Top grade for Jules Flyer and two Clare wins

The appropriately named Jules Flyer won the top-graded race in Galway on Friday night, beating the West Clare-owned Speed Tramp into second place.
This was an A3-graded 525 affair for which Kickback Larry went off the 6-4 favourite from trap one. Nationwide Dash in trap five and Jules Flyer in three were fast away and they disputed the lead on the run up in front of the trap six runner, Speed Tramp (T6). Speed Tramp joined Jules Flyer in front as they headed towards the back, with Kickback Larry now in third place in the inside lane. Jules Flyer led by half a length as they came from the back with Speed Tramp moving wide on the turn. In the run home Jules Flyer(Boherduff Light-Coldwar Baby) stayed in front to hold off Speed Tramp and win by a length and three quarters with a clock of 29.52. The runner-up is trained by Stephen Murray for Michael Lillis and the MADJ syndicate in West Clare.
The Ennis-owned Mythical Tar (trap three) was runner-up in an A4-graded 525 to the Thurles-owned Capoola Savings (trap six). Both broke well to share the lead over the first two bends but as they made their way down the far side, Capoola Savings edged in front by two lengths. He extended that lead over the final two bends to win by almost four lengths in 29.70 from Mythical Tar, trained by Tom Flanagan for John Keane and Frank White.
Knockdine Ash in trap two was led to the opening bend by Ollys Molly in an S8-graded sprint. The leader railed well at the bend but the others swung wide and this gave Ollys Molly an advantage for the remainder of the race. She held off a late rally by Knockdine Ash (Helen O’Brien, Miltown Malbay) to win by three parts of a length in 19.85.
Anna Carey from Cooraclare had the first of two Clare winners with Fernpark Rocket in trap six in an S7-graded sprint. The black son of Hades Rocket-Express Wish disputed the lead with Loyal Sue in trap three. As they came to the opening bend, Fernpark Rocket cut inside and with this advantage he stayed on well to beat Fast Fit Lar (John Quinn, Gort), by four-and-a-half lengths in 19.51.
The Darryl Hopper-trained Son of Duke was the front-runner in the early stages of an A7-graded 525. With the two nearest rivals colliding, Son of Duke extended his lead to two lengths. However, from the half-way stage, Own Collision, in trap three, started to cut in on the lead and became the new front runner as they rounded the home turn. She raced on for a two-length win in 29.79 from Son of Duke.
Derrylough Socks, owned in Derrylough by JJ O’Dea, was third in an S4-graded sprint won by Outback Hotchner (19.34).
Also finishing third in the following race, an A6-graded 575, was Knockdine Dream, owned by Eoin O’Brien, Miltown Malbay.The race was won in 32.04 by Jorja Christie.
West Clare owner-trainer, Tommie Gallager, from Cooraclare has been fairly prominent in Galway in recent weeks and his run of good luck continued in an A6-graded 525 won by his trap six runner, Pat Be Slick. After a level break, Hondo Junior in trap two and A Little Cuckoo in three led from Moya Mae in the inside trap. However, when the front two ran wide at the opening bend, Moya Mae railed well to go four lengths clear down the back straight. As they reached the half-way stage, Pat Be Slick started to find his stride and he had taken over in front from Hondo Junior as they made their way from the back straight. From this stage, the son of Hondo Black and Bling Bling Flo was in command and at the line had almost seven lengths on Hondo Junior. The clock was 29.74. The Clare-owned Moya Mae (Kay Lynch) was third home.
The locally owned Willrose Jack (Ningbo Jack-McHugh Sonia) was a trap-to-line winner of an A4-graded 525. As they went down the back he had extended his lead to four lengths, at which stage Snowey Princess, owned in Lahinch by Enda O’Gorman, started to take up the challenge.
She closed in with every stride but Willrose Jack just held out to win by half a length in 29.70 from Snowey Princess. Third home was the Ennis-owned Cahercalla Risk (Sean Heeney and Tony Quinn).

