*Con & Annie Kirby A1 Trial Stake winner, Kyletaun Jerry. Trained by Pat Buckley for Kenny Glen, John Waters is pictured making the presentation to Sarah Buckley and connections.
Second Round Heats of the €4000 to the winner Galway Greyhound Stadium A3 525 yards stake took centre stage on Saturday nights card at the track while six golden tickets were handed out in Limerick for the for the upcoming Con & Annie Kirby Memorial.
By Michael Maher
In the opening heat in Galway, the Thomas Keane of Kilmihil owned Glynnscross Liz stamped herself as a leading contender for overall honours as she routed her rivals by upwards of six and a half lengths in 28.97. Headed from traps by Bay City Oscar in the centre of the track the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Glynnscrosstyler gave her rival a broadside at the opening bend and quickly set sail for home down the back. Striding clear all along the back straight as Bay City Oscar and Crokers Burko gave chase but the winner was gone beyond recall from an early stage.
Keane had earlier visited the winners enclosure after race two where the trap five runner Chiquitita was very smartly into her stride and racing towards the opening bend she led her rivals by over two lengths with Rosshill News and Glynnscross Phil in closest pursuit. Rounding the bend the Keane owned Glynnscross Phil ran right round the outside of his rivals to join issue on the crown of the home turn with Chiquitita. Up the straight the pair had a ding dong battle with Glynnscross Phil (Droopys Sydney-Glynnscrosstyler) just gaining the day by a neck at the line in 19.61.
There was a thrilling finish to the A4 graded third contest as the Declan and Gerard Lillis of Cooraclare owned Burnpark Crash got up in the final strides to deny the pace setting Knockdrum Ripper by a neck in 29.29 . From traps Burnpark Crash and Like A Biscuit were away well and led on the run to the bend rounding which Knockdrum Rippern ran right round the outer to take over in front entering the back straight. Racing along the back Knockdrum Ripper opened up a four length advantage but from the top of the home bend the Declan McDonagh of Liscannor trained Burnpark Crash (Crash-Ballyea Beauty) closed with every stride before leading right on the line.
The opening contest of the night was an A5 graded affair and racing towards the opening bend Menmal Princess shooed pace in the centre of the track to lead her rivals by over two lengths rounding the opening two bends. Turning to run along the back straight Menmal Princess led the way to Brickhill Jane who had railed well to turn in second spot with the remainder all involved in crowding. Approaching the penultimate corner, the Kilmihil native John Collins and Mark Patterson owned Brickhill One moved through on the leaders inner before taking command approaching the home bend. From this point the daughter of Skywalker Logan and Cudkevinbewrong drew clear to score by five and three quarter lengths in 29.85.
Last Friday night’s Galway card was an all graded ten race programme with the concluding A3 graded 525 yards contest the top graded event on a card.
The sixth contest was a non-winner of their last four races A3 contest and having found trouble in a couple of recent runs the Feakle Five Syndicate owned Mounvoor Lad made no mistake as he swept his rivals aside with consummate ease down the back to score by eight and a half lengths form Blue Puma in 29.18. The winner was headed form traps by Fast Fit Sam the winner showed pace to lead by a length at the opening bend. Turning down the back the son of Ballymac Best & Ridgedale Martha set sail for home and his rivals tried to sort themselves out but the bird had flown as Mounvoor Lad raced clear.
The S2 garden eighth contest developed into a match from a very early stage as the fast starting Burnpark Ronaldo came away well towards the outer and racing towards the opening bend he led Lissatouk Dave by over a length with Taurus Maisie in third place. Rounding the crown of the home bend Burnpark Ronaldo ran a little wide and this gave Lissatouk Dave who cut to the rail turning for home his chance. On the long run home the James McMahon of Cooraclare owned Lissatouk Dave (Laughill Blake-Lissatouk Dolly) gradually gained the upper hand to prevail by a neck at the line in 19.15.
There were six golden tickets for the upcoming Con & Annie Kirby Memorial on offer at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Sunday night and Pat Buckley accounted for 50% of the qualifiers with Bens Teddy the unsurprising standout performer.
Owned by Kim Pritchard, Bens Teddy came into the event with a stunning 28.12 trial around Tralee and given his previous form around Limerick, he looked difficult to oppose despite the calibre of opposition in the AAO trial stake. Extending his lead with every stride up the home straight, the son of Droopys Sydney and Beechgrove Bell sealed an impressive victory by crossing the line with over six lengths in hand over nearest rival, Run Faster, in second. The time was a rapid 28.37.
Kyletaun Jerry was the first qualifier for team Buckley as he landed the opening A1 stake with an off-the-pace performance. A wide-open contest saw Blackstone Bobby go off the 2/1 favourite and it was Michael O’Donovan’s charge who showed first from trap three to lead. However, Kyletaun Jerry, owned by Kenny Glen, slipped through in second and although four lengths adrift at halfway, he ate up the ground to reel in the longtime leader close home. Sealing a first career victory for connections, the son of Laugil Blake and Killaheen Queen crossed one length clear of Blackstown Bobby, with Mr Incredible also catching the eye as he made up monstrous ground to finish just a further short head back in third. The time was 28.91.
The second of the Buckley qualifiers came in race seven, an A3 trial stake, as Road Exile blitzed the field to win comfortably. A winner of his debut in a smart 29.22 .30s around Youghal, Road Exile has clear ability and this was on full display last night. Owned by R.A Colton, the son of Droopys Sydney and Trusted Exile came away well from six and he showed sizzling early gears to take over at the opener. From here, Road Exile set a brilliant gallop down the back to draw clear of his rivals and win with ease. The brindle was five and a half lengths clear of Deadly Kyogo crossing the line as the clock returned a swift 28.71.
Indeed, Murt Leahy sent out another trial stake winner in race eleven as Droopys Service ran out a wide-margin winner. Also owned by Gavin O’Mahony, the 4/1 shot was a beaten favourite in both his starts to date but he made no such mistakes despite a sluggish start from trap six. Turning second into the back, Droopys Service had four lengths to overturn but he made rapid progress down the back and he swept to the front rounding the final turn. From here, the son of Malachi and Droopys Meteor drew to win very impressively by six lengths from Sporting Montana in second. The time was 28.85.
Race eight saw the A2 trial stake go down for decision and this went the way of the favourite as the Owen McKenna-trained Cree Jo Jo won in style.
Owned by Paul Carpenter, the choicely bred son of Laughil Blake and Coolavanny Chick looked a lovely prospect before descending onto Limerick and he duly delivered an emphatic performance to win with plenty in hand. Quickly into stride from trap three, Cree Jo Jo proved too hot to handle for his rivals and he maintained a relentless gallop all the way to the winning line to inflict a four-length defeat on nearest rival, Ballymac Samuel, in second. The time was 28.59.
