Gone to the dogs: 15 winners in great week for Offaly greyhounds

The first big money stake of the year got underway in Shelbourne on Saturday with the running of the first round of the  Bresbet Easter Cup. There were valuable finals in Newbridge, Galway and Limerick with some other top money events at semifinals stages in both Cork and Shelbourne.

It turned out to be a bumper week for Offaly winners with our dogs on the podium in five different tracks.

Early Week Racing

First Offaly winner of the week was in Dublin in the semi-finals of the Shelbourne Regulars A4 stake.  The ever consistent Syrax won again for Edenderry owners Paul and  Chloe Cronin in 28.90, by two lengths at 4/1, with another Offaly dog second in this heat in Highview Yeats also for an Edenderry owner in Peter Killaly with Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman at the helm.

Friday Racing

First Faithful County winners  of the weekend were at the SIS matinee meeting in Mullingar with four in total and a double for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch and Clara owner P.J. Cleary. In an A6 race Killeshill Devine won in 30.01 by two lengths at 10/3 and in an A3 contest Killeshill Callie stopped the clock in 29.69 by one length at 7/1 both for Lynch. Clearys two were Apache Gem in an A4 grade in 29.88 by two lengths at 9/2 and Lahinch Murphy also in an A4 race in 29.83 by one length at 3/1. All races in Mullingar were rated .60 slow.

The best race in the midlands at the weekend was in Newbridge with the final of the Brownstown Tango and NTSC Open Unraced bitch stake. Cream came to the top here as Droopys Bundle (Droopys Sydney-Droopys Sweet) made it three wins from three starts for Rathangan trainer Robert Gleeson when winning the €6.5k first prize in 28.41 by two lengths at 1/1 fav. This looks another for Gleeson who seems to have a very bright future ahead of her. Callawayballymac was second for Owen McKenna and received a pot of €3k. One Offaly winner on the supporting card as Laughil Emma won a heat of the March ON2 Unraced for Kilcormac owner Mary Jennings in 29.63 by one length at 2/1 with Clonard trainer Kevin Losty guiding.

Shelbourne, in the final of a D3 750 stake the €1.75k purse went to Typhoon Tracy (Ballymac Cashout-String Of Pearls) in 41.95 by nine lengths at 1/1 fav for Rob Fox and Mark O’Regan. The first race of the night an A4 grade was won by Innfield Trinity for Edenderry owner Timmy Slevin with trainer Barry Clancy in 28.77 by nine lengths at 6/4.

The two best races in Kilkenny were the semifinals of the Deadly Kennels McCalmont Cup A1 stake Kapuka Warrior won the first for Karol Ramsbottom in 29.10 (20 slow) by two lengths at 2/1 with the second semi going to Lotto Other News for Shaun Conway in a faster 28.80 (20 slow) also  by two lengths at 8/13 fav.

In the final of the E M Mechanical ON2 stake in Clonmel Good Thunder (Good Cody-Deelish Oreo) won the €1.6k first prize for John Kennedy in 28.98 by two lengths at 5/4 fav.

There were two big finals up for grabs in a full house in Galway, firstly in the Kilcolgan Castle Connacht 550 Derby Magical Mags (Ballymac Cashout-Mystical Luna) was in the winners enclosure with a cheque of €9k for owner and trainer Pat Guilfoyle in 30.18 (10 slow) by three lengths at 2/1. Ballymac Sorrel was second for Pat Buckley and won €2.5k. In the final of The On Faya A2 Bitch  Stake the classicly bred Neverseendalikes (Droopys Sydney-Susie Sapphire) won the €3.5k for Owen McKenna again in 28.82 (10 slow) by six lengths at 1/1 fav.

Saturday Racing

Curraheen Park, semi-finals of the Apex Global Resources LTD Cork Open Oaks, first heat went to Silverhill Freya for champion trainer Graham Holland in 28.33 by two lengths at 9/4. The second semifinal was a dead heat between Unanimous Roxy for Pat Buckley and Deelish Nora for Ginger McGee at 5/2 in 28.63.

The first race on the card in Dundalk was an ON1 Open Unraced was won by Gem Friendly for Daingean owner Conor McGrath in a super 21.33 by seven lengths with Vincent McKenna training.

 In the first round of an ON2 Unraced stake with three heats in Galway Capella won heat one for Edenderry owner Robert Sheehy in 29.72 (10 slow) by a neck at 5/2. Limerick, in the final of the Tim Real Memorial A2 stake Fairy Footsteps (Droopys Sydney- Enable) won the €3k pot for Guilfoyle again in 28.33 by four lengths at 5/2. Final Offaly winner on Saturday was in Mullingar as Killeshill Ranger won an A2 race for Vincent Lynch again in 29.53 (60 slow) by three lengths at 2/1.

The first classic of the year got underway in Shelbourne with the staging of the Bresbet Easter Cup Open 550 won last year by Clonbrien Treaty for Holland. Six heats with all winning times within two lengths of each other. There were joint  fastest winning times in 29.46 Tarsna Maasai for Geoff Parnaby by a head at 4/1 and last years derby finalists Hopes Teddy for Pat Buckley at 6/4 by three lengths. One final on the night in the Upcoming Events A1 Stake Malibu Chic (Ballymac Bolger-Coolavanny Chick) won for Rachel Wheeler with a prize of €1.75k going her way in 28.86 by a head at 6/4.

Sunday Racing

Another five Offaly winners at the matinee meeting in Mullingar with a double for Moneygall owner Liam Jones. In an A4 contest Knockroe Bob was first home in 29.77 by five lengths at 13/8 fav and Land Cruiser won an A6 race for Jones in 30.04  by three lengths at 6/4 fav. 

In an A5 grade Lahinch Blaze was first back in kennels for P.J. Cleary again in 29.80 by four lengths also at 6/4 fav. Croghan owner Vincent Lynch got on the winning trail as well when Killeshill Milo won an A2 race in the fastest time of the day in 29.66 by one length at 8/1. The final Faithful County winner of the week was in an A7 test as Horseleap Lilly won for Sean McGuinness in 30.12 by eight lengths at 11/8 fav. All races in Mullingar on Sunday were rated  .50 slow. 

Upcoming Events

Thursday, final of the Shelbourne Regulars A4 stake.Friday, final of the March ON2 Unraced in Newbridge and final of the Deadly Kennels McCalmont Cup in Kilkenny. Saturday, final of the Apex Global Resources LTD Cork Oaks and quarterfinals of the Bresbet Easter Cup in Shelbourne.

Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week

Gem Friendly gets the nod this week for winning in an ON1 Open unraced in Dundalk on Saturday in a cracking 21.33, on debut by seven lengths, for Daingean owner Conor  McGrath. Fine performance.

Offaly Winners

A great total of fifteen Offaly winners this week, congrats to all involved in any way.