Top race for East Clare’s Varra Bruno

THERE was a strong Clare representation in the final stages of the featured A1 graded 550-yard race in Galway on Saturday night with honours going to East Clare.
Leading the pack from the start was Cragbrien Honcho (Martin Cronin, Ennis and Jack Markham) and the Doonbeg owned Gipsy Madam and they matched strides as they made their way to the opening bend. Just behind them was the trap-one runner, Serious Dream but the East Clare-owned Varro Brunoi in fifth place was almost tumbled over. A winner here recently, the Jimmy Normoyle-trained Gipsy Madam was out in front to lead by four lengths from Serious Dream passing the halfway stage. But Varro Bruno was now starting to close in and when Gipsy Madam went wide at the home bend, Varra Bruno seized on the opportunity to go through on the rail. The son of Head Bound-Varra Lark just got up at the line to beat Gipsy Madam by a neck with a clock of 30.34. The winner is trained by Donal Cooney, Killuran, Broadford for Carina Roseingrave and Conor Cooney, while the runner-up is owned by Joan Normoyle of Doonbeg and Imelda Grauer, Doonbeg and Dublin.Four lengths back for third place was Cragbrien Hondo.
Ennistymon owner, Michael Davoren, started the night well for the Clare contingernt with his Wilbrook Paddy crossing the line first in the opening race on the card, an S7 graded sprint. The son of Ciara’s Castle and Missouri Dame, in trap two, got the best break to lead by a length from Woodlawn Rumble in the inside lane and Weather Its Spik, in trap three, as they came to the opening bend. Although he extended his lead after the bend, the winner had to be at his best in the final few strides to beat Woodlawn Tumble by half a length in a time of 19.75. Third spot went to the Donal Cooney-trained and Ciarán Cooney-owned Killuran Blonde.
The Ballyvaughan-owned Pinnacle Roxy (Michael Costello and Douglas Culligan) was always second to Linger Awhile (Ballymac Maeve-Montevani), the 19.01 and four-and-a-half-length winner of an S4 graded 350-yard race.
Ballyea owners, Kieran Nugent and Aaron Nugent clocked up another win for the Banner County with their Killerk Sammy (trap five) in an S5 graded sprint race.  After a fairly even break, the fractional leader was Killerk Sammy from the Ennistymon-owned Wilbrook Man. However, after the opening bend, Killerk Sammy went clear and with trouble behind, the son of Droopy’s Scolari-Ballaghboy Cool romped home for a three lengths win in 19.39 from Loose Sugan.
The Arthur family from Inagh led the way with Triggs of Inagh (trap two) in an A4 graded 525. She got away from Electro Trump to set up a lead of one length  after the first bend. Racing down the back, she was two lengths clear but Mine Mazel threatened as they came to the third bend. As as they raced around the home bend, Mine Hazel (Hades Rocket-Jumeirah Jess) moved to the front and at the line was clear by five and a half lengths from Triggs of Inagh (Aisling Arthur). Trained by Frank Browne, Quin for owner, Mary Browne, Mine Hazel had a clock of 29.37.
The next race on the card, an A4 550-yard contest, also ended on a high note for another Clare owner, Pat Carey, Cratloe. He had Cabin Wood (Crash-Cabin Rose) in trap three and he and Tintreach Tully (trap one) were neck and neck as they raced to the opening bend. However, the gap widened as they went down the back, the Cratloe-owned black now leading by a few lengths with Pierview Blue and Chrisola making strides from the rear of the field. However, Cabin Wood stayed in front to win by three lengths in 30.69 from Chrisola, also trained by Frank Browne for Quin owners Michael Browne and John Moran.
Tromora Cheryl went off the even-money favourtite from trap one in an A4 graded 525. However, it was an outsider, the Charlie Wheeler-trained Ardnacarne Lord in trap six who set the pace after a fast start. His reward was a three-length lead at the opening bend from the favourite. While Tromora Cherly started to close in by the halfway stage, Ardnacarne Lord was not to be denied and the son of Go Wild Teddy-Ardcarne Dame had a length and a quarter to spare at the line from the Quilty-owned black. The time for this trip was 29.18. The Gerry Burke-trained Malbay Jo Jo, owned by Ciara Burke, Miltown Malbay, finished in third place.
