FIVE Banner greyhounds entered the winner’s enclosure at the SIS Limerick meeting on Thursday last with doubles for Tulla’s Donie Duggan and Newmarket-on-Fergus’ Myles Cummins.
Races two and three made it a quick fire double for Donie Duggan as Astro Podge duly obliged for the Madden Pepper Syndicate in 29.80, this was race win number 13 for this son of Ballymac Best and Dynamic Cool Sky.
Amys Jack led from tap to line in 29.22, owned by Peter Russell from Shannon, this was career win number 18 for this son of Skywalker Rafa and Notimetotalk.
Races seven and eight brought home the double for the kennels of Myles Cummins and Breda Casey. Snuggie Benny a son of Ballymac Cashout and Slaneyside Goldi notched career win number nine in 28.89 and Syds Star under the ownership of the C-Star Syndicate landed his fifteenth career win in 29.13, he is a son of Droopys Sydney and Annual review.
Staunch Clare hurling supporter Joe Collins from Parteen presented Shanayle Turbo for an A5 graded contest and this son of Ballymac Cashout and Moment in Life didn’t disappoint to lead all the way in a time of 29.37, this his second career success.
Friday nights Galway card was headlined by what looked a very competitive A1 graded contest over 525 yards. In the A3 graded seventh contest Knockanoura Kate came away best ahead of Rylane Master but as they charged towards the opening bend it was the Donie Duggan owned and trained Rylane Master that showed the better pace to lead by a length at the opening bend. Turning down the back Rylane Master opened up a three-length advantage over Knockanoura Kate with Confused Kiely in third place exiting the far side. Turning for home the lead was still three lengths but Rylane Master (Burgess Bucks & Notimetotalk) was all out to hold the thrust of Knockanoura Kate by a diminishing neck at the line in 29.34 and complete a kennel double in the process.
Duggan was back in the winners enclosure after the A8 graded sixth contest in which all six runners were away pretty much on terms with Badgerfort Blue first to break rank as they raced towards the opening bend. On the run up the striped jacketed Charming Ciara really lengthened her stride out wide to take command of the contest rounding the bend. Racing down the back the Duggan trained leader was setting sail for home as Threebagsofmeat gave chase in second ace but the chase was all in vain as Charming Ciara(Grangeview Ten-Marley Star) satyed on well to score by four lengths at the line in 29.87.
Race two was an S8 graded sprint contest and in the early strides Rocket Blanca showed pace in the centre of the track to lead from Coillbhui Puca with Blaze Bay close up in third place along the rails as they raced towards the opening bend. At the bend Rocket Blanca led by two lengths but she maintained a middle berth as she rounded the bend and this allowed the Tony Brigdale of Ennis owned Blaze Bay to slip through to lead and the son of Slippery Robert and Sports Olivia drew clear to defeat the dead heating pair of Rocket Blanca and Coillbhui Puca by three and a half lengths in 19.93.
Having stayed on well on two of his three career outings to date the Martin Cronin and Jack Markham of Ennis owned Cragbrien Hero got off the mark in this A7 graded contest leading halfway up the run in on his way to a length and a half victory over Burnpark Archie in 30.23. Fortune Peach led early and continued to set the pace to past halfway where Burnpark Archie took closer order. Nearing the third bend Cragbrien Hero (Ballymac Cashout & Fire Height Mal) began to close on the leading pair. Rounding the home bend, the winner switched outside and wore down Burnpark Archie on the run home.
The S2 graded sprint contest quickly developed into a match between to old rivals as Burnpark Jaytee broke smartly from his trap three berth to lead from Ballyea Jet with the pair opening up a three length advantage over Seekers Jet racing to the opening bend. Rounding the bend the Maria Browne of Cree owned Burnpark Jaytee (Jaytee Jet & Seekers Vision) led by a length and that became two approaching the home bend. Although Ballyea Jet closed with every stride on the run home Burnpark Jaytee had enough in hand to prevail by a diminishing neck at the line in 19.32.
There were two mini stake finals down for decision at Galway Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night with the final of the Try A Trio A7 525 Yards Stake the feature of the two deciders.
All six runners were away on terms for the A7 final with Balroebuck Ash and Lexis Got it disputing the lead on either side of the track passing the judge first time. As the leading pair approached the opening bend the Gerry O’Donoghue of Gort owned On The Latt surged between runners to take a narrow advantage and then lead by a length entering the back straight. Racing down the back Springwell Jon made rapid progress to get within half a length of the leader as the penultimate bend loomed. Off the home bend little separated the leading pair but On The Latt was always holding a narrow advantage as he prevailed by a length at the line in 29.67 adding to the special birthday celebrations for his owner.
In the early strides of the A5 graded contest Pronto Bucks showed plenty of early pace to lead from Lissatouk Pearl and Ballygibbon Ted rounding the opening bend. Turning down the back the gap between the leading pair was a length with six lengths back to the chasers passing the halfway point. Rounding the third bend the Seamus McMahon of Cooraclare owned Lissatouk Pearl (Ballymac Cashout & Lissatouk Dolly) edged to the front and gradually gaining the upper hand she eased clear to score by two lengths in 29.95.
