Derry Greyhounds: Jella crowned Queen of the Oaks at Brandywell

PICTURED ABOVE: Brandywell Race 5, The Bart Teague Memorial Brandywell Oaks 500 Final was won by DO IT JELLA in 27.83. Tony Teague who is the son of the late Bart Teague made the presentation to Parker Friel (both on front left of photo). Her parents Paddy & Annaliese and brother Ashton are all standing beside her. Winning owner Andrew White is holding the winner. We then have the family members of the late Bart Teague who included Ciaran Teague, Bridie Teague (wife of the late Bart) who is bright presented with a bouquet of flowers by Millie Grant on behalf of the Brandywell Greyhound Supporters Group & on right is the Tony’s daughter Leona Teague.

The 4th annual running of the Bart Teague Memorial Oaks was the feature event on an all sponsored 8 race programme at Brandywell on Monday evening. It was a terrific night’s racing and thanks must go to all the sponsors on the night and everyone who contributed in any way, including the Track Management Team who prepared the venue and hosted the meeting.

Retired greyhound, Anitas Lady, who is 7.5 years old, made her way back to Brandywell to have her photo taken with the winner of Race 1 which was sponsored in her name by her owner Shea Cassidy. Lady had won 2 of her 10 career starts with those wins being recorded over the Brandywell Sprint so it was fitting that her sponsored race was also over the 300 yard trip.

It was the Cyril O’Hagan trained Lifes Nippy (Broadstrand Bono x Alien Dawning, Dec ’21) that was flawless when trapping smartly from the 3 box for a trap to line victory in 17.10 and in doing so notched up his third career success in 20 starts.

Nathan Corden at Greyhound Trader has become a regular sponsor at the Brandywell and it was John McQuillan’s Rough Flame (Pestana x Bubbly Rose, Jul ’22) that claimed the honour of winning Race 2, the Greyhound Trader Trophy Race over the 300 yards. Evenly away from trap 6, she was almost hidden from view as she paced to the first bend on the outside of the leaders. However, she burst ahead of the pack after running a terrific first bend and ran on well to win by 3.75 lengths in 16.89 which gives her a great strike rate of 2 wins from just 4 starts.

As well as sponsoring the Oaks, Tony Teague sponsored Race 3, the TT Thermal Insulation Contractors Trophy Race over 500 yards and it was won by the Marty Healy and Shane McColgan owned Brassneck Max (Ballymac Cashout x Ballymac Cams, Oct ’22).

Only moderately away from trap 6, Max showed good pace to be battling for the lead at the first turn. He was crowded slightly wide but kept his momentum and emerged from the second bend on the shoulder of the early leader Mulroy Mary. Max took up the lead at the third bend but swung wide turning for home which allowed Mary to regain lost ground and edge ahead again. Max rallied on up the straight and got the verdict by 1 length in 27.99. Trained by Stephen Radcliffe, Max gave him his first of four winners on the night. An incredible feat to train half the winners on Oaks Final Night.

The Drumcrow Darwin @ Stud Consolation Oaks Final was only a 4 runner affair but it was still a competitive race. It was part of the joint sponsorship package from Tony Teague, TT Thermal Insulations, Roy Ruddy and the Brandywell Greyhound Supporters Group. Last year’s Oaks Consolation Final winner Dreenan Jill was aiming to make it two in a row but she had a battle early doors with Miss Mini Belle for the lead which did her no favours. As the pair headed towards the third bend, Read The Room, wearing the 3 jacket was making ominous progress on their heels.

After meeting trouble on the inside at the third bend last week, she made the wise decision to pass the leaders on their outside this week and it left her in pole position to use her superior stamina on the home straight to run out a 0.75 length winner in 27.86. Owned by Georgina Gibbons and trained by her dad Declan Crossan, Read The Room has now 4 career wins from 15 starts.

Brandywell on Monday; Race 4 The Drumcrow Darwin @ Stud Consolation Final was won by READ THE ROOM in 27.86. Winning owner Georgina Gibbons is presented with her trophy by Roy Ruddy.

Do It Jella (Broadstrand Bono x Coolatee Molly, Mar ’22) had won her heat in each round prior to lining up for the final of the Bart Teague Memorial Oaks which was Race 5 on the programme. Drawn in her preferred 6 box, Jella showed her customary early pace but couldn’t match the early toe of Old Fort Lakota on her inside. Turning a close second to Lakota at the first bend, Jella powered around her outside to emerge into the lead entering the back straight.

County Song was driving up their inside at the third bend but once again Jella regained her advantage by charging around the final turns to edge ahead entering the home straight where she swung off wide. Song took the shorter route and had a momentary lead but Jella wasn’t finished with yet and dug deep to regain her lead. From the clouds, Rossna Millie came flying up the outside only to be denied by a short head at the line.

