Derry Greyhounds: Inniskeen Mandy, The Star Of Track Lotto Gala Night

The prestigious Track Lotto Gala Night has been part of the Brandywell racing calendar for over 20 years and credit must go to Thomas Hasson who organises it on behalf of Track Lotto and the sponsors.

The popularity of this event was evident when the usual eight race programme was increased to nine races for the first time this year as new sponsors wished to be involved with the occasion. Despite persistent rain throughout the day, the Track Management Team worked diligently to prepare the venue to host what proved to be a night to remember. All the winners received an individually sponsored plush velvet presentation jacket, trophy, and collar and lead set, with all the races having generously boosted prizemoney.

With 5 finals to be decided, first up was the Managers Select Sprint Final and it was Brendan McLaughlin’s Reneas Boy (Deerjet Sydney x Culdaff Lady, Jan ’24) that followed up on his fast semi-final victory with a solid win in the final. Evenly away from trap 2, Boy’s early pace took him to the first turn in front. Mulroy Torpedo from trap 5 was making a race of it on his outside but Boy stayed on well up the home straight to finish 2.5 lengths ahead of his rival in 17.09 (.10s). He now has a pleasing strike rate of 3 wins from only 4 starts.

Race 2 was the Bookmakers Select 500 Final and Thomas Brennan’s County Curly (Magical Bale x Mystic Ann Marie, Aug ’22) continued riding on the crest of a wave when he made it an impressive 5 wins in a row. Well away from trap 5, he led around the first turn and seen off his main rival Burgess Abbie by 1.25 lengths in 28.59 (.20s).

Already a winner of the Paul Ellis & Track Lotto Christmas Cracker Final 2024 at Brandywell, Eamonn Curran’s Meet More Often (Magical Bale x Maid Me Country, Aug ’22) bolstered her place at the top of the 2025 League Table for ‘Bitch With Most Wins’ at Brandywell by winning Race 3, the Benny Barrett Memorial Sprint Final.

There are few can leave the boxes as fast as Meet More Often and she proved that, once again, with a spring heeled exit from trap 1. Tri Bella turned it into a real buckle on the run to the first bend where her early pace took her to the front at the turn but she moved wide exiting the second bend and Meet More Often took full advantage of the opportunity to nip through on her inside. She ran on well to win by 1 length in 16.97 (.10s) from Sniper Orla Wray who ran on well to take second place.

The Bill McKinney Memorial 500 Final went the way of ex-Cork racer Belindas Laila (Ballymac Best x Drive On Robyn, Nov ’22) for owner John O’Brien and trainer Michael Taggart. Laila was fast away from trap 1 and led around the first turn where there was crowding in behind her. She quickly opened up an unassailable lead on the back straight and crossed the finish line with 9.5 lengths to spare over Ocean Mini in a fast time of 28.00 (.20s). Laila has now won 3 of her last 4 races.

Inniskeen Mandy’s (Superior Panama x Slaneyside Kerri, Sep ’21) performance in Race 5 was arguably the most thrilling and relentless of the night. As she approaches the veteran era of her career, Mandy lined up for her 75th race with 17 wins to her credit and an unshakable zest for racing.

Brandywell; Race 8 The Aiden McAllister Transporter 500 was won by GALLIAGH VOICE. Pictured with (from left) John McLaughlin, Colin McLaughlin, Jason Campbell & Ava McLaughlin.

Already a winner of the Bill McKinney Memorial 500 Final at the Track Lotto Gala Meeting last year, she relished every extra yard that this Billy & Sheila Quigley Memorial 525 Final offered her. She trapped well from the 2 box but early pacer Starcash Barry bumped her early on and held the inside pitch at the first turn where some crowding took place.

Eager Colm, racing from trap 5 benefitted from this and took up the lead entering the back straight. Despite a good start, Mandy found herself shuffled back to a distant fifth place at this point with any hope she might have of winning looking forlorn as Barry and Colm battled for glory up front. But Mandy was relentless and dug deep.

She turned the third bend in fourth place. She entered the home straight in third place, railing tightly and saving every inch of ground. In Westmead Hawk style, the Colm McConomy owned and Stephen Radcliffe trained Inniskeen Mandy navigated her way to an incredible victory as she flew up the home straight with a wet sail to claim victory by a short head from the consistent Starcash Barry in 30.05 (.20s).

Brandywell; Race 9 The Olwinn Kennels 500 was won by SNIPER SAM HALL, Oliver Canavan (left), the sponsor, made the trophy presentation to Kealan O’Kane.

