Derry Greyhounds: Inniskeen Mandy lands Dorotas Wildcat at Stud Trophy

There were several sponsored events on the 8 race programme at the Brandywell on Monday with the feature event being the Dorotas Wildcat @ Stud 525 which was generously sponsored by Kevin Hutton.

Races 1 & 2 were sprint events and Mark Ferry’s Danas Star (Ballyhimikin Jet x Courty Girl, Dec ’23) made his racing debut a winning one after a smart exit from trap 1. He held his inside pitch and steadily increased his lead on his rivals to 3.5 lengths, crossing the line in 17.19. In addition to the race prizemoney, Star’s victory won his owner the £50 Brandywell Greyhound Supporters Group End of Month Bonus for May.

Stephen Townsley’s Move Over Harry (Move Over Cha x Millridge Zoey, Aug ’23) also made his racing debut a winning one. Racing from trap 5, he was only moderately away from boxes but showed lovely pace up to the first turn and ran a terrific bend on the outside of the field to take up the lead entering the home straight in what was a race winning move. He won by 1.75 lengths in 17.06 for the 300 yards and the manner of his win suggests he has a promising career ahead.

Trainer Stephen Radcliffe secured a quick fire double for his kennel in Races 3 & 4. The first of those was the Do It Kennels 500 which was kindly sponsored by Paddy Friel as a thank you to Ray & Andrew White at Do It Kennels. Benefitting from a trap 1 draw, Yeah Mick (King Sheeran x Toomevarabigmike, Jun ’23) owned by Martin Healy, had enough early pace to lead at the first turn with the evergreen Starcash Barry hot on his heels. It was tight buckle between the pair throughout with Mick getting the verdict by 1.5 lengths in 28.09.

Race 4, the Dorotas Wildcat @ Stud 525 was no less of a buckle amongst the main contenders with just a short head and a head separating the first 3 home. But the Trophy went to trainer Stephen Radcliffe when he completed a great double after the Colm McConomy owned Inniskeen Mandy (Superior Panama x Slaneyside Kerri, Sep ’21) dug deep to land the second annual running of this event at Brandywell.

Do It Jella, fresh from her Gold Cup win last week set a fierce gallop from trap 3 with the Consolation Gold Cup winner Meenagh Milan, tucked in behind in second place around the first turn. Mandy, racing from trap 2, had one of her better exits from boxes but Milan’s early pace on her inside took him to the first turn ahead of her.

However, with this event offering an extra 25 yards over the Gold Cup distance, Mandy’s stamina became the deciding factor and although only entering the home straight in third place, she powered home to get the verdict in 29.53. A well-deserved success and all credit to the runners up who gave 100% effort in this event. It really was a thriller for the spectators.

History repeated itself in Race 5, The Follow UK Greyhound Sales @UKGREYSALES 500 when Michael Calverts Cals Range (Out Of Range ASB x Coolavanny Dream, Jul ’21) won this event for the second time. Nathan Corden sponsors 4 of these races each year at Brandywell and Cals Range had won the Feb 2024 running of it.

Brandywell on Monday; Race 6, KILCOLGAN CASTLE RACE. Sponsored by Chris & Kim Robertson was won by GALLIAGH VOICE in 28.47. Pictured with (from left) Ava McLaughlin, John McLaughlin & Colin McLaughlin.

Range is approaching the veteran stage of her career but showed she retains plenty of talent. Racing from trap 3, she had to settle in behind the early pacers and was only in fourth place entering the back straight. However, the leaders moved wide at the third bend which allowed Range to scoot past on their inside. From there she ran on well to win by 5.25 lengths in 28.42.

Chris and Kim Robertson very kindly sponsored Races 6 & 8 on the programme. The first of those was the Kilcolgan Castle 500 and Ciaran McLaughlin’s homebred Galliagh Voice (Ballymac Bolger x Greenfield Lark, Dec ’23) made every yard of the running from trap 4 to win by 4.75 lengths in 28.47. This was her second victory from only 2 starts. More suited to a trap 6 pitch, there is plenty more to come from this lady.

