front over the final two bends to lead as they turned for home.
From literally nowhere, Alexandra (trap three) came storming through to snatch the race  and win by  three parts of a length from Headford Premier. The clock was 29.60.
The Ballyvaughan-owned Pinnacle Roxy set the pace in an A5-graded race but Garryowen Hawk took over from mid-ways to win by half a length in 29.47 from Whatwillyoudo.
Third home was Wood Leo (Carl Maguire and Adrian Ennis).

Tyra Cool sets Oaks marker

The Rathcoole-owned Tyra Cool put down a marker for the Roche’s Feeds Oaks final in the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium next Saturday night after posting 28.71, the fastest time to date in last weekend’s semi-finals.
Gary Loughnane’s daughter of Big Daddy Cool-Tyrur Betty was a trap five runner in the second semi-final. Fastest away, she was  clear at the opening bend, where Yellowtown Girl (trap one) was knocked over and down the back Tailteann Queen pulled up with injury.  Tyra Cool went on to win the heat by three parts of a length from Lass Cause, with Airmount Pearl 12 lengths back for third place.
It was all Airmount Swank in the first semi-final on Saturday night. Moving to the middle of the track after a lightening-fast break  from trap one, she was in control all the way for her 28.75 win,  beating Lacken Rua by a length and a half. Half a length back in third place was Trixies Post.
Trap draw for the winner’s prize of €5,000 is 1, Airmoint Swank; 2 Airmount Pearl; 3 Trixies Post; 4 Tyra Cool (m); 5 Lacken Rua (m); 6 Lass Cause (w). The winner also gains qualification for the Oaks at Shelbourne Park.
This is the second running of the Roche’s Feeds Oaks and will be seen on TG4’s Greyhound View.
Imelda Cahalan, sales, commercial and operations manager of Limerick Greyhound Stadium, said, “This has been a top-class event to date, with most of the top females in the country competing.  They were  looking forward  to  a terrific final.
Doors will  open at 6.30pm, with the first race at 7.45pm.
The  attractive  card in Limerick on Saturday night also featured semi-final heats of the Inislosky Kennels Mini Open 525,  the Knockea National Schools Novice 750,  Roche’s Feeds A1 550 and the  Roche’s Feeds  A2 550.
Honeypound Chick in trap three was a trap-to-line winner of the first of the Inislosky Kennels semi-finals, with a fast clock of 28.79. She won by two lengths from Starlight Bound, owned in Shannon by Thomas and Niall O’Suillivan. Another qualifier from the same heat was Cluttahina Clare, trained by Bernard Coffey, Sixmilebridge.
The Tarbert-owned Yeats Fantasy was the 29.11 winner of the second semi-final from Behind the River and Landfall Monty.
Milesian Smurf, owned in Cree by Pat Conlon, qualified for the final of the Knockea National School Novice 750. In a tight finish, he was beaten a head into second place by Fair Fantasy, who was always in front for her 42.07 win.
The  clock stopped at 41.88 for the Jerry Griffin-owned Future Boy  when winning the second semi-final heat  by five lengths from Killahas Crash and  Varra Swallow.
Clare owners Patrick Troy from near Kilkee and Conor McInerney, Clarecastle, had another fine win with their Lismadine Jack in a semi-final heat of the Roche’s Feeds A1 550. From trap four, the son of Droopys Vieri- Clonreddan Tina had the best start and led the way for his three-length win  in a time of 30.35.
Trainer Rachel Wheeler  won the first semi-final heat with Bright Ruso (30.08).
Starlight Miller (Top Honcho-Hillcroft Josie) was in flying form for Shannon owners, Thomas and Niall O’Sullivan, when coming home first in the  second semi-final heat of the Roche’s Feeds A2 550. Setting the pace from the start from trap three, he led all the way for his 29.97 win, finishing a big 12 lengths in front of Knockane Ella.
A qualifier from the opening heat was Ascot Ace, owned by Janet Downes, Killaloe.  The Killarney-owned Call Me Bullet in six was the one to catch from the start but in a very close finish he had just a head to spare from the runner-up. The time was 30.47.
Tom Fitzgerald from Parteen rounded off a good night for the Clare contingent with his Ocean Rock first to cross the line  in an A2-graded 525. The son of Royal Impact-Ocean Lucy was another who was in a hurry after a fast break from trap three to lead all the way for his one-and-a-half lengths win in 28.73.
John Healy from Killaloe and Sean Stack from  Sixmilebridge were the only Clare winners in Limerick on Friday night, their Steves Duke (Duke Special-Corporate Group) showing the way for his six-length win in a time of 29.17.

