EXCITEMENT levels at Limerick Greyhound Stadium are brewing up, as the prestigious Con and Ann Kirby Memorial Final takes centre stage this Saturday night.
Kindly sponsored by JP and Noreen McManus in remembrance of Noreen’s late parents, the most talented juveniles greyhounds in the country compete for the €80000 winners purse, which also a big GAA connection as from the offset every GAA Club in Limerick got an entry to nominate and the outright winner earns the €10,000 for their respective club.
A repeat run by Faypoint Ranger as in the Semi-Final is the choice to be in the winners enclosure. The Trap draw is as follows; T1: Bubbly Charger, T2: Sole Mio, T3: Pain Barrier, T4: Faypoint Ranger, T5: Skywalker Schar, T6: Droopys Deploy (M).
Last Thursday’s meeting at the same proved to be a memorable on for the ‘Snuggie’ kennels of Newmarket-on-Fergus as they scored a hat-trick with their kennel charges, Trained by Myles Cummins for Breda Casey, Snuggie Bunty got the ball rolling in race three as he won for an incredible nineteenth time. Approaching his fifth birthday, the son of Paddys Magic and Miles Girl went to traps at odds of 4/1 and he took control late on to collar the longtime leader, Tyrap Robin, in second. The time was 29.38.
The double was secured in the very next race, which was an A2 contest, as Snuggie Benny made amends after a lacklustre performance one-week prior. An open class sprinter, he showed his early speed to lead from trap one. In doing so, the son of Ballymac Cashout and Slaneyside Goldi just held off the power-packed finish of Abigails Bogger in second. Winning by a half-length, the time was 29.12.
A fruitful night was completed in race six, the BoyleSports A3 525, as Snuggie Jasper also won by a narrow margin. Installed at generous odds of 7/1, ‘Jasper’ is a full-brother to ‘Bunty’ and he also packed a big finishing kick to reel in Cherrygrove Four. Going one better than his litter brother by securing a magnificent twentieth victory, the veteran was a head better off in 29.33.
From Thursday’s meeting at Galway greyhound Stadium Kilwest beauty made it two wins on the bounce for the Keating clan from Cragg, Kilmihil and Ennis with a 19.61 victory in the semi-final of a novice 350 sweepstake, she is trained by Athenry’s Gerry Holihan and she is a daughter of Ballymac Anton and Burgess Millie.
In a S3 contest the ever consistent Burnpark Jaytee, notched his 14th career win for Kilmihil’s Maria Browne with a notable 19.18 performance, he is a son of Jaytee Jet and seekers vision.
The opening contest of Friday night’s Galway Card was an A7 graded contest over 525 yards and in the early strides Cianos Jack showed pace towards the outer to lead from Badgerfort Blue and Candys Widget as they approached the opening bend. Rounding the bend the lead was over a length but as they raced towards the halfway mark the Donal Duggan of Tulla trained Candys Widget switched inside the leader before leading at the third bend. From this point the Any-Chance-Of-A-Kuga Syndicate owned son of Skywalker Canny & Miss Dior drew clear to defeat Frenchfort Madam by five and three quarter lengths in 29.25.
In the first semi-final of the W.G.O.B.A.A4 525 Stake Derrynmoyle Bono was best away in the centre but he was joined on the run towards the opening bend by the Thomas O’Doherty of Cooraclare owned Own Lullaby who just shaded the issue as they rounded the opening bend . Turning to run down the back Own Lullaby extended her advantage to three lengths as Peteles Express and Derrymoyle Bono led the chase albeit a few lengths adrift.
Leaving the back straight the lead was still over four lengths but the John Browne of Ballyea trained daughter of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Lullaby was searching for the line late on as she prevailed by a length and a half from Derrymoyle Bono in 29.46 and more importantly the winner was the one hundredth in the training career of John Browne.
As the traps rose for the second semi-final Hollywell Sky out wide and Crokers Paradise in the centre were both away smartly and the pair matched strides racing towards the opening bend. At the bend though the Blessmefatherforihave Syndicate owned Crokers Paradise delivered a gentle shoulder to her rival and this enough to see the Stephen Murray of Sixmilebridge trained lady open a three length advantage entering the back straight.
Approaching the third bend both Hollywell Sky and Slipalong Dew closed on the leader but the daughter of Doratos Wildcat & Crokers Ruby saw off the challenge of Slipalong Dew by a length at the line in 29.42.
The Noel Gavin of Ballyea owned Ballyea Jet in a hard dog to pass once trapping in his best style and so it proved in the S2 graded 350 yards contest as the Albert Mullins of Gort trained son of Jaytee Jet and Seekers Vision recorded his tenth career victory by a length and a half from Eastern Express in 19.10. Away very smartly from his favoured trap one berth Ballyea Jet was closely attended to by Eastern Express approaching the opening bend but the winner held his ground well at the turn forcing his rival slightly wide before galloping up the home straight to success.