Galway double for Ennistymon owner

Ennistymon owner, Mary Davoren had a quick double at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday night. She won with Wilbrook Man in the second race on the card and with Wilbrok Jake in the following race.
Wilbrook Man (Prince Monalulu-Missouri Dame) was a trap five runner in an S7-graded sprint in which Killanneabha, in trap four, was first to show. However, his lead was short lived as he was overtaken by Wilbrook Man and Knockcallan Girl, in trap two. As they reaced to the opening bend, Knockcallan Girl checked slightly and this gave an opportunity to Wilbrook Man to extend his lead as they came to the home bend. The Ennistymon-owned black powered home to take the race by seven lengths in 19.45 from Killanneabha. Knockcallan Girl, owned in the Miltown Malbay area by Paddy Mahony, took third spot.
In an S5-S6 graded sprint, Wilbrook Jake (Ciaras Castle-Miissouri Dame) in trap two led Lurgan Drifter (trap three) as they raced to the opening bend, where Lurgan Drifter went very wide. As they turned for home, the Ennistmon-owned brindled had a lead of four lengths but the Albert Long-owned Capoola Lad in trap six came with a late surge but was too late to catch Wilbrook Jake, who won by half a length in 19.55 to complete the second part of the double for Mary Davoren.
The Ennistymon owner was deprived of a treble later on in the card when her Wilbrook Dame was beaten two lengths by the trap-to-line winner of the A6-graded 525, Capuka, owned by Clare native, Albert Long and John Kelly. The time was 29.51.
Reserve runner, Jumeirah Joe won the top-graded A2 525 by three-and-a-half lengths in 29.34.
The Seamus Fahy-trained Bit View Kenny had an easy win in the chief supporting race, the A3-graded 525,wining by nine and a quarter lengths in 29.26 from Glenbrack Shane. The Doonbeg-owned Gipsy Madam was third in the race.
The lead changed at least four times in the opening race of the night, the A8-graded 525 before Eye Cup made progress at the half-way stage and run on to win by nearly four lengths from Fornaught Beauty, owned in West Clare by Geraldine Ryan, Killimer. The clock was 30.46.
Third placed in an A7-graded 525 was Wood Ruby, owned by Anne Maguire ,from near Kilrush. The 29.90 winner of the race was the Stephen Hegarty-trained Unknown Havoc.
Ballyea owners, Kieran and Aaron Nugent were back for the second win in a week with their Killerk Sammy. This was an S2-S3 graded sprint for which the trap four runner, Grandgate Lad, went off the 7-4 favourite. The Frank Browne-owned and trained Mine Echo, in trap two, was first to show but the lead was short lived as Killerk Sammy in the inside trap soon found his stride to lead by three lengths from Mine Echo at the first bend. Killerk Sammy (Droopys Scolari-Ballaghboy Cool) moved to the centre of the track up the home straight but he had enough in reserve to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths in 19.27 from Grandgate Lad, who beat the Quin-owned Mine Echo by a head into third place.
The next two races on the card also came the way of Clare owners.
Manus Fawn Fairy, owned by Siofra McInerney, Manus, was the winner of an A5-graded 525 after trailing Outback Delboy by two lengths as they rounded the opening bend. The Donie Duggan-trained and Shannon-owned Tyrpa White, in trap one, saved ground by cutting inside and there was less than two lengths betwween these three as they raced down the back. The trap six runner, Kerrane, had also made ground from the rear of the field and as they turned for home the race was up for grabs between all four. However, as they came to the line, Manus Dawn Fairy (Go Wild Teddy-Calamity Jane) just got out to win by three parts of a length from Outback Delboy in 30.14. One length back for third place was Kerrane, owned by Willie Carr and Shane Counihan, Gort.
Frank Browne made up for his defeat in an earlier race by winning the eight race on the card, an A4-graded 525, with Mine Hazel, in trap four. When the traps lifted, the 2-1 favourite Grenanstown Lady in six and Danmar Caoimhe, in three, hit the front. At the second bend they had four lengths on the Gort-owned County Hurlers but as they raced down the back, Grenanstown Lady had extended her lead to six lengths. Mine Hazel (Hades Rocket-Jumeiran Jess) was improving at this stage and over the final two bends it was not looking so good for Grenanstown Lady as Mine Hazel came closer and surged in front to win by two lengths in a time of 29.75 for Frank Browne and owner, Mary Browne. Grenanstown Lady was the runner-up and third place went to the West Clare-owned Ballyegan Lad (Miss Anne McInerney).