The other race sponsored by Chris and Kim Robertson was the last sprint on the programme and it was won by Seamus McCloskey’s Mineola Eugene (Burgess Bucks x Farloe Faith, Apr ’23) who showed a lovely burst of pace from the 6 box to be upsides the fast trapping Shesanicelady at the first turn. He powered around the bends and ran on well up the home straight to win by 1 length in 17.07 with Shesanicelady rallying on again to secure second place.

Race 7 was the remaining event on the programme. It was a 500 yards event and Brandywell Queen (King Sheeran x Velvet Holly, Sep ’23) was crowned the winner after a smart trap to line effort from trap 5 for Patsy Doyle’s home bred girl. She won by 3.5 lengths in 28.52. This was her second career success from only 6 starts.

While Sunday’s SIS meeting at Lifford Greyhound Stadium also proved fruitful for the kennel of Cathal McGhee, Saturday night kick-started a real purple patch for the kennel as he sealed a hat-trick of winners. The first of his treble came in race four as Icecool Doll returned to winning ways with her customary trap-to-line performance.

Brandywell on Monday; Race 4, DORATAS WILDCAT @ STUD TROPHY 525 sponsored by Kevin Hutton, was won by INNISKEEN MANDY in 29.53. Pictured with (from left) Colm Mc Conomy, Stephen Radcliffe and Sean Radcliffe. Fionnula O’Kane is kneeling behind the winner.

Sent to traps as a 10/3 chance, the daughter of Ballymac Cashout – Old Fort Locket put her A7 contest to bed early as she broke best of all from trap three. In doing so, she put a commanding lead between herself and Crokers Luna as she crossed the line three and a three parts of a length clear in 29.84.

Ardnasool Lady doubled up in race six as she won by the slenderest of margins at odds of 7/2. Strong market support saw the daughter of Grangeview Ten ping out of trap six, however, her wide-running style saw her surrender her lead to Che Bella at the second bend. Not to be denied, McGhee’s charge stayed on strongly and knuckled down to get back on terms by a short-head crossing the line. The time was 29.57.

The treble was secured in race eight as Ardnasool Ezme made it four career wins when winning at odds of 11/4. Briefly headed by Brora early doors, ‘Ezme’ quickly stormed past her rival and had enough in the tank to see off the fast-finishing duo of Stellas Secret and Mineola Redeem. One length better off, the time was a smart 29.46.

On Sunday’s SIS card, Charles Coyle was fast away as he accounted for the first two winners on the card. The first to score was Roanna Due, who made it back-to-back wins after galloping to victory one-week prior. Installed as the 15/8 favourite, the writing was on the wall early on in this contest as ‘Roanna’ nestled into a favourable position between the first two bends. Improving with every stride passing the halfway mark, the daughter of Broadstrand Bono produced her standard flying finish to reel in Knockavilla Jet by two lengths, in 29.60.

Brandywell on Monday; Race 5, FOLLOW UK GREYHOUND SALES @ UK GREYSALES RACE sponsored by Nathan Cordon, was won by CALS RANGE in 28.42. Pictured with winning owner Michael Calvert.

Some fifteen minutes later, Ballinabola Finn produced a fine display to win at his leisure. This greyhound has really found a bit of form in recent weeks and the 7/2 chance showed a lovely turn of early speed to follow Country Curly into the bend. From there, the well-bred son of Dolls On Fire proved too strong for the field as he set a smart gallop, before crossing the line two and a half-length better off in 29.65.

In terms of the performance of the night, Harrys Pepper took home that accolade with a hugely impressive performance for David Park. This lady has showed brilliant speed in recent starts and she was again paw-perfect at traprise as she blazed a trail into the opening bend from trap four. Thereafter, the 11/4 chance ran to a virtual solo as she crossed the line with just shy of six lengths in hand. The time, on a slow track, was a fine 29.25.