Top-graded race victory for Aulton Ron

Clare winners were not as plentiful  at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium  last weekend, with just four successes from two meetings.
Pat Hogan from Templemaley near Ennis  was on the ball on Saturday night, with his Aulton Ron winning one of the A1-graded races on the card. The Seamus Fahy-trained Bit View Kenny in trap two was sent off the even-money favourite for the 525 yards race but he got off to a bad start and  never showed. However, Auton Ron  had a lively break from trap four to lead at the opening bend and the son of Droopys Scolari-Loclar Cia remained on as the pace setter for the rest of the trip to win impressively by close on five lengths  in a fast 28.93, from Cumann Knievel. Three parts of a length back for third spot was Tiermana Star, owned by Noel Moroney, Mullagh.
The last race on the card, an A2-graded 550, went to Gort owner-trainer Philip Mullaney. The son of Royal Impact-Forest Swallow was in flying form once the traps lifted  and the trap  five runner dominated  matters from the start  to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths in 30.25 from Donie Duggan’s Knoppogue Mate.
Ennis owners, Martin Cronin and Robbie Markham had to be content with runner-up spot for their Cragbrien Shaw in the opening race of the night, an S8/S9-graded sprint. Trap six runner, Clifden Brae had  the fastest break  and soon drew clear to beat the always second Cragbrien Shaw by four lengths in 19.21.
West Clare owner, John Joe O’Dea, Derrylough, also saw his Derrylough Boy finish second   in an S5/S6 graded sprint. Mottos Impact, the seven-length winner, headed the field from the opening bend and raced through for a 19.17 win.
Another runner-up spot went to Pinnacle Share  (Pat O’Connor and Douglas Culligan, Ballyvaughan) in the third race, an A8/A09-graded 525. In a close finish, Combo Madeline just got in front of Pinnacle  Share to win by a length in 29.82.
Leading from the home bend, Ballybrone June held off the challenge of Moyvana Cross (PJ O’Halloran) to win an A5-graded 550-yard race by one length in 30.94. Noel Moroney’s Tiermana Buss, the favourite, was  half a length in arrears for third place. Carl Maguire from near Kilrush and Adrian Ennis, Kilkee, were the other Clare winners on the night, their Wood Leo succeeding from trap one in  an A4-graded 550-yard race. In front from the first bend, the son of Loyal Honcho-Sullys Glory was always the one to catch, winning by a length and three-quarters  from Rockmount Eskimo, owned by Shane Flanagan, Ennis. The time was 30.66.
After leading at the opening bend, Tyrur Ella lost ground as an A3-graded  525 yard race. Things progressed with the locally owned and eventual winner, Comeonthebanner, taking over from the back straight. At the line, it was Comeonthebanner by seven-and-a-quarter lengths from David Browne’s Garryfine Ben in a time of 28.97. Third spot went to Steragel Mine (Brendan Carroll, Newmarket-on-Fergus).