Greyhound Racing: Whisper was heard by all in Chubby Thurles brace

Saturday’s evening meeting at Thurles Greyhound Stadium last weekend brought ten races over varying grades but confirming early career promise, a brace of victories for litter comrades delivered a double for Laura O’Meara with Chubbys Whisper (Ballymac Best-Chubbys Sarah) leading the way in the featured A2 525 contest.

Bumped on rise last time following his impressive maiden victory at A4 level, the March 2020 pup fully got to grips with the upgrade this time when breaking just off the pace from trap 4. Pacing up well however, while tracking Cabra Veyron to the opening turn, the O’Meara pup continued to pursue that leader to the backstraight when duelling for second position with the advancing Errill Daithi.

A brilliant tussle involving that trio on the approach to the third bend saw Errill Daithi briefly poke his head in front with a daring effort between runners but badly baulked upon turning, all would change at the crown of the bends as Chubbys Whisper rushed up on the outside to claim a decisive lead on the run to the home stretch.

Seeing out the trip well thereafter, the O’Meara winner doubled his tally in a fifth career start, posting a smart 29.46 (-30) with three lengths in hand of Cabra Veyron.

The kennel double arrived in the concluding event of the night as litter comrade Chubbys Times (Ballymac Best-Chubbys Sarah) got off the mark with maiden success at the third time of asking when a dominant winner of the A3 525.

Breaking just off the pace from trap 5, the inexperienced pup displayed pleasing battling qualities when racing in tight quarters throughout the early exchanges and forging a one length first bend lead with the best early dash, swept the turn at pace for a commanding backstraight lead over Swift Fellowship. Maintaining a strong gallop throughout, Chubbys Times ran out a ready four length winner in a slick 29.49 (-30).

Ripple repeat is fastest of the night

Having commenced her career with a brace of runner-up efforts, Doireann Quinlan’s Bull Run Ripple (Ballymac Vic-Tipp The Deise) found reward with a maiden victory in A4 grade last time out and without penalty for that eye-catching score, the late starting February 2019 whelp quickly doubled her tally when going back-to-back on Saturday.

A sole middle seed for her A4 525, the Quinlan charge broke on level terms from trap 6 and tracking pacesetter Oakvale Bear around the opening bends, had little more than a length to recover on that rival at halfway. Again, displaying strong running abilities however, Bull Run Ripple joined the leader on the outside at the final bend and proving strongest on the run to the line, extended to a one length winning margin while posting a best of the night over the standard trip of 29.42 (-30).

Singing a Flanagan duet

Another kennel in double winning form on Saturday was that of trainer David Flanagan as he firstly guided the Three Ks Syndicate’s wonderfully consistent Nowursinging (Ballymac Best-Steely Dynasty) back to winning ways in the first of the night’s A4 525 events.

Competing in his 27th race, the September 2019 whelp was filling a forecast place for the seventeenth time and ended a run of six defeats when immediately in contention having began on level terms from trap 2. Crucially securing the rails position when in pursuit of a bumped Johnnypateenmike, and Monroe Drhamer, the Flanagan charge tracked that latter rival to the backstraight with a length to recover on the run to halfway.

Impressive while easing his way to the front nearing the third bend, Nowursinging would be forced to fend off the renewed attentions of Johnnypateenmike close home but retained a half-length advantage at the line when posting 29.46 (-30).

The kennel double arrived soon after when Imelda Sinclair’s Canya Goforit (Definate Opinion-Soho Ark) claimed the fifth win of her career in a bumpy A3 525. On the outside of a packing field to the first bend, all runners suffered some manner of a inconvenience before the Flanagan winner negotiated her way to a duel for fourth at the top of the backstraight.

Always a strong runner however, Canya Goforit raced on the hind quarters a leading trio at the final bend before pouncing late and fast for a thrilling victory. Passing three rivals in the home straight, she held half a length over long-time leader Cabra Beauty, with a shorthead to Knockalton Conor in third and just a further head to Terryglass Piper who filled fourth in a 30.04 (-30) cracker!

Saturday featured a brace of 570-yard events and best when claiming the A4 contest, Declan Drohan’s Ballygloss Bingo (Dorotas Woo Hoo-Bogger Realta) doubled his win tally while advancing to a career best in a first outing over the extended four-bend trip.

A previous A5 scorer over 525 yards, the April 2020 pup was none too swift upon exiting trap 2 but relishing the long run to the opening bend, superior early dash saw him recover lost ground before edging to the front while commanding the rails at the corner.

Pursued into the backstraight by Mackee Coconut, the winner retained a two-length lead to the closing bends and powering clear in the home stretch, Ballygloss Bingo left a very pleasing impression when five lengths in advance of the running-on Abigails Mystery in 31.99 (-30).

The later 570-yard contest came in A2 grade and brought a return to winning ways for John Byrne & Dominic O’Brien’s Knockalton King (Good News-Newlawn Minnie) as he registered a most deserved fifth career win in brave fashion.

Breaking just off the pace from trap 6, the October 2018 whelp tracked Cabra Hasty to the backstraight with just a half length to recover but both those duelling leaders would cede the lead to the advancing Tarsna Havana who just showed in front of the Byrne winner when swinging into the home stretch. A protracted tussle to the line, however, saw Knockalton King forge a tight one length advantage close home, posting 32.08 (-30) in an entertaining encounter!

A brace of maiden winners commenced the Saturday action with Patsy Meaney & Edward Fogarty’s Kylenoe Spirit (Ballymac Best-Toms Linda) particularly impressive when a ready winner of his A7 525 contest. Returning from a five-month absence, the September 2019 whelp showed slick early dash to lead throughout a five and a half length defeat of Oakvale Choice, posting 29.69 (-30) in what was just a sixth career start.

Also claiming a first victory, the third career outing of John McKenna’s Rossestown Sid (Droopys Sydney-Littleton On Air) saw the September 2019 whelp land the opening A8 525 when defending the inside rail to the opening turn before stretching to a four and a half-length verdict over Circus Vic in 30.05 (-30) while the remaining A6 525 went to Paddy Scally’s Cabra Puma (Confident Rankin-Cabra Twister) when gamely recovering from an unpromising fifth at halfway to post a bump affected 30.13 (-30) in a one length defeat of Heavens Dollar.

Top Dog

Claiming a second win from his last three starts, Chubbys Whisper (Ballymac Best-Chubbys Sarah) accounted for some highly respected benchmark rivals in his A2 525 victory on Saturday. Displaying an admirable willing attitude, the March 2020 pup showed pace at all points of the circuit and is a runner to follow closely in this early part of the season.

Best Bitch

Bull Run Ripple (Ballymac Vic-Tipp The Deise) will seek a hattrick with just a small rise to A3 next time following her Saturday victory when posting 29.42 (-30) in the A4 525. Her stealthy progress following a belated career start is likely to see yet further improvement and she will remain tough to contain in her treble bid.

One To Watch

Paddy Scally’s Cabra Veyron (Kinloch Brae-Cabra Ebony) just failed to poach a decisive advantage around the opening bends when second to Chubbys Whisper in their A2 525 clash on Saturday but set for an ease to A3 in his next outing, he will prove extremely tough to contain in that sphere.