East Coast blazes to fine win in Grand Prize final
A CLEAR, cold night saw a very good crowd attend Enniscorthy Greyhound Track on Thursday for a very good racing card featuring the Grand Prize final with a fine €2,350 cheque awaiting the winner.
Trap two runner Southest Bound went off the favourite, but from trap rise he was never going and it was quickly apparent something had gone amiss.
Trap four runner East Coast Blaze showed the best early pace to lead, and he ran to the line with purpose to score from the fast-finishing Kiltrea Brien for a delighted owner, John Kehoe of Clonroche.
He really enjoyed his winner’s walk down the track as he waved majestically to the stands. East Coast had run very well in the recent Red Mills Future Champion Stake and it was a fine effort to come into a tough grade against experienced rivals.
The first round of the Seedrite Open Unraced Stake also got under way, and there is a full heat-by-heat summery below. This week’s second round will feature on Friday night’s card.
Two very good open races brought down the curtain on a very enjoyable night, and the in-form Tycoon Prince took race eight over 600 yards.
He was recording his third straight win in a row and has now claimed 13 successes in all.
Race nine saw Airdown Rena return to her best when coming on strong from the third bend. She tracked the leader into the straight and proved a length too strong for Kingsmill Manuka for her twelfth career win.
November 20 results - race one, Welcome To Enniscorthy Track A8/ A9 525: 1, Slightly Blue (owner, James Travers, Gorey), 29.88; 2, Ravens Prince, 29.95.
Race two, Christmas Party Nights every Friday in December Sprint: 1, Stripe Gaffer (owner, Ned Freeman, Co. Kilkenny), 19.10; 2, Rockmount Hi, 19.12.
Race three, Speedrite Open Unraced Starts this Thursday 525: 1, Youll Do Nothin (owners, The Pink Slip syndicate, c/o M. O’Gorman, Edermine), 29.74; 2, Catch Me Outside Vans Escalade Maid Of China, 29.84.
Race four, The 2017 Grand Prize Final Night 525: 1, Metric Sean (owner, Pauline Byrne, Marshalstown), 29.42; 2, Dark Stone, 29.49.
Race five, Wexford GOBA A4 525 Stake semi-final: 1, Brightside Vim (owner, John Kavanagh, Enniscorthy), 28.86; 2, Codars Runaway, 28.93.
Race six, Wexford GOBA A4 525 Stake semi-final: 1, Glenbrien Bolt (owner, Kathleen Stamp, Glenbrien), 29.06; 2, Follow On Blaze, 29.16.
Race seven, The Geoff Parnaby A3 525 Stake semi-final: 1, Piercestown Leaf (owner, Seamus Whelan, Piercestown), 29.14; 2, Piercestown Zara, 29.31.
Race eight, The Geoff Parnaby A3 525 Stake semi-final: 1, Vinegarhill Moon (owner, Pat Hyland, Enniscorthy), 29.05; 2, Lord Of Light, 29.12.
November 23 results - race one, The Speedrite Open Unraced 525 Stake, round one, heat one: 1, Ping Be Slick (owner, Liam Butler Snr., Wexford town), 29.12; 2, Cotty Style, 29.47.
Ping did just that here and quickly set about making every yard a winning one, racing home a clearcut winner.
Race two, heat two: 1, Dunclone Jardo (owners, Bill Kervick and Tom Barry, Enniscorthy), 29.09; 2, Piercestown Luke, 29.16.
Jardo was another to get out well from traps and was looking a clear winner down the back. However, Piercestown was coming on strong up the home stretch, with only a length separating them on the line.
Race three, heat three: 1, Fox Cub (owner, Seán Furlong, Wexford town), 29.27; 2, Falcon Blitz, 29.34.
There was a level break here before Fox Cub went on off the second bend, quickly tracked by Falcon, but the latter was never able to get on terms as Fox Cub was always holding the runner-up to score nicely.
Race four, heat four: 1, Gemsons Coco (owner, Shane Murphy, Coolcotts), 29.30; 2, Battstreet Eva, 29.51.
Coco did very well to score as she fumbled the start to trail the field on the run-up.
However, she had some good luck at the third bend as favourite Battstreet Eva made a strong bid to take the lead from front-running Jens Penny and, as the latter pair impeded each other, Gemsons slipped around the outside to go on to score snugly in the end.
Race five, heat five: 1, Uncle Wexford (owner, James Robinson, Athy), 29.46; 2, Ballinaboola Theo, 29.51.
Uncle did well to score here after being the meat in the sandwich coming out of traps.
He recovered to lead off the second bend and ran on well to hold the late run of the runner-up.
Race six, heat six: 1, Terrific Toni (owner, Rhys Fortune, Co. Wexford), 29.50; 2, Kelpie Bob, 29.88.
Terrific was just that, leading trap to line in this one to run out an easy winner with a fine performance.
Race seven, The Grand Prize A1/A2 525 final: 1, East Coast Blaze (owner, John Kehoe, Clonroche), 28.90; 2, Kiltrea Brian, 29.00.
Race eight, Georges Hair Design Open 600: 1, Tycoon Prince (owner, Raymond O’Sullivan, Carrigbyrne), 33.09; 2, Lochdara Jet, 33.16.
Race nine, Grand Prize Final Night Open 525: 1, Airdown Rena (owners, Karen and Stephen Parker, Piercestown), 28.98; 2, Kingsmill Manuka, 29.05.