A ten-race card featured at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night last with the highlight been a double for the Myles Cummins kennel of Newmarket-on-Fergus as both Snuggie Rhino and Snuggie Carson landed their respective contests.
By Michael Maher
Snuggie Rhino was the first to strike in an A3 525. Donning the striped jacket, the son of Orchestrate & Pearl Express was only moderately into stride from his wide berth and suffered first-bend traffic to sit some six lengths off the pace entering the back straight. However, trouble at the head of proceedings at the third bend aided his recovery and he powered to the front off the final turn before staying on well to win by two and a half lengths from Da Roundie Man. The time was 29.40.
Race six saw the double secured, an A2 525, as Snuggie Carson (Grangeview Ten & Crottys Act) took his career tally into double figures. Drawn in two, ‘Carson’ was headed early by Boozed Mag in five, however, he held his inside line well to narrowly lead at halfway. It remained nip and tuck between the pair thereafter, but Snuggie Carson (5/2) found more on the Limerick hill to emerge a one-and-a-half-length winner over ‘Mags’. The time was 28.86.
Friday night’s Galway card had the A2 graded seventh contest as the feature event and other proved to be a milestone occasion for Portumna trainer John Sloyan as the Mary Muldoon owned Portumna Syd made virtually all the running as the son of Here Comes Syd and Razldazl Emily to credit John with his one hundredth win as a trainer by two lengths from Pradise Honk in 29.10.
Portumna Syd was very smartly into his stride and racing towards the opening bend he led Paradise Honk by a length with Bayview Wild in toed place along the rails. Racing down the back Portumna Syd led Paradise Honk by a length as the pair began to draw clear and settle down to scrap it out. Exiting the back straight Portumna Syd began to assert and kicking on off the home bend stormed up the straight to great cheers from the stands to acknowledge the milestone victory for the kennel.
The A4 graded sixth contest produced a thrilling finish as the Stephen Murray of Sixmilebridge trained Run For Mary for the second week in success and fifth run on the bounce got up close home nail Fiftycents Gar right on the line for a short head success in 29.64. Bumblebee Milan was away best in the centre of the track and racing towards the opening bend she led from Fiftycents Gar and Caislean Diane. Racing down the back the front trio were covered by less than length as Run For Mary began to creep closer in behind. Between the final two bends Fiftycents Gar took over in front and looked set to score readily until The How-Deep-Is-It Syndicate owned Run For Mary (Broadstrand Bono-Risky Reward) arrived a with a wet sail to lead on the line and grab the spoils.
Paradise Prada was away best in the A4 graded contest and racing towards the opening bend she was joined don her inner by Hollywell Eagle and Pronto Bucks. Turning down the back Pronto Bucks took over in front and racing down towards halfway he led from Lakeside Tommy on the wide outside with Paradise Prada just in behind the pair and once again looked a big danger. Approaching the third bend Paradise Prada got the gap she was looking for along the inner and quickly shooting through the Sean Meade of Miltown Malbay owned Paul Burke trained daughter of McInerney and Paradise Brook quickly away to defeat Cavan Man Gar by four and a half lengths in 29.62.
