Ballymac Laughill star turn in Dowling Memorial heats
THE main attraction at Tralee Track at the moment is the John and Mary (Killeacle) Dowling Memorial A1 570 Sweepstake (winner, €2,250) and 24 greyhounds went to traps in the first round on Friday night last.
One of them was to stand out – and who should be behind the greyhound in question, Ballymac Laughill, but none other than Liam Dowling, son of the Ardfert couple whose memory is being honoured by the running of the sweepstake.
Ballymac Laughil, which Liam Dowling owns as well as trains, absolutely shone in winning the fourth of the first-round heats in 31.08, which was a nice bit ahead of the winning times in the other three firstround heats.
It automatically makes him the leading contender in the event, though three more spins have yet to be negotiated.
In front of a very big attendance, with the upstairs/ restaurant area taken over by families celebrating confirmations, Ballymac Laughil (Ballymac Vic - Laughil Linda) dictated matters from traprise, making it easy pickings for those who backed him at 6/4.
Housed in trap 5, he was a decisive leader off the first bend and, come the third bend, his lead was unassailable. To the credit of Newinn Tesse, she ran on really well behind him, but three lengths separated the pair at the line, with a whopping ten and a half lengths back to Boherbee Lass.
The time of 31.08 recorded by Ballymac Laughil was 32 spots faster than the 31.40 produced in heat 3 by the Chris Houlihan-trained Ring A Friend and 39 spots and 56 spots, respectively, better than the other winning heat times of 31.47 (by the Galway-owned Sellout Magic) and 31.64 (by the Rathmore-owned Glow Bullet).
Liam Dowling also qualified his two other runners in the event – Brandyandbailys and that amazing long distance bitch, Ballymac Bonnie.
Only Ballymac Bonnie could have come from such a long way off the pace to finish third in the heat won by Glow Bullet, while Brandyandbailys finished fourth in the heat won by Sellout Magic.
In most sweepstakes, Brandy and Bailys would have been eliminated, but the first four went through in each heat and so did the two fastest fifths.
Brandyandbailys found himself in trouble rounding the first bend and, back from his tilt at the Kirby sweepstake at limerick, he could yet be a big factor in the event.
Whatever, Liam Dowling is certainly the man to beat and, needless to say, particular attention will focus on Ballymac Laughil from a trap 4 draw in the first of three second-round heats this Friday night.
The draw for those three heats is (trap order): Heat 1: Morning Music, Ranchers Wiston, Sellout Magic, Ballymac Laughil, Wots Inaword, Millridge Grant. Heat 2: Mohane Sparky, Glow Bullet, Millridge Jodi, Brandyandbailys, Razldazl Beth (W), Musical Pearl (W). Heat 3: Burgess Dubh, Nellies Boss, Boherbee Lass, Ring A Friend, Ballymac Bonnie, Newinn Tesse (M).
The supporting card on Friday night saw Millridge Lola absolutely excel over 325yds (S2 class) by clocking 17.55, while Man Twenty One clocked 17.76 first time out (S8/ S9 class) and also inside the 18.00secs barrier, on 17.89 (S4 class), was Rathanny Mojo, which was making it two wins from two starts.
Other winners: Stand Out Girl, 29.46; Spirito, 29.36; Lost Tagg, 29.45; Send It Seasons, 29.20.
SATURDAY MORNING: Pat McMahon opened Saturday morning’s SIS session by recording a double with Behindclosedoors (29.32) and Send It Geopelia (29.34), while the other winners were: Lone Royal, 29.33; Millridge Bruce, 17.73; Lenas Cindy, 29.65; Payyaway Mandy, 29.42; Astrastella, 30.04; Devon Pluto, 29.60.