NOT for the first time, the spotlight was on Mullagh publican, Noel Moroney, in Galway on Friday night, when he came away with yet another fine double, which included his Tiermana Star winning the top race of the night.

Tiermana Star broke well from trap five to lead early in the mini open A0/A1 graded 525 from Fred the Pilot in trap four. Two lengths clear as they headed down the back, the winner still held that advantage as they exited from it.

However, as they turned for home, Combo Ann (trap one) closed in by the rail and in the exciting finish, Tiermana Star (Droopys Scolari-Sharon’s Promise) held out well to win by a neck in 29.18 from Combo Ann.

Just a half-length away in third place was Fred the Pilot, trained by Donie Duggan for Aishling Hannon, Tulla.
The Mullagh publican also won the earlier chief supporting race, the A2 graded 525, with Tiermana Club (Head Bound-Tiermana Hawk). After the even break, Tiermana Club (trap five) hit the front after rounding the opening bend.

Extending his lead from two to six lengths down the back, the winner was well clear as they turned for home and at the line had seven and a quarter lengths on Tyrur Maggie. The time was 29.16.

Clare owners won two of the first round three heats of the CBIRFU A4 graded stake.

The Rachel Wheeler-trained Calminginfluence (Scolari Me Daddy-Lemon Soul) won the opening heat in 29.19 from Killahan Rocky and Gurrane Angel.

Shannon owner, Peter Russell, was the first of the Clare winners with the Donie Duggan-trained Carmel’s Touch in trap four. The winner was smartly away to set up a three-length lead at the opening bend from Buddhas Boy in one and Inagh Star in five.

The son of Killahan Phanter-Donoughmore Lass continued to set the pace and while Inagh Star, a winner here last week for Michael McGuane and Noel Hehir, Inagh, closed the gap, Carmel’s Touch crossed the line with a length and three quarters to spare. The clock stopped at 29.25.

The next heat went to Aulton Ron (Droopys Scolari-Loclar Cia), trained by Michael Enright for Pat Hogan, Templemaley, Ennis. Two lengths clear of Inagh Ivy and Stoll Savings after completing the opening bend, Aulton Ron made it three by halfway.

However, over the course of the two remaining bends, Inagh Ivy came nearer. In the end, Aulton Ron held on to his number spot to score by a length in 29.47 from Inagh Star, now owned by Joe Hurley, Connolly.

The John McDonagh-trained Jumeirah Bow (Top Honcho-Jumeirah Fantasy) led from the opening bend to win a sprint race in 19.69 by four lengths from reserve runner, Prestigious Man. Third spot went to Clonreddan Bex (Tom Keane, Cooraclare).

Ballyea-based owner-trainer, John Meehan, won the bumper race with Rathmeehan Brett (Eden Brett-Rathmeehan Angel).

This was an A3 graded 525 and, from the start, Rathmeehan Brett in trap six was the one to beat. Showing the way to Jumeirah Lord (trap two) and Snuggie Blu (trap one), the winner was clear by two lengths from Tiermana Buss down the back.

While Tiermana Buss came up well from the rear of the field, Rathmeehan Brett put in a storming finish to win by a length and three-quarters with a 29.41 clock. The runner-up was Jumeirah Lord (trap two) and third place went to Noel Moroney’s Tiermana Buss, two lengths back.

 

Favourite takes feature race

THE Donie Duggan-trained Mr Consistent and Sixmilebridge-owned Mad For Money were deprived of success by Combo Mike, the hot 4/6 favourite for the  feature open 550 race in Galway on Saturday night.

Lismadine Jack, who came in as a reserve in trap six, was first to show but the favourite drew level by the opening bend and then went clear. Owned by Laura Connolly in Tuam, the Barry Connolly-trained son of Hades Rocket-Tyrur Hayley dominated proceedings for the rest of the trip to win by four and three parts of a length in 30.26 from Mr Consistent, which Donie Duggan handles for members of ther Millstreet Racing Syndicate, Galway. Three lengths back for third place was Mad For Money, trained by Bernard Coffey for John Whelan, Sixmilebridge.

Dunsallagh Pride, owned by Sean Hehir, Miltown Malbay, went to traps the money-on favourite for an open sprint race. Already a winner over this distance in Galway, the son of Droopys Scolari-Dunsallagh Lucy, came away well from trap one to lead by one length as they hit the operning bend. However, as they came to the home bend, the John McDonagh-trained Tyrur Dutchy (Tyrur Ted-Tyrur Lauren) threatened and went clear by two lengths. Solvitas Boy in trap two came with a renewed effort but Tyrur Dutchy remained in front for a half-length win in 19.35. Dunsallagh Pride was two lengths back for third place.

John McDonagh completed a kennel double when Tyrur Hannah (Kinloch Brae-Tyrur Nuala) won an A2 graded race by three and a half lengths in 29.37 from Pats Hero, with the Maurice Mullanney (Gort) trained Swift Milo taking third spot.

