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 to the winner showpiece at the Limerick Track on Friday night last.
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 Limerick 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.
At the same venue on Thursday night last Droney Said No, recorded her second career success for the Cranny/Kildysart based Dontellpettycoatgov syndicate in 29.08 for a graded A4 contest, a daughter of Droopys Sydney and Estimate, she is in the professional care of Donie Duggan from Tulla.
Newmarket-on-Fergus’s Breda Casey and Myles Cummins were in the winner’s enclosure with Snuggie Bunty for a 10th time in his racing career, a son of Paddys Magic and Miles Girl he stopped the clock in 29.19 for an A3 contest.
In the Novice 525 event of the evening, despite encountering early trouble, Primely Branno finished strongly to claim the honours in 29.92, Branno is owned by Donal Cooney from O’Callaghan Mills and Leo McNulty from Drumline and is a son of former prolific sprinter Lugs Branno and Primely Sceptre.
Friday night’s Galway card had the concluding A3 graded contest as its feature race of nine with the semi-finals of the Sprinters S7 also down for decision.
In the first semi-final of the Sprinters S7 Stake Killala Cabra was just about best away and racing towards the opening bend she led by over a length form Rosshill News with Show No Fear in third place on the wide outside. Racing between the two bends the Joe and Brendan Long of Ballyea owned Rosshill News began to close on the leader and tracking well around the home bend the son of Good News & Bumblebee Zeta moved through to the lake command before kicking clear to score by three & a half lengths in 19.08.
The Brendan Browne of Kilkee owned Glasheen Tiger made it two wins from two starts in the S6 graded sprint contest as the son of Wolfe & Glasheen Covid comfortably made all to defeat Bark Wahlberg by four and a half lengths in 19.37. Both winner and runner up were away well but as they approached the opening bend Glasheen Tiger took command of affair. Tracking well ’Tiger” began to ease away from his rivals for an authoritative success.
The Finals of both the Ann Cheevers Memorial A5 525 Stake and the Great Blue Shark/WGOBA A2 Tri-Distance (575 Final) were the twin features of Saturday night’s ten race Galway card in front of a fine attendance .
As the traps rose for the €1900 to the winner Ann Cheevers Memorial A5 525 Yards Stake Final, Claudegreengrass and Springwell Denny were both away well with the Mathew Harte of Gort trained Caislean Bleu just behind the pair on the wide outside approaching the opening bend. Rounding the bend Springwell Denny got the better of the argument and turned down the back two lengths to the good over Caislean Bleu who maintained a wide berth turning down the back. Racing toward the penultimate corner Caislean Bleu began to bridge the gap and although running very wide on the crown of the home bend the Ciaran Connolly owned Caislean Bleu (Magical Bale-Notimetotalk) gradually wore Springwell Denny down close home to prevail by a neck in 29.27.
In the final of the Great Blue Shark/WGOBA Tri-Distance Stake over 575 Pats Angela was away very smartly in the centre of the track and racing towards the opening bend she led from Knoppogue Time and Canya Dream. Turning down the back, Pats Angela continued to show the way as the Imelda Sinclair owned Canya Dream a powerful stayer began to close.
At the third bend Canya Dream went for the rails run but found her path blocked by the leader but turning to face the long run in the David Flanagan trained daughter of Droopys Sydney & Lear Avalo got her gap and she powers through to lead and race away for a two & a half length success over Knoppogue Dream in 31.63.
The A1 graded eighth contest went in trap to line fashion to the Thomas Keane of Kilmihil owned Glynnscroos Liz who never saw another rival as she recorded her fifth career success from eight starts by five and a half lengths over Abigails Power in 28.98.
Trapping superbly the daughter of Droopys Sydney & Glynnscrosstyler led Abigails Power and Hyde Park bib over three lengths rounding the opening bend and by halfway the lead was over five lengths, Striding out well at the head of affairs Glynnscross Liz maintained the tempo all the way to the line for an impressive success.
The Michael and Alanna Browne of Cree owned Burnpark Ronaldo registered his seventh career success in the S2 graded sprint contest leading at the opening bend on his way to a two and a half length victory over Grangeview Liz in 19.24. Grangeview Liz and Caislean Honcho were away well toward the inner to lead early but approaching the opening bend Burnpark Ronaldo set round the outside to take command . Despite running quite wide the son of Watchman and Burnpark Grainne stayed on well in the straight for a comfortable success.
