Aussie-bound Flyer bids for Newbridge win

THE Red Mills/NTSC Open Unraced Bitch Stake has lived up to all expectations and a terrific battle is anticipated in tonight’s final at Newbridge.

Following a first-round defeat, Paddy Kehoe’s Forest

Melanie (9,45) has been the star of the competition and a trap one draw gives her a massive chance in the decider.

Brendan Frayne’s Marians Dream has shown big early pace and is the likely early leader but it is questionable whether she can resist the challenges of Forest Melanie and Flying Flyer.

Forest Melanie gets the vote to land the €5,000 prize but supporters will be anxiously looking for the charging Flying Flyer as she unleashes her huge finishing burst.

This will be Flying Flyer’s last run for owner/breeder Pat Dalton as he has sold the choicely-bred bitch to noted Aussie owner/trainer George Dailley. Pat Buckley did the deal and he reports that it could take up to six months for the quarantine issues to be sorted and the bitch may have a few runs over a longer distance before she travels. You can also take it that she will get a few schools behind Dalton’s inside lure to get her ready for the inside lure Down Under.

Buckley’s son Jack works with Dailley and is also renting a dozen kennels from him. The odds are that he will handle Flying Flyer for Dailley.

Kilkenny track will host the second round heats of the Frightful Flash Kennels McCalmont Cup and some great clashes are lined up. The battle to the bend between John Codd’s Except Change and Pat Buckley’s Droopys Payet could decide the outcome of the opening heat.

The big two in the second heat can be Karol Ramsbottom’s Droopys Ford and Joe Horan’s Maireads Spring with the former getting the nod. The recently-purchased

Fennis Buzz can win for Willie and John ‘Shark’ Hanlon in Heat 3 while the last qualifier can go to Tom Lennon and Colm Rafter’s Lemon Franko.

Also tonight, the first round of the John & Mary Killeacle Dowling Memorial will be run at Tralee and the two major fancies here are Brandy and baileys and Ballymac Laughil which are owned and trained by John and Mary’s son Liam.

Meanwhile, the Mediation talks between the IGB and the Dublin GOBA in relation to the Harold’s Cross dispute will resume in Dublin this morning at 11am.

And an era in the sport will come to an end tomorrow night when the last ever greyhound meeting will take place at former English Derby home, Wimbledon. It first opened in May 1928 and the English Derby has been staged there since 1985. It will be a huge loss to the industry.