Gone to the dogs: Ten Offaly winners

After the  high of having eighteen Offaly winners last week it was a much quieter week for winners as we had to wait till Saturday night for our first.The highlight of the week’s racing was the second round of the Willwego.com Irish St. Leger in Limerick, the second round of the Bar One Racing National Sprint in Dundalk and final of the Open Unraced in Shelbourne where we had a brilliant Offaly winner.

Early Week Racing

Nothing of note from an Offaly perspective in the first four days of the week.

Friday Racing

The sole valuable final on Friday was the Cloughtaney Kennels A3 550 yard stake in Clonmel. The €1.3k first prize went to Frankfurt (Grangeview Ten-Mulcair Pearl) who went through all three rounds undefeated and won the final very comfortably by eleven lengths in 29.74 for Pat McNamara.


Saturday Racing

Curraheen Park, Cork, quarter-finals of the Kasco A1 Cork Derby, four cracking heats with Romeo Control setting the bar highest for champion trainer Graham Holland in 28.09 (20 fast) by ten Lengths at 7/2.

In Dundalk, there were eight heats in the second round of the Bar One Racing Irish Sprint Cup. Elite Kurst for Myles Roban set the fastest time in 21.00 winning by four lengths. Two great Offaly winners on the night, heat one went to Trinity Junior who despite missing his break showed the blistering pace that won him the Champion Stakes last year to come through the field and win by three lengths in 21.02 for Edenderry owners Timmy Slevin with Peter Cronin training.

Our other winner was last year's winner of this competition Carrick Aldo for another Edenderry owner Thomas Glynn who won also in a super time of 21.05 by two lengths with David Murray training. Probably the strongest National Sprint in years and expect both these two Offaly dogs to be involved at the business end of things in a couple of weeks. 

Galway staged the final of the Jimmy Flaherty Memorial A1 550 with the €3.5k being won by Hot Wood (Airmount Nando-Burgess Millie) in 29.88 (10 slow) by five lengths for Gerry Holian.

The best eight races in Limerick were in the second round of the Willwego.Com Irish St.Leger Open 550 and just like last week Unanimouspanther stopped the clock in the fastest time for Pat Buckley in 29.24 by six lengths at 2/5 fav. Looks like the one they rest will have to beat to win out in this extremely hot competition.

Three Offaly winners in Mullingar with two for Edenderry trainer David Hanlon. In the first race on the card, an ON2 Unraced, Tippenyaki in 30.41 (50 slow) by five lengths at 1/1 fav. Hanlon’s other winner was in an A7 contest as Dubai Desert crossed the whitewash in 30.09 (50 slow) by six lengths at a well backed 1/2 fav. Our remaining winner was Killeshill Devine for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch in 30.25 (50 slow) by two lengths at 6/4 joint fav. 

Tralee held the first round of a new stake, The MCP Group Open 750, four heats all won in fast times with one outstanding run from champion stayer Tuono Charlie for Sharon Hunt who made it eleven wins in a row smashing the track record for this distance when stopping the timer in 40.76 (40 fast) by ten lengths at an unbackable 1/5 fav.

Finals were the order of the night in Shelbourne with four up for grabs. The most valuable one was the This Runs Deep Open Unraced with a purse of €10k to the winner. The winning dough came to Offaly as Yorkie Ollie (Magical Bale- Outdoor Roller) won in majestic style, by seven lengths at 4/6 fav, in a brilliant 27.88 for Birr owners Michael Hennessy and Adrian Sheils with Owen McKenna training. Super performance and now probably a short price for the upcoming derby. Droopys Roar was second for Ian Reilly and received a cheque for €3k.

Reilly was also on the winners podium in another stake as Droopys Edel (King Sheeran- Droopys Hunch) won the final of the Sporting Press AAO Open bitch stake and the €3.5k pot in 28.17 by two lengths at 4/6 fav.

In the final of the A1 600 yard stake, the €2.5k first prize was won by Stripe Sparky (Ballymac Bolger-Gareths Star) for Ned Freeman in 32.43 by one length at 6/1.

The remaining final was the Sporting Press AO stake with the €3k prize going to Deelish Nora(Droopys Sydney-Ballymac Orna) for Ginger McGee in 28.17 by five lengths at 5/2. 

Two good  Offaly winners on the supporting card, in the first race on the night, an A1 contest Breaghmore Dice won for Kinnitty owner M.J. Corrigan in a fast 28.25 by five lengths at 7/2.

In an AO grade Highview Mia won for Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman in 28.53 by a short head at 5/2.

Sunday Racing

One Offaly winner at the matinee meeting in Mullingar. Lingrawn Focus won for Moneygall owner Liam Jones in an A3 grade in 29.73 (50 slow) by a neck at 11/4.

Last Faithful County winner was at the evening meeting in Galway where  Kelpie made it three wins on the spin for Geashill trainer Margaret Bolton, in the semifinal of the Martin Fahy Memorial A4 stake, in a decent 28.84 winning by six lengths.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, first round of the National Puppy stakes in Shelbourne, semifinals of the Kasco A1 Cork Derby in Curraheen Park, quarter-finals of the Bar One Racing National Sprint in Dundalk, quarterfinals of the Willwego.Com Irish Stakes.Leger in Limerick and semi-finals of the MCP Open 750 in Tralee. Loads of top class action around the country at the weekend.

Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week

For the second week in a row Yorkie Ollie gets the vote for winning in the  final of the This Runs Deep Open Unraced in Shelbourne on Saturday night. He clocked a seldom seen clock of 27.88 winning by seven lengths for Birr owners Michael Hennessy and Adrian Sheils. Undoubtedly a star in the making.

Offaly Winners

There were ten Offaly winners this week, well done to all involved.