O Garney Rock delivers career-best run

Members of the Shanakyle syndicate from Parteen and trainer Joe Collins had no joy in Limerick on Saturday night when their Scariff Hawk failed to finish among the first three home in the the final of the Greyhound and Petworld Christmas Cracker A1 event over 525 yards.
The impressive 28.87 winner of the final was the money-on favourite – Jasons Hawk – who beat Liscahane Flyer by three lengths. Trained by Rachel Wheeler, Jasons Hawk (Westmead Hawk-Lacca Lemon) challenged for the lead at the second bend and was in front by the third and on his way to a fine win.
The Sixmilebridge-owned O Garney Rock gave a career-best performance to win an A1-graded 525. Trained by Bernard Coffey for Helen Coffey, the son of Ballymac Maeve-O Garney Pearl showed great early pace to lead from trap three. Maintaining the pace, he continued to lead all the way to cross the the line six-and-a-half lengths ahead of his neasrest rival, Move On Surprise, with a great time of 28.86, his fastest ever clock. Ms Crossfire, the 6-4 favourite challenged over the home bends to take third place.
Cratloe owner, Liam Carroll made it a good night for South East Clare, his Portdrine Queen winning the ninth race on the card, the A3-graded 525. The daughter of Premier Fantasy-Invincible Diva was smartly away from trap one to lead at the openiing bend and show the way for the remainder of the race to win by four lengths in 29.24. The runner-up was the 6-4 favourite, Tyrap Torres. Third spot went to Gofotitjohny, owned in Ballynacally by Liam Shannon
To round off the night, Ennistymon man, Michael Marrinan, struck once more with his Middlepark Mal. In the very last race on the card, an A0-graded open 550, Middlepark Park had a trap two draw and he got off to the proverbial flyer to lead at the first bend. He remained the one to beat for the rest of the trip to win by four lengths from the Jerry Griffin-trained Future Boy. Third home was the even-money favourite, Trionas Soprano, in trap one. The time for the race was 30.14.
Clare-owned dogs placed in their races were Bargain Duke (Leo McNulty, Newmarket-on-Fergus); In Bound ( Eimhear Lillis, Cooraclare); Wellstone Impact (Patsy Riordan, Shannon) and Coolready Shaun (Billy Murphy, O’Briernsbridge).
Clare owners won the two opening races in Limerick on Friday night.
Inislosky Zipper (Ballymac Ruso-Inislosky Daisy) put O’Briensbridge owner Mart Crotty in the winner’s frame for the first race. The fawn bitch broke superbly from trap one to record a trap-to-line win with a clock of 29.57. She won by a length-and-a-half from Carhumore Lass.
In as a reserve in trap three, Glitter Freeze (Scarty Lad-Ham Ram), owned in East Clare by Donal Cooney and Rory Moloney, went off the money-on favourite on an S3-graded sprint. However, it was Big Time Daithe in trap five who looked the likely winner as they headed for home but Glitter Freeze was not finished yet and he got up to win by a short head in a time of 19.27.
Baulked at the opening bend, Leo McNulty’s Culleen Catch finished well to finish second in an N1-N2 525 won by Rathluirc Lady by eight lengths in 29.03.