LISSATOUK PEARL owned by Cooraclare’s Seamus McMahon won the A5 graded contest in honour of Galway boxer Kieran Molloy.
Saturday night’s Galway card featured the semi-finals of the Paul McKenna Memorial A5 525 yards stake generously sponsored by the McKenna family and the second round heats of the Galway Unraced N2 350 Yards Stake. The A2 graded ninth contest the top graded affair of the night on which the special guest was recently crowned European Welterweight boxing champion Kieran Molloy from Oughterard, his family have had a long and fruitful association with the sport and Galway greyhound stadium.
The eighth contest of the night was named in Kieran’s honour and following this a special presentation to mark his achievement was made by the Western Owners and Breeders Association.
Indeed it was a very proud night also for W.G.O.B.A, Chairperson Hughie Keleghan as his teenage son Sean landed a double in the opening two races of the night with Poppy On Faya who he owns in partnership with Cian Mullrooney and his own Up The Jimmys in race number two.
In The Kieran Molloy European Welterweight Champion 525 all six runners were away well for this A5 graded contest with the white jacketed Balroebuck Tom showing fine pace on the run towards the opening bend to lead by three lengths from Croaghill Magic and Pronto Bucks rounding the opening bend with Lissatouk Pearl in fourth place as they entered the back straight. Racing down the back Balroebcuk Tom extended his advantage to over six lengths as Lissatouk Pearl began to motor and go in pursuit of the leader passing the halfway point. Exiting the back straight the Seamus McMahon of Cooraclare owned Lissatouk Pearl began to take a couple of lengths out of Balroebuck Tom’s lead and with the leader treading water on the run home Lissatouk Pearl (Ballymac Cashout & Lissatouk Dolly) arrived to deliver a knockout blow close home and prevail by half a length in 29.61.
In the second semi-final of the Paul McKenna Memorial A5 Stake Flyers Penny and Highview Exotic were both away well and this pair raced stride for stride wide apart towards the opening bend with Killanin Bono in third place as they hit the opening bend where Flyers Penny despite drifting slightly wide took two lengths out of her rivals. Racing towards halfway Flyers Penny extended her advantage to almost four lengths over Highview Exotic and the Flyers Racing Syndicate owned daughter of Signet Ace and Pennylane Sheba was not stopping out front. Tracking well around the final two bends the Colm Fitzgerald of Kilrush trained lady eased home three lengths clear of Highview Exotic with Grangeview Icon back in third place in a time of 29.42
.