Third at the opening bend in the first race of the night, an A4/A5 graded 550, Ascot Ace was runner-up for Killaloe trainer, Michael Downes. The race was won in 30.28 and by three parts of a length by Winter Dream (Collision-Glemcoe Lizzie).

Making up for lost ground, the Belmullet-owned Erris lady (Swords-Prince Jojesse) came good as they approached the third bend to edge in front in an A5 graded 525. The fawn bitch stayed in front to beat Windword Mostar (Maggie Hehir, Inagh) by a length and a half in 29.49. The Nemarket-on-Fergus-owned Snuggie Breeze (Myles Cummins) was third.

Mullagh owner, Michael Casey, still on a high after his Mall Brandy (Head Bound-Paradise Allana) set a new record of 18.62 for the sprint in Galway last week, had Mall Happy in trap six for an A8/A9 525 in Galway on Friday night.

Also trained by Martin Fahy, Mall Happy went off the 5/4 favourite and the son of Westmead Diver-Cottage Pearl quickly gained the upper hand to lead by three lengths at the opening bend. Extending the lead to six by halfway, the black saw off the challenge from Pallasmore Babe to win by seven and a quarter lengths in 29.63.

Trainer Donie Duggan from near Tulla has recorded a good number of successes in Galway in recent times and was again on the ball on Friday night with Salmon Island (Killahan  Phanter-Donoughmore Lass), owned by Mary Grace, Shannon.

A litter sister of Carmel’s Touch, who also won in Galway on Friday night for Donie Duggan and another Shannon owner, Peter Russell, Salmon Island was nicely placed behind the pace setter, Ryehill Ruby, from the start. She made her move to the front when turning down the back and was never in danger as she sprinted to an easy nine-and-a-half-length win in 29.57 from the slow-starting Pallasmore Ruby.

The Ennis-owned Blaze Bandit (trap one) was out in front as they raced around the first bend in an S5 graded 350 race. However, he was joined by the wide-running Badgerfort Joe (trap six) on the crown of the bend. As they left the home bend, Badgerfort Joe had gained the initiative and raced on for a three-and-a-quarter-length win in 19.39 from Blaze Bandit, owned by Anthony Brigdale and Margaret Burns.

Ennistymon owners, PJ Reynolds and Joe Considine, made it a worthwhile trip with their Callura Trout, which emerged as winner of the bumper race, an A3 graded 550. There was huge crowding at the opening bend where Callura Trout (trap three) survived to lead the field by a length going down the back.

The Ger Burke-trained black son of College Causeway-Callura Lark was still ahead of affairs as they came from the back and stayed in front to win by a length in 30.64 from Feed Me Oysters (trap five), representing Kim Knell, Mountshannon.

Crafty win for Divilly’s dog

CLARE owners had qualfiers from three first-round heats of the CBIRFU A6 525 stake at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium last Thursday night, when the Brian Divilly-owned Crafty Sara scored an impressive 28.97 win in heat two.

Derrylough Boy, owned by  JJ O’Dea, Derrylough, was prominent in heat one after going a few lengths clear from the opening bend. However, the gap had closed as they turned for home with Derrylough Boy (trap one) still in contention and Blazing Impact (trap six) now on level terms. As they came near the finishing line, the Woodquay-owned Blazing Impact (Royal Impact-Throughthewoods) edged in front to win by three parts of a length  in 29.75. Derrylough Boy was the runner-up and third home was Rackethall Andy.

Leading by two lengths at the opening bend, Crafty Sara (Noelles Kido-Noelles Amarillo), owned by ICC president, Brian Divilly, Claregalway, was in full control of heat two, winning by a huge 15-and-a-half lengths in 28.97 from Miss the Fashion and Dacant Kacy.

Doctor Bill, trained by Donal Cooney for Seamus McGrath, Feakle, was a qualifier from heat three. The black was always prominent, while the John McDonagh-trained and Tuam-owned Tyrur Thunder (Tyrur Lee-Gone to Mirah), moved in front after the back straight to win by a length and a half in 29.62 from Doctor Bill. Third home was the Gort-owned Our Little Amy (Mark Seamus Curtin).

The West Clare-owned Moyvana Cross (PJ O’Halloran) was third home in the opening race of the night, anA5 graded 525, won by Another Sinead (29.94).

Killimer owner-trainer, Geraldine Ryan, made a welcome return to the winners’ podium with her Clune Girl (Hometown Boy-Derrylough Topps) in an A5 graded 525. The winner in trap three disputed the early lead with Killdoo Lady in trap one. The Killimer-owned black bitch got in front at the opening bend but Winward Hothead in trap two started to improve on the inside.

Holding her ground well when rounding the third, to deprive Winword Hothead of a move to the front, Clune Girl came out best in the run to the line to notch her third career win. This time she won by three parts of a length in 29.83 from Windword Hothead, owned in Inagh by Cyril Hehir.