Ballyanne Sim the top dog at awards
BALLYANNE SIM, winner of the 2018 Irish Greyhound Derby and owned by former Wexford hurling All Star Eamon Cleary, has been named the 2018 ‘dog of the year’ at the National Greyhound Racing Awards.
The ceremony was held in the Killashee House Hotel in Naas, Co. Kildare, and Ballyanne Sim was also awarded the ‘supreme greyhound’ prize at the event.
Ballyanne Sim – named after Eamon’s late father – crossed the line in 29.28 seconds to win the €140,000 first prize in September.
He was chosen for the award over the Patrick Guilfoyle- trained Cabra Hurricane, winner of the Night of Stars 525 race, and Slippy Cian, trained by Graham Holland and owned by Limerick’s Full House Syndicate.
Owner Eamon Cleary said: ‘It’s absolutely fabulous. It’s fabulous for the dog, he ran a great Derby and he’s a great competition dog.
‘The aim is now to run him in the English Derby and try him again in the Irish Derby after that. Nights like this are the icing on the cake, I’m absolutely thrilled.’
Eamon, a long-time resident of Co. Kildare, gave outstanding service to Wexford hurling and football teams at all levels from Under-14 to Senior, as well as winning Intermediate championships in both codes with the Rathgarogue-Cushinstown club.
He captained the county’s Leinster-winning Junior hurling and football teams in 1992, but was ineligible for their subsequent All-Ireland successes as he was subsequently promoted to both Senior sides. That notable achievement came three years after being selected at full-back on the All Stars hurling team.