Gone to the dogs: Six Offaly winners as Easter Cup goes to Cork

All roads lead to Limerick for the quarter-finals of the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial. There was also some magnificent racing nationwide including the semifinals of the Future Champion And Michael Fortune Memorial Unraced in Enniscorthy, semifinals of the Supersprint in Cork,   first round of the Kilkenny Track Champion Open Unraced and final of the Easter Cup in Shelbourne. Offaly winners were once again to the fore in numerous different tracks.

Early Week Racing

Enniscorthy, Monday, semi-finals of the Future Champion and Michael Fortune Memorial Open Unraced stake. Droopys Gallant won the first for Murt Leahy in 29.25 by two lengths at 1/1 fav. The second semifinal was a faster affair as Alien Freek stopped the clock in 28.91 by one length at 2/1 for Laurence Byrne.

Tuesday, Shelbourne, €2.5k was won by the winner of the Headquarters Novices ON2 Unraced. Sleight Of Hand (Ballymac Cashout-Kilmore Diamond) took the spoils, in 28.73 by six lengths at 5/2, for Laurence Jones. First Offaly winner of the week was at this meeting. In the semifinals of an A6 sweepstake Highview Compet deadheated for Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman in 29.52 at 4/1 with Unanimous Kodi for Rathkenny trainer Martin Lanney.

No Offaly winner at the SIS meeting in Mullingar on Wednesday and nothing of interest in any of the four meetings across the country on Thursday.

Friday Racing

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First Offaly winner of the weekend was in Mullingar at the Matinee SIS meeting. In an A5 contest Killeshill Belle had her seventh career win for Croghan owner Vincent Lynch in 29.82 (50 slow) by one length at 11/8 fav.

Kilkenny, five heats in the first round of the Champion Open Unraced Stake won last year by Unanimous Leo for Pat Buckley. A double for Timahoe trainer Karol Ramsbottom including the fastest heat winner in Kapuka Coley in 28.81 (30 slow) by eight lengths at 4/5 fav. Also in the Marble City track the quarter-finals of the George Leahy Memorial A3 stake. Mission Control was fastest here for Michael English in 29.04 (30 slow) by six lengths at 4/6 fav.

A super nights racing in Newbridge with the highlight being the final of the NTSC A1 Dual/Distance stake. A great Offaly winner here as veteran tracker Glenlara Blue (Droopys Sydney-Glenlara Rosa) who will be five in June rolled back the years to just get up on the line to win by a nose for Geashill owners Thomas Garry and Liam Kirley in 31.52 at 2/1. The €900 win brings his career earnings to just under €14k with his seventeen wins, eighteen seconds and eighteen thirds. What a servant this hound has been for his owners absolutely loves his racing. Long may he continue. One other Offaly winner on the supporting card as Rubys Trinity won an A4 race for Edenderry owner Timmy Slevin and Conor Hyland in a smart 28.82 by five lengths at 4/6 fav.

Two finals in Shelbourne. In the conclusion of an ON2 stake the €2.5k first prize was won by Annadown Kisses Grangeview Ten-Annadown Cutie) for Gerry Dillon in 28.62 by four lengths at 5/4 fav. In the final of an A2 stake Yurty Magurty (Deerjet Sydney-Millabbey Mandy) won the first prize of €1.75k in 28.59 by four lengths at 6/4 for Northern Ireland trainer Eddie Hurson. Another Faithful County winner on the undercard here too, Aussie Reward won in an A1 grade for Kinnitty owner Jeannette MacKenzie in 28.63 by three lengths at a big price of 10/1.

Tralee staged the first round of the John And Mary Killeacle Dowling A1 570 won last year by Moorstown Brett for Joe O’Flaherty. Four heats with Deerjet Matilda going fastest of the four for Pat Buckley in 31.03 by two lengths at 1/1 fav.


Saturday Racing

Curraheen Park, Cork, semi-finals of the 1 XBet Supersprint. Star tracker Solo And Go won the first for Liam Dowling, who will have two in Saturday’s final, in 17.41 by a head at 4/5 fav. The second semi was won by Ridgemount Sky for Kilcullen owners Alan and John Troy who have a big Offaly connection as originally from Kilcormac. Ridgemount won in 17.65 by four lengths at 5/1.

