ROCK COUNTRY rocked from start to finish to secure a winner’s prize of €1300 for Lissycasey owner Martin Griffin.
The feature contest on Friday nights card was the final of the Western Owners & Breeders Association A3 525 Yards Stake with a winner’s prize of €1300 up for grabs.
Having missed the break and being forced to check on his debut over 525 yards the Martin Griffin of Lissycasey owned Rock Country made light of the drop to the sprint trip in this S9 graded affairs as he eased home six lengths clear of Burkos Criminal in 19.55. Less than two lengths covered the field in the early strides as Badgerfort Jody and Rock Country disputed the lead with Maximusdageneral also close up as they approached the opening bend.
At the bend, Rock Country shot clear of his rivals and as he approached the home turn he looked home and hosed. Striding out well up the straight the son of Grangeview Ten and Rockmount Mia was showing no sign of stopping at the line to score in good style.
Having got off the mark at the second time of asking the Sean Meade of Miltown Malbay owned Pradise Prada made it back to back successes in the A7 graded contest drawing clear from the crown of the home bend to score by five lengths from Raffs Den in 29.78. Paradise Prada was smartly away from her trap four berth and racing towards the opening bend led from Seekers Dream out wide and Burkos Wicked towards the inner.
Turning down the back Seekers Dreamtook over briefly in front but approaching the penultimate bend Paradise Prada began to strut her stuff. Gradually turning the screw, the Paul Burke trained daughter of McInerney and O’Mahoney raced away from her rivals to land the spoils.
Guideys Merlin was away like the wind on the wide outside for the S7 graded contest and racing towards the opening bend she led May Get Smart and Waterside Mel by over two lengths. Approaching the opening bend May Get Smart closed along the rails as Guideys Merlin moved across to shut the door firmly a manoeuvre that forced the Colm Fitzgerald of Kilrush trained Waterside Mel to check and switch to the wide outside. Turning for home Guideys Merlin led by two lengths but the Go-Lassie-Go Syndicate owned Waterside Mel was now in the clear and the daughter of Doratos Wildcat and Pats Angela swept through to score by two lengths from Guideys Merlin in 19.42. The winner is owned by a seven strong syndicate made up of past and present players from Galway hurling and camogie club Liam Mellows who have had a long and successful association with greyhound racing and who have held regular fundraising and social nights out at the track .
Passing Of Joe Keane:
The Greyhound Community lost a great friend and supporter with the passing of Joe Keane. Joe was known the length and breadth of the country for his love for all things greyhound related, you could meet Joe at any track or Coursing meeting in Ireland, and Joe took great pride in been a valued and committed member of Killimer/Kilrush Coursing Club and was ever present in his commitment in tackling illegal hunting, growing up in his late father famous pub, Willie Keane’s.
Joe enjoyed his annual excursion to Clonmel with his father and many friends, in later years Joe lived in Kilkee and Carrigaholt and was embedded in all West Clare communities as a well-liked and friendly postman, Joe with the help of his wife Bridget trained and owned many good greyhounds over the year, he was particularly fond of Laura’s Rambo who won the Treaty Cup in 1991 for his father Willie at the Limerick City Coursing meeting and on the track front in recent years, he enjoyed the winning exploits of JoMac, who was unbeaten at Galway, winning his first three starts before enjoying a prolific career across the pond in the UK, Joe enjoyed attending the English Derby Final on many occasions with many of his good friends from the greyhound fraternity.
