*Chairman of the WGOBA Hughie Keleghan makes the presentation to winning owner Pat Carey of Cratloe after Hot Wood won the Sweepstake Final at Galway.
CRATLOE’s Pat Carey was in the winners enclosure in Galway when Hot Wood won the final of the Time No Backgraders A3 525 Stake which was the feature contest on Friday night’s eleven race programme.
As the traps rose for the €5000 to the winner decider May On Faya and Hot Wood were best away from traps four and five but racing towards the opening bend the Pat Carey of Cratloe owned Hot Wood showed the better pace to lead by a length rounding the opening bend. Turning down the back the son of Airmount Nando and Burgess Millie extended his advantage over May On Faya and Townspark Benjy to over four lengths as he began to draw clear and at the line he had four and a half lengths to spare over Townspark Benjy in 28.63.
The opening contest of the night was an A4 graded 525 yards contest and approaching the opening bend Courancove Peg and Dynamic Josie disputed the lead towards the inside as Paradise Scott showed pace out wide. Rounding the bend the Sarah Meade of Miltown Malbay owned Paradise Scott ran right round the wide outside to assume command of proceedings and at halfway his lead was over four lengths. Continuing to extend the advantage the son of Dromana Bucko and Paradise Asia turned for home all alone to score by ten and three quarter lengths from Dynamic Josie in 28.95.
Handler Sean Meade of Miltown Malbay was back in the winners enclosure after the second semi-final of the W.G.O.B.A. Easter Dual Stake where French Fearless and Hollywell Cookie were both away well in the centre of the track with Hollywell Cookie holding a narrow advantage rounding the opening bend with Valinor in third place. Racing along the back straight Hollywell Cookie continued to show the way to Valinor and French Fearless but rounding the home bend all three runners ran a little wide and this allowed the rail hugging Paradise Sky (Dromana Bucko and Paradise Asia) to storm through and claim the honours by two lengths from French Fearless in 29.38 thus completing a litter and kennel double for Sean Meade.
In the opening semi-final of the A7 Stake Kates Princess was best away in the centre of the track and rounding the opening bend she led from Rubies Are Red and Bumblebee Granny. Racing along the back straight the order remained unchanged until the exit from the back as the Paddy Burke owned Bumblebee Granny took command on the wide outside but despite keeping to a wide route between the final two bends the Paul Burke trained daughter of Gaytime Hawk and Gaytime Luna drew right away to defeat Kates Princess by seven lengths in 29.45.
There was plenty of excitement in the second semi-final in which Banter Buzz and Acambo disputed the lead split by the width of the track racing towards the opening bend where Acambo ran very wide forcing his rival to check inside entering the back straight. Approaching the third bend the field really tightened up but Banter Buzz still held the call turning for home but the Rachel Hehir of Kilmaley owned Rathkerry Anne who had been in rear rounding the opening bend threaded her way through along the inner and the daughter of Kinloch Brae and Baby Sugar led in the final stride to prevail by a neck form Banter Buzz in 30.22.
Gort handler John Quinn’s team are in tremendous form at present and he was on target again in the third semi-final as his Fast Fit Rex led at the opening bend on his way to career win number two from just three outings by six and three quarter lengths in 29.72. The winner railed superbly at the opening bend to slip through inside early leaders Excuse My French and Springwell Phil. Racing down the back the winner was chased by Distal Lady on the inner but the son of Malachi and Fast Fit Maeve was home for all money exiting the back straight.
In the concluding A4 graded 525 contest on Thursday night’s card Wilbrook Sydney and Astro Podge disputed the lead on the run towards the opening bend rounding which Astro Podge tracked well and led by two lengths entering the back straight. The order remained unchanged racing along the back straight until Wilbrook Sydney went for a run on the leaders inner at the third bend and although Astro Dodge briefly shut the door Wilbrook Sydney struck the front entering the home straight the Martin Meaney of Cooraclare owned Wilbrook Sydney (Droopys Sydney-Killinan Reina) drew clear to score by the Stephen Murray of Sixmilebridge kennel by two and a half lengths form Killaspic Sunset in 29.88
The S4 graded sprint contest was dominated by the litter brothers Ballyea Jet and Burnpark Jaytee from traps one and two with the Albert Mullins trained Ballyea Jet proving the stronger by two and a half lengths in 18.01. The sons of Jaytee Jet an Seekers Vision were away well and were closely attended to by Drombeg Star and Five Alley Din approaching the opening bend. At this point the Noel Gavin of Ballyea owned Ballyea Jet took a definite advantage and tracking well he quickly asserted off the home bend to draw clear.
There was twelve races on offer at Limericks Greyhound Stadium on last Thursday afternoon card, five came home to the Banner. The opening contest went to Cooraclare’s John and Ann Carey’s Gower Magic who notched her third career success and a personal best with a 29.49 victory, Magic is a daughter of Magical Bale and Fahrenheit Lor.
The ever-consistent Snuggie Archie recorded his tenth career win for Newmarket-on-Fergus’ Myles Cummins with a 28.99 victory, Archie is a son of Paddys Magic and Miles Girl.
The most impressive performance of the day went to Tiermana Den for Mullagh’s Noel Moroney when he crossed the line in 28.77, this was this son of Magical Bale and Cloneyogan Beaut’s ninth career win.
Aqua Bolt is proving to be a very consistent performer for Tulla’s Michael McNamara and this son of Malachi and Rockalong Aqua made it 3 wins on the bounce with a 29.30 victory.
The finale of the evening went to East Clare Way for Frank O’Meara and Patrick Minogue, a son of Pestana and Slippery Jade, he is trained by O’Callaghan Mill’s Donal Cooney, this was his fourth career success, and the winning time was 29.41.