Just two lengths separated all six runers as they raced to the bend in an A3 graded 525. The advantage was with the inside runner, Electro Digweed, after the first bend but at the halfway stage, he was joined by Moneypoint Magic (trap three) and Pinnacle Muffin (trap five). After the third bend, Moneypoint Magic (Top Honcho- Lemon Divine) was the new leader and he remained in front for a a two-and-a-half-length win in 29.40 from Pinnacle Muffin. The winner is owned by Madeline Walsh Gort and the runner-up by Douglas Culligan and Michael Costelloe, Ballyvaughan.

Brothers’ double for Kilmihil owner
THE spotlight was very much on Kilmihil  owner-trainer, Martin Keane, at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium on Friday night when he brought off a fine double with litter brothers, Salsa Verdi and Restlessfarewell.
The first part of the double came early in the night when Salsa Verdi (Royal Impact- Face Value) was the first home in an S6 graded sprint, Knockellen Girl, in trap three, and owned by Michael Mahony from the Miltown Malbay area came out first first  but Salsa Verdi, in five, the 6/4 joint favourite, and Ballycasey Flyer, in six, were within a half a length of her as they came  to the opening bend. However, Salsa Verdi was the new front runner after they rounded the bend and remained in front for the  remainder of the race even though  swinging slightly wide off the home bend. He was an impressive two-length winner from the Headford-owned Ballyvcasey Flyer. His clock was 19.58. Third home was Boherash Torpedo, owned by Frank Casey, Stonehall, a length and a quarter back.
Restlessfartewell (trap five) brought off the second part of the Kilmihil kennel double in the ninth race, which was an A4 graded 525. Leading from the start was the Ennis-owned Blaze Shadow, in trap two, with Restlessfarewell his nearest challenger as they rounded the opening bend. Blaze Shadow continued to lead as they reached the halfway stage, now in front by three lengths but the long striding Restlessfarwell was beginning to make up ground. He was in front from the home  bend and ran on for a good two-and-a-half-length win in 29.43 from Blaze Shadow owned by Tony Brigdale and Margaret Byrne.
Reserve runner, Capuka (Scarty ad- Capoola Dream), owned by Albert Long and Michael Kelly, was an impressive trap-to-line winner of an S8 graded 350 beating the Clare-owned and wide-running Galrea Supreme (Michael O’Donovan) by nearly five lengths in 19.44.
The Killarney-owned and Pat Conway-trained Call Me Freddie (Ballymac Kewell-Ballymac Angel) was a 19.36 winner of an S7 graded 350 from Nebraska Royal owned by Martin Griffin, Caherea. The  runner-up railed well to finish two and a quarter lengths behind the winner.
Flandy’s Rose, owned near Ennistymoin by Conor Flanagan, held the initiative by a few lengths as they turned down the far side in an A6 graded 525. But by the time they reached the third bend, the field had closed in and the Brian O’Connell-trained Dirty Frank was now fractionally in front. Although Flandy’s Rose came again, she failed to catch Dirty Frank who won by half a length in 29.58. Third home was the locally owned Robeen Hawk.
The unbeaten Barntick Phanter (Head Bound-Bartntick Live), trained by Gerry Reidy and owned Mary Reidy, Barntick, Clarecasetle, came in as a reserve in trap to win an A5 graded 525. He was smartly away with Covie’s Queen, in two, with Capoola Savings (trap five) in third place rounding the opening bend. However, Barntick Panther stepped up a gear to establish a four lengths and while Capoola Savings started to close in when leaving the back, Barntick Panther railed well off the home turn to win by one length in 29.41. Third placed by Clonfeigh Dream, owned and trained by Johnny Maher, Kilmaley.
The 10th race on the card, the A3 graded 550 yards, was the top race of the night. The Carnmore-owned Danmar Caoimhe  was a reserve runner, in trap four, and she was first to break to lead the Ennis-owned Colossal Man ( trap one) and Bound to Follow (trap three) to the bend. Three lengths to the good approaching the third bend, Danmar Caoimhe went very wide off the home bend to give the advantage to the Seamus Connaughton-owned Bound to Follow (Head Bound-Deerpark Angel) who went throught to win by four lengths in 30.67 from Danmar Caoimhe. Third place went to the Donie Duggan-trained Petshaname (Peter Russell).
