Sailing wins in 100th race

Clare and Gort owners dominated the eight race card in the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday night, coming away with seven wins between them.
The highlight of the big strike rate was the Killaloe-owned Sailing marking his hundredth outing with a great win in the final race of the night. Coming from the kennels of Michael Downes, trainer, the son of Droopys Kewell-Barntick Sally was in good company in the A1-graded 550 yards race for which reserve runner, Orbsen Causeway in trap five was sent off ther 5/4 favourite.
As the race got underway, it was another reserve runner, Glensaul Star in trap two who set the pace, leading over the first two bends followed by Sailing. As they made their way down the back, Sailing switched inside to make more headway and take the lead at the second last bend.
The outcome of the race was more or less settled at this stage with the great Killalloe-owned black sailing home for an historic two-and-a-quarter lengths win in 29.41 from Orbsen Causeway. Owned by Janet Downes, Sailing got a great reception from the stands as he made his way up the home straight.
The Clare contingent struck early with Spot the Heather winning the first race on the card. All the talk was about the trap two runner, Headford Black, who went off the 4/9 favoutite from trap two.
Once the traps lifted, however, Spot The Heather proved to be the dark horse. In his very first outing he was away like a shot from trap one. The son of Shelbourne Aston-Inagh Heather showed great early pace to lead all the way for his impressive 29.49 win. After a slow start, the favourite made up some ground but failed to catch Spot the Heater who got his second wind on his way home to win by half a length to record his maiden success for West Clare owners Lawrence Meaney, Kilrush and Joe Hurley, Connolly.
The next race on the card, an S2/S3-graded sprint went to O’Garney Mavis owned near Sixmilebridge by Maeve Coffey The 5/2 chance was nicely away from trap two to lead all the way for his 19.40 win. However, the 5/4 favouirte, Aulton Ron (trap three) owned in Templemaley by Pat Hogan did not give up easily and pressing hard from the home bend he was beaten on the line by a neck. In the all-Clare finish, Cragbrien Hondo (Martin Cronin, Ennis and Jack Markham) took third place, two lengths back.
Reserve runner, Ice Lightning, trained by Gerry Holian, was another in a hurry when recording a trap to line win in an A3/A45-graded 550 yards race by seven-and-a-half-lengths in 30.15. The runner up was Glenfort Fantasy owned by Brigid D’Arcy, Ballyvaughan.
Maria Browne from Leitrim, Kilmihil, put Clare back in the winner’s frame with her Burnpark Jane (Eded Brett-Burnpark Beauty) succeeding in an A3/A4 graded 525.
The black bitch was another who showed good early pace but trailed Tyrur Yagerbomb by half a length at the opening bend. However, she got on terms as they moved down the back where the pair went neck and neck.
Burnpark Jane found another gear between the two last bends to go on and win the race by length and a quarter in 29.42 from Mine Hazel, trained by Frank Browne in Quin for Mary Browne. Tyrur Jagerbomb was a length-and-a-half off for third place.
In crossing the line first in the chief supporting contest of the night, an A2-graded 550 yards race, Peadars Touch was winning for the eight time for trainer Donie Duggan and Shannon owner, Peter Russell.
Coming in as a reserve in trap two, Peadars Touch- the money-on favourite had some ground to make up as Ardera Rambo in trap six was best away. However, there was little between them down the back where Peadars Touch moved in front over the final two bends. However, Tyrur Layota and Davris Jim were also well-positioned to strike and all were in contention as they raced for the line. And it was Peadars Touch(Kinloch Brae-Climates Kewell) who prevailed,winning by a short head from the John McDonagh-trained Tyrur Layota, in a time of 30.47. Beaten by a neck into third place was Davris Jim.
The O’Donoghue family was the first of the Gort winners, Destroyer recording another win for Master Darren O’ Donoghue. This was in the fifth race, an A2-graded affair over 525 yards. First to show was Jumeriah Joe (trap three) who immediately went for the rails to lead Burnpark Alfie (trap five) and Destroyer in the inside trap. However, as they negotiated the opening bend, Destroyer got closer as did the Doonbeg-owned Gipsy Madam and by the time they had reached the halfway mark Destroyer was now in front. In the run home Pat Hero closed the gap but Destroyer (Astronomic-Parkside Edel) held out to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths. The fawn had a clock of 29.22.
Forest Sam put the Mullanneys from Gort in the winner’s frame in the featured race of the night, an A2-graded 550 yards race. In the long run to the opening bend the Tuam-owned Combo Jack showed the way and he was still the one to catch as they made their way down the back with Forest Sam (trap five) in second place and improving out wide.
The Tuam-owned black was still in control over the final two bends but Forrest Sam kept plugging away and just got up at the line to win by a neck in 30.58 for trainer Maurice Mullaney and owner, Philip Mullaney. The Michael Downes-trained Dicks Wortlsbound secured third place, a length-and-a-quarter back.