Tipperary trainer Graham Holland leads ‘Clonbrien Treaty’ to Con & Annie Kirby Memorial win

After the most incredible four weeks of canine action, the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial saw the aptly named Clonbrien Treaty announce himself as a future superstar, producing a brilliant display to emerge an easy and most deserving winner of the €80,000 showpiece.

It was yet another special night at Limerick with a huge crowd providing an incredible atmosphere and while each of the six finalists are training in Tipperary, the winner is very much a local winner. While he is trained by the all-conquering Graham Holland from his Golden. Co. Tipperary based Riverside Kennels, his Limerick owners Jim and Muireann Murphy are a proud son and daughter of the Treaty County as the dog’s name would attest to.

So much had been made of Clonbrien Treaty’s tendency to move off an inside line in the opening yards ahead of Friday’s decider but we saw a more mature display from the exceptional son of Pestana and Clonbrien Millie as he continued his rapid rise to stardom. Somewhat surprisingly, Clonbrien Treaty didn’t start favourite.

Instead, he went to boxes the 5-2 second choice behind the heavily supported Ryhope Beach. Gaytime Hugo was a drifter before settling at 4-1, while Bogger Lucky and Scaglietti came next at 6-1. Hovex Tommy was the 10-1 outsider of the field. As with almost every major final, the race into the opening turn was going to have a huge bearing on the outcome.

Unlike his semi-final success, Clonbrien Treaty didn’t make a fast start. instead Scaglietti flashed from trap three to hold the lead into the turn. It wasn’t meant to be for the Pat Guilfoyle trained powerhouse, however. Clonbrien Treaty was on a mission. Showing brilliant acceleration, the August ’21 whelp, the youngest in the line-up, stayed closer to the fence than normal before bursting his way through on the bend.

Pushing Scaglietti out of his way, he initiated a series of events that would allow him to build a decisive advantage. Gaytime Hugo was just behind the front two, but he ran into Scaglietti. This allowed Bogger Lucky to move into second, albeit a long way behind Clonbrien Treaty.

As he straightened up into the back straight, Clonbrien Treaty was over five lengths clear and on his way to a famous success. There was nothing his chasing rivals could do to stop him. For owners Jim and Muireann Murphy it must have seemed like a dream, for Graham Holland, who had half the field, it was a relief. For those that backed the pacesetter, it was a vindication of their belief.

Maintaining a relentless gallop to the finish, Clonbrien Treaty raced to a wonderful and thoroughly deserved success by eight and a half lengths in a stunning 28.08. Bogger Lucky was a tremendous second for Liam Peacock, collecting €20,000 for his efforts, while the €10,000 prize for third went to Scaglietti a further length and a half adrift. Connections of Scaglietti can only help ask the question, ‘what if he had another half-length into the bend?’. Greyhound racing is certainly a game of inches.

But this was the coronation of Clonbrien Treaty. As the youngest and least experienced finalist alongside Ryhope Beach, his ceiling is as yet unknown but, given his current rate of improvement, he could be anything in the future.

Recording 15.92 to the third turn after what was a slightly tardy start just highlighted how incredibly fast Clonbrien Treaty is and the future really is bright. The record books will show that he was the fastest Kirby Memorial final winner of all time.