ALBERT Long and John Collins had a weekend to remember with success in the feature events in Galway on Friday and Saturday.
By Michael Maher
The final of the Try A Trio Novice 350 Yards Stake was the feature contest on Friday night at Galway Greyhound Stadium and as the traps rose Brickhill Sky owned by Clare natives Albert Long and John Collins was away like the wind and racing towards the opening bend she led Tubber Ace, All About Alice and Tiermana Dream by over a length. At the turn the leader tracked also but her rivals all git in each others way which allowed Brickhill Sky to shoot five lengths clear of her rivals and continuing to extend her advantage in the straight the daughter of Ballymac Bolger and Twentylittletoes scored by seven and a half lengths from Tiermana Dream in 19.23.
In heat number two of the Barking Buzz App S7 Stake Killdoo Lass was away smartly from her trap four berth and although closely attended to by Baby Blue Leah on her inner racing towards the opening bend the Donal Cooney and Gerry Maloney of O’Callaghans Mills owned lady held a two length advantage over Baby Blue Leah exiting the back straight. Extending her advantage to over three lengths as the home turned loomed Killdoo Lass (Burgess Bucks-Notimetotalk) drew right away in the straight to score by eight lengths at the line in 19.77.
Saturday night’s Galway card featured the semi-finals of the Race Entries By Test A6 525 Yards Stake on a card that had the A1 graded fourth race over 525 yards as the nights feature event. It proved to be a weekend to remember for the Albert Long and John Collins.
As the traps rose for the feature contest Brickhill Moana was away well from her trap two berth and racing towards the opening bend the daughter of Ballymac Bolger and Twentylittletoes showed good pace to lead from Knoppogue Blue and Fast Fit Patch. Turning into the back straight Knoppogue Blue joined Brickhill Moana at the head of affairs but as the penultimate bend loomed Brickhill Moana was once again a length to the good. Tracking well between the final two bends Brickhill Moana was now on her way to career success number seven by a length and a half over Fast Fit Patch.
In the A4 ‘Getting Out’ Stakes Hollywell Sky and Candys Widget were away well towards the outside and racing towards the opening bend they were closely attended to by Glamorous Woohoo along the inner. Racing down the back straight Hollywell Sky led Candys Widget by half a length as Glamorous Woohoo gradually closed along the inner. Exiting the back straight the Any Chance Of A Kuga Syndicate owned Candys Widget (Skywalker Canny-Miss Dior) went a couple of lengths clear but she needed the line late on as Glamorous Woohoo closed to within a length in 29.38 completing a double for trainer Donie Duggan.
The double was initiated in the A5 graded fifth contest which produced a real bunch finish with less that two lengths covering the first five home with the Patrick Kelly owned French Fearless coming form last to first to collar Cragbrien Fire right on the line and prevail by a neck in 30.37. Piercefield Jet was the early leader with Cragbrien Magi also close up as they rounded the opening bend. Racing down the back Cragbrien Fire and Maaple Star challenged on either side of the leader until Cragbrien Fire went on approaching the home bend. Off the home bend it was anyone’s race with the Donie Duggan trained French Fearless(Slippery Robert & Clodaghs Legend) coming form the clouds to land the spoils.
The opening contest of the night was a very competitive S2 graded sprint contest with old rivals Burnpark Jaytee, Nashville and Ballyea Jet all involved and from traps the slick trapping Nashville was as usual away well and racing towards the opening bend himself and Ballyea Jet on his outer were matching strides with Burnpark Jaytee a length adrft of the pair. As the leading pair approached the opening turn the Noel Gavin of Ballyea owned Ballyea Jet (Jaytee Jet-Seekers Vision) edged to the front on the outside. Rounding the home bend Nashville responded along the inner but Ballyea Jet was in command to provide a birthday success for trainer Albert Mullins of Gort,
Fresh from a quadruple of victories the previous Thursday at Limerick, Newmarket-on-Fergus pair Myles Cummins and Breda Casey were in the winners enclosure again at last Thursday’s SIS meeting with Snuggie Tasha who recorded a career best effort with a 28.90 victory she is a homebred daughter of Jacob Tashaladek and Miles Girl.
Race nine, an A5 contest went to the father and son team of Michael and Donnacha McNamara from Tulla with Daystar who won his ninth race in 29.46, he is a son of Malachi and rockalong Aqua. The finale of the meeting went the way of Parteen’s Joe Collins when Shanaklye Valley led from trap to line to claim the honours in 29.33, this was career win number number for this son of Malachi and Aarons Sensation.