Also in Cork the semifinals of the Dynamic Force @ Stud A2 bitch stake took place. Turbine Tahiti won the first for Jim McCarthy in 28.92 by two lengths at 4/1. Semi-final number two was won by Blastoff Music for Philip Buckley in a near similar 28.96 by one length at 3/1.

Galway, the two best races on a decent card were the semi-finals of the Paul McKenna Memorial A5 stakes. Magical Be Nifty won the first for Pat Guilfoyle in 29.13 (10 slow) by six lengths at 4/9 fav. The second semi was won by Flyers Penney for Colm Fitzgerald in 29.42 (10 slow) by three lengths at 1/2 fav.

A brilliant nights racing in Limerick with the four standout races being the quarter-finals of the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Open 525. Ballymac Setanta set the fastest time for Liam Dowling when winning by one length in 27.90. Bockos Gold nearly matched that brilliant time for Graham Holland when winning by three lengths in 27.92. Mickey O’Donovan won the other two heats with Cushie Flytplan in 28.11 by two lengths and Bouncing Monarch in 28.29 by three lengths.

One Offaly winner in Mullingar. In an A4 grade Lahinch Toby had his tenth career victory for Clara owner P.J. Cleary in 30.07 (50 slow) by two lengths at 4/1.

One final of note in Youghal. In the finale of the Ger Gubbins Construction LTD A3 stake Its Paddys Wish (Pestana- Shinawill) won the €1.5k purse for Nicholas Walsh in 29.32 (30 slow) by five lengths at 4/1.

The most valuable final of the year so far was at Headquarters with the conclusion of the Shelbourne Park Bookmakers Easter Cup. The €30k first prize was won by 4/1 shot Lemon Orla (Jacob Tashadelek-Foyle Lucy) for Tom O’Neill which is certainly his biggest win of his career. His winning time was 29.90 coming from way off the pace to just get up in the line to win by a neck. Lennies Tank was second for Paul Hennessy and received a cheque for €7k.

Three lesser finals on the night. On an AO 550 Gallant Captain (Ballymac Cashout-Slippery Diva) won the €2.5k pot for Jamie McGee in 29.72 by one length at 7/1. 

In an AO 525 Mutts Maximus (Grangeview Ten- Glory Razl) went home with a cheque for €2k in 28.54 for Shaun Conway by four lengths at 100/30. 

In an AO Daul/Distance 550 Gallant Hunter (Broardstrand Bono-Silver Penny) brought home the spoils and €2k to Navan and Oliver Bray in a fine 29.71 by three lengths at 4/1. 

Upcoming Events

Monday, final of the Future Champion and Michael Fortune Memorial in Enniscorthy. Tuesday, final of an A6 stake in Shelbourne.

Friday, quarter-finals of the Champion Open Unraced and George Leahy A3 Memorial both in Kilkenny and semi-finals of the John And Mary Killeacle Dowling A1 570 in Tralee.

Saturday, final of the 1 XBet Supersprint and final of Dynamic Force @ Stud A2 bitch stake both in Cork.

Galway, final of the Paul McKenna Memorial A5 stake.

Limerick, semi-finals of the Con And Annie Kirby memorial with €80k waiting for the eventual winner.

Tribune Offaly Dog Of The Week

Glenlara Blue gets the nod this week and for the seventh time in total having first won this award on May 1st 2023. No sign of this old stager slowing down and winning the final of the NTSC A1 dual distance over the 575 trip in Newbridge on Friday shows the character of this brilliant dog. Great money spinner for owners Liam Kirley and Thomas Garry. Long may it continue. 

One For The Notebook

Highview Compet looks an interesting sort when dead-heating for first place on Tuesday in the semi-finals of an A6 stake in Shelbourne in only her third race. Expect big improvement for Gerry Merriman’s brindle and white bitch. Would  expect her to win this final comfortably on Tuesday. A prospect.

Offaly Winners

Six Offaly winners this week. Well done to all connections.