Local trainer’s treble delight
Kavanagh ends year on high
THERE WAS a very large turn-out for the last meeting of the year at Enniscorthy greyhound track on the Friday before Christmas, featuring an eleven-race programme.
It was a very good night for local trainer John Kavanagh who recorded a fine treble. Race two saw the first of the winners when Vimmer Tom broke very quickly from the tricky trap one box to lead and give favourite backers something to cheer about as he went on to score in a good 29.15.
Ten Sharp was next up in race three, a sprint. Ten was led early by Lord Of Hope but forced his way up the inside to grab the lead by the first bend, only to be caught from behind.
He was passed by Lord again before recovering his stride to come back and get up close to home to score in 19.41.
The hat-trick was completed in race six by Dunclone Jardo who was in control of things early on and went clear down the back. Although he was fading a little in the home straight, he had done enough to score in a time of 29.52.
Gorey trainer Tracey Fitzpatrick enjoyed a good win in race nine when her Alien Avatare was a facile eleven-length victor in a good time of 29.09.
Kilmore man Ian Tierney is having a good run of things and his Cactus Baldrick took the A3 fifth race over 575 yards. Cactus did well to battle to the lead by the first bend and ran out a snug winner.
December 22 results - race one, Welcome to Enniscorthy for our Final Race Night in 2017: 1, Foldurdreamsaway (owner, Maria Byrne, Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary), 29.68; 2, Tyford Dream, 29.69.
Race two, The Trackside Diner A4 525: 1, Vimmer Tom (owner, James Kent, Enniscorthy; trainer, John Kavanagh, Enniscorthy), 29.15; 2, Alanas Angel, 29.39.
Race three, The Track Bar S3/ S4 350: 1, Ten Sharp (owners, The Bonny Girls syndicate; trainer, John Kavanagh, Enniscorthy), 19.41; 2, Lord Of Hope, 19.48.
Race four, Irene Lee and all the Ladies A4 525: 1, Dysert Suzanne (owner, Maria Byrne, Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary), 29.01; 2, Pipers Moment, 29.29.
Race five, Thanks to George Roche for all his sponsorship A3 575: 1, Cactus Baldrick (owner, Ian Tierney, Kilmore), 32.15; 2, Battstreet Chick, 32.39.
Race six, Join the Boys in the Stand for the Craic A3 525: 1, Dunclone Jardo (owners, Bill Kervick and Tom Barry, Co. Waterford; trainer, John Kavanagh, Enniscorthy), 29.52; 2, Craan Olivia, 29.53.
Race seven, Join Shanks & Jimmy at the Bar SO/S1 350: 1, Lisnakill Messi (owner, Michael O’Keeffe, Waterford), 18.62; 2, Bugatti Petite, 18.97.
Race eight, John Somers Construction Christmas Party Night A3 525: 1, Metric Lilly (owner, Pauline Byrne, Marshalstown), 29.76; 2, Lisnakill Husky, 29.78.
Race nine, Wishing all our Patrons a Very Happy Christmas A2 525: 1, Alien Avatare (owners, Tracey Fitzpatrick and Laurence Byrne, Gorey; trainer, Tracey Fitzpatrick), 29.09; 2, Jacobs Deed, 29.86.
Race ten, The Christmas Raffle Open 525: 1, Lochdara Jet (owner, Daniel Whelan, Enniscorthy), 29.11; 2, Coco Blaze, 29.25.
Race eleven, Music after Racing Tonight A1/A2 525: 1, Hot Diggity Dog (owner, Kate McCann, Ballymurn; trainer, Jacqueline McCann), 29.29; 2, Brightside Vim, 29.30.
With Enniscorthy now on its annual winter break, the focus now turns to Waterford, Shelbourne, Newbridge and Clonmel for Co. Wexford owners and trainers.
Racing resumed last Friday on a very wet night at Kilcohan Park, Waterford, and it was a very good night indeed for Piercestown owner, trainer and breeder John Murray as he supplied the first two home in the feature race, the Joyce O’Regan Memorial Unraced Stake final.
His unbeaten bitch, Cougar County, came through to pass her litter sister, Cougar Del Ray, off the last bend to score her third straight win by two lengths in a time of 29.26.
Racing got off to a good start for Wexford owners as the Matthew Fanning (Harristown, Taghmon)-owned Harristown Star won race one. He made a quick exit from his trap four box and simply raced clear to win by nine and a half lengths in 29 seconds.
Barntown trainer Nick Turner was on the mark in race three, an A3, when Kacys Nemo got out well from trap one and ran out a comfortable winner from the running on Archaton Fly four lengths back in a fast 28.86.
Race six saw another finish involving Wexford runners as reserve Whitefort Nev, owned by Ursula Neville of Curracloe, made every yard of the running to hold the fast-finishing Kingsmill Sprite by one and a half lengths in a time of 29.09.
The fifth winner on the nine-race card came in race seven when another reserve came good as Skyview Lark was in a nice position down the back tracking the leader before pushing on around the final bends to run out a snug winner in a time of 29.03 for Eugene Dempsey of Castlebridge.
There was a Wexford win up in Shelbourne also on Friday night as the Tommy Mahoney (Barntown)-owned Ontheverge scored in the A6/7 stake semi-final when taking up the running down the back straight before running on well to hold Level Play in a time of 29.51.
SAT. JAN. 6 Stanno Wexford Youth Cup first round: Gorey Rangers ‘A’ v. Gorey Rangers ‘B’, 11.00 (M. Kenny); The Ballagh United v. Cloughbawn, 11.00 (P. Redmond); Gorey Celtic ‘A’ v. Taghmon United, 11.00 (P. Rowlands); Camolin Celtic v. Bridge Rovers, 11.00 (N. Whelan); New Ross Celtic