Gone to the dogs: Eleven Offaly winners

After last Saturday's highs, of the Boylesports Irish Derby with the tremendous victory by The Other Kobe and Jennifer O’Donnell, it was a much more modest week of racing. However there was still some class racing in Shelbourne, Waterford,  Kilkenny and Cork with loads of prize money up for grabs. Some quality Offaly winners with a few on debut who will have a bright future

Early Week Racing.

Another Open unraced stake got underway in Enniscorthy on Monday. The September Unraced Stake won last year by Soul Destroyer and Anton Butler. Five heats, all very competitive, with Esmonde Swift going fastest for the Back-In-The - Game Syndicate in 28.96 (20 slow) by eleven lengths at 5/2. Next fastest was our first Offaly winner of the week as Trinity Bestie won for Edenderry owner Timmy Slevin in 29.00 (20 slow) by four lengths at 4/6 fav with Peter Cronin training.

In Shelbourne, Thursday, in the final of the Rasaiocht Con Eireann A5 stake, Francy Fitch (Dorotas Wildcat - Combined Effort) won the €1.75k first prize for the Francy - Fitch - crew - Syndicate in 28.76 by two lengths at 5/1.

Friday Racing.

In Curraheen Park in Cork, in the semi-finals of the Jack, Mary and Brian Finn Memorial ON2 unraced stake, champion trainer Graham Holland won both with Newinn Finn getting the first in 28.56 (10 fast) by four lengths at 4/6 fav and Faypoint Sean the second in 28.42 (10 fast) by seven lengths also at 4/6 fav.

Kilkenny staged the quarter-finals of the Jag Building Services and KGOBA A1 Derby.  De Black Swallow went fastest for local trainer Murt Leahy in 28.95 (30 slow) by four lengths at 4/1. Another to catch the eye was Kilara Roberto for Michael Donnelly in 29.08 (30 slow) by two lengths at 6/4.

Two Offaly winners in Newbridge, in the final of an A3 sweepstake, My Man Sam (Dorotas Wildcat - Droopys Megan) with a cheque of €650 going to Edenderry owner Jimmy Dolan in 28.87 by two lengths at 5/4 fav.  Timmy Slevin was back in the winners enclosure again  as Trinity Jet won an A3 race in 28.94 by eight lengths at 6/4.

Another two Faithful County winners in Shelbourne, in an A1 grade the ever consistent Blue Rumble had his thirteenth career win for Tullamore owner Niall Deegan in 28.60 by three lengths at 5/2. In an A1 575 race, Laughil Rocky won for Kilcormac owners Mary and Paul Jennings in a super 31.13 by four lengths at 2/1 with David Murray at the helm

Saturday Racing.

Cork held one of their big nights with the final of the Kasco A1 Derby, class won out here as Jacktavern Bolt (Pestana - Newinn Madam) who had been delivering the fastest times in this stake for the last four weeks won by five lengths for Holland in 28.26 at 4/6 fav with a purse of €6k to the winner. 

In Limerick's Dockroad track, the first round of one of their top annual competitions, the Roma Casino Irish Cambridgeshire Open 750, won last year by the great Hello Hammond for Paul Hennessy. Four heats with three won in super times and one in an  extraordinary clock as recent Boylesports Derby finalist Threesixfive took lengths off the previous track record when stopping the clock in 41.08 by seven lengths at 1/1 fav with Scott Phelan training. Interesting to see can she take more off her own record now in the semifinals on Saturday.  In the final of the Go Greyhound Racing A3 600, also in Limerick, Fantasy Tuppence (Redzer Ardfert - Fantasy Lane) won the first prize pot of €1.8k for his trainer Albert Mullins in 32.91 by two lengths at 6/1. This dog took the right night to break his duck and win his first race in thirteen starts and go home with the trophy. 

Mullingar, in the final of the Vincent Leavy Memorial A4 stake, Casa Miro (Droopys Sydney -Casanova) in 29.37 (50 slow) by one length at 4/5 fav  with €1.3k going to Edenderry owners David and Paul Hanlon. The last race on the card in Mullingar also went to Edenderry owners as Syrax won an A1 grade for Paul and Chloe Cronin in 29.48 (50 slow) by two lengths at 6/4 fav. 

Tralee held one final, the Chris O’Driscoll Fundraiser A2 Stake, the €1.6k pot went to Saul Good (Droopys Sydney - Without Fear) in 28.78 (10 fast) by a short head at a decent 12/1 for Padraig Regan. 

The most valuable final of the week was in Kilcohan Park in Waterford, the Dave Collins Memorial Open Munster Oaks, the €7.5k first prize went to Eazy Razzle (Droopys Sydney - Ragaire) in 28.11 (10 fast) by four lengths at 7/2 with John Linehan training. Role Model was second for Owen McKenna and received a cheque for €3k

Also in Waterford, in the final of the Casey Camping and Caravan Open Unraced Stake, Carefree Charm (Droopys Sydney - Carefree Tipp) won by two lengths at 5/2 in 28.63 (10 fast) with a first prize of €2k going to trainer Bernadette Connolly. 

Some class racing once again in Shelbourne with eight heats in the second round of the Time Greyhound Nutrition Open  Juvenile Derby, there was a double for winning derby trainer Jennifer O’Donnell with Scooby Pacemaker in 28.29 and Scooby The Duke in 28.60. Once favourite for the Derby De Lahdedah set the fastest time and was just outside the track record when crossing the winning line in 27.78 by four lengths at 1/2 fav for Liam Dowling.  In the final heat there was a brilliant Offaly winner as Highview Splash won for Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman in a magnificent 27.97 by six lengths at 3/1 and his clock was only bettered by De Lahdedah. Serious running

Sunday Racing.

Three Offaly winners at the matinee meeting in Mullingar, in the first race on the card, an A7 contest, Horseleap Zoe won for Sean McGuinness in 30.09 by six lengths at 7/4 fav. In an A4 grade Lingrawn Angie won for Moneygall owner Kevin Jones in 29.61 by a neck at 7/1. Our final winner of the week was for Liam Jones as Lingrawn Focus had his tenth career win in an A2 race in 29.62 by one length at 4/1. All races in Mullingar were rated  .50 slow. 

Upcoming Events.

Friday, final of the Jack, Mary and Brian Finn Memorial ON2 unraced in Cork and semifinals of the Jag Building Services and KGOBA A1 Derby in Kilkenny.

Saturday, semifinals of the Irish Cambridgeshire Open 750 in Limerick and quarterfinals of the Time Greyhound Nutrition Juvenile Derby in Shelbourne. 

Tribune Offaly dog of the week.

Highview Splash gets the nod this week for winning heat eight of the Juvenile Derby in Shelbourne on Saturday, and breaking the 28.00 barrier, when stopping the clock in 27.97 for Gerry Merriman winning by six lengths. Magnificent effort. 

Offaly winners

Eleven Offaly winners this week. Well done to anyone who contributed to these wins in any small way.