Ballyard Cuckoo sets best time in A7 525 heats

CASTLEISLAND Tyre Centre has again come up with nice sponsorship for a sweepstake at Tralee Track (A7 525), making possible a winner’s purse of €900, and local owner, Michael Daly, provided the fastest winner when three first-round heats of the event, for 18 greyhounds, were run at the Oakview venue on Friday night.

Ballyard Cuckoo was running from trap 4 in heat 2 and he showed lots of potential in routing the opposition. He was, in fact, one of three 6/4 joint favourites, the others being Loughran Elite and Midtown Act, but nothing stood a chance with him as the race progressed.

He trapped smartly, led around the opening bend and he then went right away to score by seven and a half lengths from Boxer Mistake in 29.00 (.20 slow). Loughran Elite did qualify in third place, nine lengths behind Boxer Mistake, but the other 6/4 joint favourite, Midtown Act, finished last after encountering all kinds of trouble.

The time recorded by Ballyard Cuckoo was very much the fastest in the three first-round heats, with the other winning times being 29.37 (Cú Uí Néill) and 29.40 (Dashing Through).

Cú Uí Néill ran on well to win heat 1 by three lengths from Papadontpreach, while three lengths was also the winning margin for Dashing Through (over Butdarewastwo) in heat 3.

Four qualified in each heat and, quite remarkably, the first four in the heat won by Ballyard Cuckoo are drawn together again in the second semi-final this Friday night.

Michael Daly’s charge will surely score a repeat victory from trap 6.

The draw for the semi-finals is (trap order): First semi-final: Devon Pluto, Butdarewastwo, Dashing Through, Kildroum Curadh, Millridge Micro, Papadontpreach (W). Second semi-final: Tailteann Gift, Loughran Elite, Boxer Mistake, Cú Uí Néill, Light Brakes, Ballyard Cuckoo.

Fastest on Friday night’s card was Lassa Exquisite, which flew around in 28.70 (.20 slow), while the other winners were: Ballinagare Man, 18.42 (.10 slow), Dixie Piper, 18.20; Carrig West, 17.94; Bowline Jet, 29.61; Saleen Ella and Confident Puma, dead-heat, 31.88 (570yds), Bolus Pete, 28.93.