The bravest of the brave, Do It Jella, was crowned the Queen of Brandywell 2024 for owner trainer team, Andrew and Ray White. Her time was 27.83 and her biggest fan Parker Friel was the first to congratulate Jella with a hug. The pair were wearing matching lucky pink jackets throughout the competition and, in a sport where luck counts, they may just have made all the difference.

The trophy presentation was made by the Teague family and it was lovely to welcome them back to Brandywell. We very much appreciate that they choose Brandywell to sponsor this event in memory of their beloved Bart. As well as the £700 1st prize pot, the winner of the Oaks also won a free service to Drumcrow Darwin courtesy of Roy Ruddy.

The rest of the programme saw trainer Stephen Radcliffe’s hounds on the winner’s podium as he completed his fantastic four timer on Oaks Final Night. Race 6 was the Brassneck Bar Trophy Race over the 500 yards, sponsored by Marty Healy and we saw Inniskeen Mandy (Superior Panama x Slaneyside Kerri, Sep ’21) returning to something like her best form. Drawn in trap 3, Mandy had the early paced Starcash Barry on her inside to the first bend where Mandy rode a bump but still forced her way into the lead at the turn. She never saw another challenger as she won by 3 lengths in 27.85 for her owner Colm McConomy.

Brandywell on Monday; Race 6, The Brassneck Bar trophy Race sponsored by Marty Healy was won by INNISKEEN MANDY in 27.85. Pictured with (from left) we have the Sponsor, Marty Healy making the presentation to winning owner Colm McConomy, then Fionnuala O Kane & Mairead Miller.

Patsy Doyle sponsored the PD Dog Foods Trophy Race over the 500 yards and the Stephen Radcliffe trained Fast Fit Mollie (Malachi x Fast Fit Maeve, Jun ’22) notched up her second career win almost a year after her first success in Galway. It was a workman like effort from trap 1.

Mollie tucked in behind the leaders rounding the first couple of turns and was in a share of third place entering the back straight. She plugged on gamely and was in second place at the third turn. Her efforts were rewarded as she got up just in the nick of time for a most deserving win by 0.75 lengths in 28.43.

The finale to a great night’s action was over at traprise. It was the On The Run Syndicate Trophy Race over the 300 yards and once again, Stephen Radcliffe trained the winner. When the lids lifted, Comer Runaway (Great Blue Shark x Coolavanny Muir, Apr ’22) blasted from trap 5 and recorded a fast 16.54 as he stretched right away from his rivals to win by 4.5 lengths crossing the line. It was the perfect script played out for the race sponsors, the On The Run Syndicate, who owned the winner.

Action from Lifford Greyhound Stadium

There were some quality performances at Lifford Greyhound Stadium over the past weekend and proceedings got off to a fine start on Saturday with a first career win for the well-supported Little Ace. Owned by Peter McMenamin, the son of Signet Ace and Emers Velvet was beaten on debut at Derry, however, bounced back emphatically when trapping well from his inside berth in one.

In doing so, the February pup quickly outpaced his rivals on the run to the opener, before staying on stoutly to record a comfortable three and a half-length victory. The time was 17.99.

Brandywell: Race 1, The Anitas Lady Sprint Trophy Race 300 yards was won by LIFES NIPPY in 17.10. Pictured with Shea Cassidy (left) who is holding Anitas Lady. In centre is Control Steward Martin Mc Laughlin, and on right is Cyril O’Hagan who is holding the winning dog.

Indeed, the sprinters were out in force on Saturday as Strive For Gold (Ballymac Bolger – No Vacancies) also notched a first career win for Eddie and Teresa Hurson. Running in an S6 contest, this lady took no prisoners as she trapped best of all from five to lead into the bend. From there, the 5/2 chance held off the persistent challenge of Smurfing Gamer to cross the line with one and three parts of a length to spare, in a time of 17.72.

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Quickest over the two-bend trip was the Brendan Cullen-owned Cullmac Mary as she returned to winning ways for the first time since July. Going off as a 5/2 chance, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Tarsna Rose was made to work hard as Armagh Joe Brown looked to have the contest sewn up, however, ‘Mary’ was nothing if not game in storming home to record a one length victory. The time was a rapid 17.66.

Over the standard trip, there was an excellent victory for Tweets Eimear (Burgess Bucks – Lacken Bluebell), who in truth made mincemeat of her A4 contest. Owned by John McDaid, this lady was a recent purchase at the Kilkenny sales and she certainly has plenty of ability based on her runaway victory from trap one. Donning the red jacket, the 2/1 chance drew clear of her rivals to record a six and three parts of a length victory over Coolboy Con in second. The time was a fast 29.17.

Not to be outdone, the in-form Knockroe Pearl recorded the quickest time over the four-bends as she continued her purple patch for Derry handler Willie Mullan. A winner of two of her last three prior to this contest, she lined out in the concluding race on the card and made every inch of the running from trap three.

Stepping out lively to record a 2.69 sectional, the daughter of Ballymac Best set a powerful gallop and although asked plenty of questions by Fridays Style, held on gamely to secure a half-length win, in a time of 29.14.