Runway Sally, trained by John Browne for the Clare members of the Rineanna syndicate, was first to lead in he concluding A3 graded race over 525 yards. She just held the advantage from Speed Tramp, in trap six, and Strong Spitfire, in five, but there was danger at the third bend where the Frank Connolly owned reserve runner Combo Lisa in one started to move in, and halfway up the run-in, the daughter of College Causeway-Tyrur Hilary got in front to win the race by half a length from Runway Sally. Third home was Speed Tramp, trained by Stephen Murray for Michael Lillis and the MADJ syndicate from West Clare.

Clare dogs qualify for finals at Limerick Greyhound Stadium
THERE were a number of Clare qualifiers from semi-final heats of the Marie and Michael Field A1 over 525 yards and the David Pearl Open 550 at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium last Saturday night.
Rallying Caul (Black Shaw-Goodbye Lucy), trained by Denis O’Malley for Meelick owner, Dan Flynn and Liam Costelloe won the opening semi-final heat of the Marie and Michael Field A1 event. Challenging strongly at the home bend, the trap-six runner went on to win by two lengths from the Doon-owned Mick’s Ketchup, in trap one. The time was 29.29. A qualifier in third place was Costa Courta, trained by Brendan Moore for members of the Stillhouse Syndicate from O’Briensbridge.
Cashel owner, Ross Myles, won the other semi-final heat with Copeland Robbie (Collision- Copeland Pearl) with a clock of 28.79. The winning distance was one length from The Other Paddy with third place going to Tubber owner, Martin Kelly, with his Rathorpe Texas.
Trap draw for the final on Saturday night next is 1. Rathorpe Texa; 2. Copeland Robbie; 3. The Other Paddy; 4. Micks Ketchup; 5. Rallying Caul; 6. Costa Courta.
Cratloe owner Pat Carey won the opening semi-final heat of the David Pearl Open 550  with Holly Wood in trap six. Challenging at the third bend and taking the lead at the home bend, O’Garney Patch, in trap one, trained by Bernard Coffey, Sixmilebridge for Helen Coffey, looked the likely winner but Holly Wood (Hondo Black-Cabin Rose), in trap two, got up at the line to win by half a length. The time was 30.,05. In the close finish, the Pa Fitzgerald-trained Medlody’s Royal was beaten a short head into third place.
Mohane Eile was the 30.13 winner of heat two from Blackie’s Champ and Aulton Leo, owned by Pat Hogan fromTemplemaley near Ennis.
Trap draw for Saturday night’s final is 1. O’Garney Patch; 2.  Blackie’s Champ; 3. Holly Wood; 4. Mohane Eile; 5. Aulton Leo; 6. Melody’s Royal.
Gerry Burke from Miltown Malbay and Darryl Hopper from Liscannor were the Clare winners at the Limerick meeting on Friday night.
In just his second race, Malbay Swords (Swords Prince-Malbay Melia) had a very convincing win after breaking well from the inside trap to lead at the opening bend in an A6 graded 525. And with an equally strong finish, Gerry Burke’s black was all alone as he crossed the finishing  line, 10 lengths ahead of his nearest rival. The time was a very respectable 28.79.
Trained by Darryl Hopper and owned by Cheryl Hopper, Liscannor, Emzee (in trap six) was also an impressive winner of his  S6-S7 graded sprint race. This was a trap-to-line win for the son of Duke Special-Run Ruby Run who by four lengths with a clock of 19.42.
Upland Lee, owned by Harry Galvin, Cratloe, showed great early pace in an N2 graded 525. However, he was caught in the final few strides by the Cappamore-owned Lillie Amy, who won by half a length in 29.74. One and half lengths back for third pace was Craggaknock Ciara (John O’Kelly, Mullagh).
Third in their races were Snuggie Boy (Breda Casey, Newmarket-on-Fergus) and Gortglas Suzie (Michael Kennedy,Killaloe Post Office).