No hard luck for flying James as he races to title GREYHOUNDS

THERE WAS some cracking racing at Enniscorthy Greyhound Track last week, with some very good performances recorded on both nights.

Favourite backers found the going tough as a lot of the form book was turned on its head.

On Monday the final of the Whitewood unraced stake featured, and the unbeaten Masterexplorer was sent to traps hot favourite.

Trap five is tricky though, and it proved his undoing, missing the kick as trap four runner Hard Luck James - the main market rival - took control and raced to a very fast 28.66 victory for Carlow man Henry Kelly.

He had a great week as on Thursday his Karlow Eddie was a wide margin winner of race seven, heat two of the Horse and Hound Tri-Distance in a very fast 29.92 over 550 yards.

Heat three saw the Peter Cronintrained Enable also impress.

Showing good determination to get the bend, she raced to a clearcut win also in a fast time of 29.94 (550 yards).

As both these runners are drawn in opposite semi-finals and both have drawn the favourable trap three, it would be a brave punter to bet against them this week.

Coincidentally, Henry Kelly and Peter Cronin had the market principals in Monday’s feature with Henry coming out on top. It will interesting to see if both get through their semis.

Owner Peter Nolan from Wexford town has enjoyed some good runs with his bitch, Flying Lola, in recent times, and she returned to winning ways in good style when she won the top grade race of the night.

She got into the lead from her tricky trap six draw to score a clearcut win in a good 29.02 after a promising run.

This Thursday’s card features the semi-finals of the Horse And Hound Tri-Distance and the final of the Vimmerby at Stud stake, and another big crowd is expected, so come early.

The stayers’ classic, Corn Cuchulainn round two, continued in Shebourne Park on Friday and John Doyle’s runner, Kiltrea Brian, kept local interest high as he was a snug winner of heat two.

He is well drawn again this week in trap three in his semi-final, and fingers crossed he can finish in the first three to make the final.

John won this top stayers’ race a number of years ago with Kiltrea Kev so he knows what it takes to lift this major prize.

Hopefully he will get through the semi-final and give Wexford a fighting chance of collecting this prestigious title once again in the near future.

July 16 results - race one, The Monbeg Unraced Bitch Sweeptake, round one, heat one: 1, Dream Fairy (owner, Caroline Hutton, Oxfordshire), 28.73; 2, Droopys Chimes, 28.83.

Race two, The Cill Dubh Kennels Sweepstake final: 1, Zaras Oasis (owner, James Whelan, Co. Wicklow), 29.35; 2, Whitefort Susie, 29.56.

Race three, The Monbeg Unraced Bitch Sweeptake, round one, heat two: 1, Woolies Bridie (owner, Larry Ellard, Co. Carlow), 29.29; 2, Boderan Spec, 29.53.

Race four, The Cill Dubh Chief Sweepstake final: 1, Related Dan (owner, Charles Kavanagh, Enniscorthy), 29.42; 2, Fairly Hazy, 29.52.

Race five, The Monbeg Unraced Bitch Sweeptake, round one, heat three: 1, Shot At Dawn (owners, The Sawdust syndicate, Cleariestown; trainer, Anton Butler, Rathaspeck), 29.11; 2, Fagans Sparrow, 29.49.

Race six, The Track Side Diner Specials Sprint Stakes: 1, Allhelletloose (owners, The Ice Cream syndicate, Enniscorthy), 19.37; 2, Dunclone Jardo, 19.40.

Race seven, The Whitewood Unraced Sweepstake final: 1, Hard Luck James (owner, Henry Kelly, Co. Carlow), 28.66; 2, Galloping Moon, 28.80.

Race eight, The Large Bottle & Pint Glass of Ice Stakes: 1, Go Ellie Go (owner, Jason Mulligan, Foulksmills; trainer, Anton Butler, Rathaspeck), 29.25; 2, Born To Score, 29.39.

Race nine, The Slán Abhaile 525 Stakes: 1, Moma Mermaid (owners, Ian and Diane Tierney, Kilmore), 28.72; 2, Greenhall Outlaw, 29.03.

July 19 results - race one, The Welcome to the Show Grounds Veteran Stakes: 1, Contessa (owner, Irene Bolton-Lee, Gorey), 29.68; 2, Carrigoe Philjon, 30.03.

Race two, The Vimmerby at Stud Sweepstake semi-final: 1, Shakespeare (owner, Eoghan Ruttledge, Wexford; trainer, Nick Turner, Barntown), 29.10; 2, Geneva Stacy, 29.41.

Race three, The Vimmerby at Stud Sweepstake semi-final: 1, Ballybreen King (owners, John O’Connor and Sheila Morrissey, Enniscorthy), 29.21; 2, Neamstown Aoife, 29.31.

Race four, The Track Side Diner Sprint Stakes: 1, Duffry Gate Boy (owner, Alex Cooney, Enniscorthy; trainer, James Nolan, Enniscorthy), 18.80; 2, Cow Lane Lad, 18.85.

Race five, The Model County 525 Stakes: 1, Ketch Up Snoopy (owner, Gordon Murray, Glynn), 29.28; 2, Tagalong Hylandr, 29.56.

Race six, The Horse and Hound Tri-Distance Sweepstake, round two, heat one: 1, Ballinaboola Mia (owner, Niamh Murphy, Ballinaboola), 30.38; 2, Foleys Gift, 30.55.

Race seven, heat two: 1, Karlow Eddie (owner, Henry Kelly, Co. Carlow), 29.92; 2, Alien Tears, 30.55.

Race eight, The Racing Every Monday & Thursday 525 Stakes: 1, Flying Lola (owner, Peter Nolan, Wexford town; trainer, Cora Doyle), 29.02; 2, Piercestown Moll, 29.30.

Race nine, heat three: 1, Enable (owners, Margaret Walsh and William Rigney; trainer, Peter Cronin, Co. Kilkenny), 29.94; 2, Mottee Molly, 30.53.

Race ten, heat four: 1, Soul (owners, John Codd and Diana Brodie, Enniscorthy), 30.31; 2, Killure Murry.