Mandy currently lies second behind Meet More Often on the League Table for ‘Bitch With Most Wins’ at Brandywell for 2025.

It is a title that will certainly will be deserving for whoever eventually earns it this year. On a night where so much hard work, effort and determination went into preparing the venue and track because of the persistent rain, the performance of Inniskeen Mandy was no less determined. It was an absolute thriller of a race to watch.

With all the finals decided, the remainder the all sponsored card provided plenty of interest. Race 6 The Brendan Duffy Memorial 500 went the way of recent Brandywell Gold Cup runner up, Gabriels Dream (Broadstrand Bono x Ardevan Jewel, Dec ’22), owned by Pearse O’Neill and trained by Kieran Morgan. Well housed in trap 1, Dream was able to hold his inside pitch at the first turn alongside Blackstone Hoffa. Dream showed great back straight pace and pulled away from his rivals to win by 4.25 lengths in a fast 27.94 (.20s). This lad now has 5 wins from only 12 starts.

The Paul Ellis Open Sprint was a hotly contested affair. It was Charlie Baxter’s home bred Generous Cashout (Ballymac Best x Generous Daisy, Sep ’22) that made it a third win from his last 4 starts. Evenly away from trap 2, Cashout emerged slightly ahead of the pack at the first turn. Ardagh Sorrento challenged for the lead on his outside but as Cashout moved wide off the second turn he took Sorrento’s ground causing him to lose momentum.

Brandywell; Daisy Rouse was presented with The Ghetto Kennels Trophy by sponsor Cyril O’Hagan after Reneas Boy was voted our favourite performer at the 23/6/25 race meeting.

As Cashout straightened up for home, he ran on well to win by 1.75 lengths in 16.90 (.10s). He now has an impressive 10 wins from only 24 starts.

Galliagh Voice (Ballymac Bolger x Greenfield Lark, Dec ’23) was a gutsy winner on the night. Cairan McLaughlin’s home bred lad was well away from trap 5 and turned the bend just behind Grange Bell. Voice showed good back straight pace to lead at the sprint boxes and ran on well to win the Aidan McAllister Transporter 500 by 3.5 lengths in 28.52 (.20s). This was his third win from just 9 starts.

The Finale went the way of Kealan O’Kane’s Sniper Sam Hall (Serene Ace x Saleen Willow, Apr ’23). Only moderately away from trap 1, Sam turned the first bend behind Shrewd Stories. He soon took over the lead on the back straight and ran on gamely to win by 3.5 lengths in 28.21 (.20s). This was a first success for Sam since moving to the Sniper kennels from Thurles and he adds this Olwinn Kennels 500 to his tally of 3 previous successes.

Thanks must go to all the sponsors and everyone who contributed in any way. It certainly was a night to remember.

While there were workmanlike performances throughout the opening half of the card at Lifford Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night, the concluding two races on the card produced outstanding displays over both the sprint and standard distances. Indeed, it was Portrush Ben that justified his 2/1 favouritism in the penultimate event as Adrian McGarry’s charge cemented his status as arguably the best that Lifford have to offer at present over the two-bend trip.

Chasing a hat-trick on the night, the son of Ballymac Cashout and Dingys Diva overcame a poor draw on the night as his orange jacket showed the superior early speed to get first run on his rivals. In doing so, the talented performer soared up the North-west hill to emerge a two and a three-quarter lengths winner over Whinney Hill Boy in second. The time was an explosive 17.59 and that brings his tally to four wins from just five career starts.

Shortly after, in the concluding race, Drveen Lass once again produced a masterclass of front-running to hand Jim Joe McGrath another victory.

Lifford on Sunday; Race 7 - TRACKSIDE RESTAURANT A7 525 was won by ROSEVILLE MAGIC in 29.30. Pictured with (from left) Paul Moss, Jack Moss & Charlie Moss.

A September pup, who has been proved a revelation over both the sprint and the standard trip, she went to traps as the 6/4 joint favourite alongside Ardnasool Arc, however, this proved all one-way traffic after a swift exit from four. In doing so, the daughter of Burgess Bucks built a commanding lead down the back, before staying on with real intent to score by five and a half lengths. The time was a blistering 28.83.

On the SIS meeting on Sunday, there were doubles all round as Paul Whyte, Willie Mullan and Austin Maxwell all enjoyed a successful night, however, the standout performer on the night came in the shape of Roseville Magic (Magical Bale – Roseville Liz) in race seven. Running in an A7 contest, the 2/1 chance, owned by Charlie and Jack Moss, put his rivals to the sword when emerging a near nine length winner in career best 29.30.