Runway Sally saves Clare blushes

Clare winners were thin on the ground at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium last Thursday night.
In fact, the only Clare winner of the night on the eight-race card  was Runway Sally in the last race of the night, an A4-graded 525. 
It was a win worth waiting for as Runway Sally gave the performance of the night for her 28.91 win. Trained  by John Browne for  the Clare members of the Rineanna syndicate, she was in third place as they came to the first bend,  where Bumblebee Cora and Glenbrack Paul disputed the lead.
However,  at the bend, Runway Sally got an excellent inside run and down the back the daughter of  Royal Impact-Burnpark Cuckoo was clear and was well on her way to her third career win. She won on this occasion by six lengths from Leonas Bettina, with Glenbrack Paul, trained  by Noel Mullins for members of the Arch Rivals syndicate, Gort, in third place, half a length back.
The John McDonagh (Kinvara) trained Broadmill Cragie (Craig Whistler-Got Your Number) won  an S8-graded 350 for the Girl Syndicate from Kinvara. Coolarne Billy and Broadmill dominated matters from the start but when they straightened for home, Broadmill Cragie was well placed and got in front to win by a length-and-a-quarter in 19.65.
Placed in their races were Clonlusk Black (Michael Clancy, Kilrush) and Knockdine Black (Michael O’Brien, Miltown Malbay).

Just one Clare winner in Galway

Again, there was only one Clare winner, Donie Duggan’s Knoppogue Mate, in Galway on Saturday night when the track was rated .15 seconds fast for the 350 yard races and .30 seconds fast for the 525 and 550-yard races.
Knoppogure Mate (Kinloch Brae-Climates Kewell) was a trap one runner in an A3-graded 525, which saw the Albert Long-trained Brickhill Bobby  show the way from trap two. Helped by trouble among those behind him, Brickhill Lubos went clear down the back from the the trap one runner, Knoppogue Mate  and Colie O’Loughlin’s Pal Duke in five. Over the final two bends, Brickhill Bobby still held the advantage but on the way home Knoppogue Mate proved the stronger and raced on to win by a length-and-a-quarter in 29.83 from Brickhill Bobby. Third home was Ballymac Nor.
Four heats of the Evolve Financial Planning A4  were also decided and the first winner up was Snow Adam, owned by the Burke-Keane syndicate and handled by Paul Burke, Woodquay. In front since the opening bend, Snow Adam won by two-and-a-half lengths in 29.12 from Cahercalla Risk, owned in Ennis by Sean Heeney and Tony Quinn. Third home was Roo Story, owned by TJ McMahon, Moyasta.
The other heat winners were Marty McFly (29.433),  the Albert Long-trained Brickhill Lubos (28.82) and Rockabilly Magic (29.26).
The first race on the card, an S6-graded sprint, went to Rynal Ruane’s Outback Prentiss (19.04), who beat  Mary Davoren’s Wilbrook Jake by six-and-a-half lengths.
Michael Davoren’s Wilbrook Fire was third in an S4-graded sprint.
A lot of bunching occurred on the run to the opening bend in an A2-graded 525 and with the advantage of the inside lane, the Gerry Carew-owned Knockatee Boy went a few lengths clear  to eventually win by a length-and-a-half in 29.13 from Destroyer, owned in Gort by Darren O’ Donoghue.