Lightning strikes twice as 550 record falls twice on same night
YOU would need to delve into a strong list of superlatives to do justice to the incredible fare that was served up at Tralee Track last Friday night.
It was semi-final time in the €15,000-to-the-winner Kerry GAA Supporters Race Of Champions and nobody, but nobody, could have anticipated what was about to transpire.
Yes, the Johnny O’Sullivan-trained Native Chimes had become the first greyhound in the history of the Oakview venue to get inside 28.00secs for 525yds in a trial six days previously (27.97), but who’d have thought that he’d follow up by breaking the 550yds record...and that another greyhound, the Patrick Guilfoyle-trained Good News, would immediately come along and better the time of Native Chimes with another record-breaking run.
This, truly, was a case of lightning striking twice in the same place, which is never supposed to happen, and it was quite an unforgettable experience for all those in attendance.
First to the record-breaking achievement of Native Chimes (5/4 fav) in the opening semi-final of the Race Of Champions. He achieved the most perfect of starts from trap 3 and such was the power he showed on the back straight that he was six lengths ahead of Cahir Castle and Killeacle Wayne rounding the third bend. At the line, the winning margin was four lengths over Cahir Castle in 29.40, with three lengths back to Killeacle Wayne.
The going was rated .10 fast, but the 29.40 counted for record purposes and it was three spots inside the existing record of 29.43 set in June, 2013, by Farloe Trent.
A jaw-dropping run, for sure, and nobody could possibly imagine that 28.40 would be bettered fifteen minutes later in the second semi-final, but that’s exactly the herculean feat that was performed by Good News, which, like Native Chimes, also ran from trap 3.
Bentes Bocko did come out ahead of him from trap 4, but Good News, which was even-money favourite, brought massive early pace into play to be in front off the opening bend from Bentekes Bocko, Witches Belle and Kilgraney Denver. Come the third bend, he was two lengths clear of Witches Belle and, although Liam Twomey’s bitch looked like making a battle of it turning for home, there was to be no catching Good News in the time he was clocking, a truly sensational 29.34, and he hit the line a length and a half ahead of Witches Belle, with seven and a half lengths back to Bentekes Bocko.
People were nearly gasping for breath at this stage and wondered what was to come in the third semi-final (race 9). Lone Bullet was installed the 6/4 favourite and he broke well from trap 2, as did Killinan Rosie from trap 3, but the Liam Dowling-trained Brandyandbailys (2/1), which was wearing the red sheet, was to be in the picture big-time on the rails rounding the first bend and he disputed with Lone Bullet off the bend. He then proceeded to build up a lead of a length and a half over Lone Bullet by the third bend, with just over a length back to Killinan Rosie, and he kept the gallop going quite superbly to score by that same length and a half from Killinan Rosie in 29.72, with another length and a half back to Lone Bullet.
Huge interest subsequently centred on the draw for the final this Friday night and, very interestingly, Native Chimes will again be in trap 3, with Good News in trap 5. That trap 3 draw could well enable Native Chimes to get first run on Good News and that could undoubtedly swing things for him.
The strong likelihood is that one of the two of them will win, but this is a field simply oozing with class, probably the best to ever go to traps in an open final at Tralee, and any of the other four could easily spring a surprise.
For sure, all those who turn up to watch the final are in for a real treat and, of course, there will be the usual marvellous supporting programme on this great Kerry GAA fund-raising night at the Oakview venue.
The draw for the final is (trap order): Cahir Castle, Killinan Rosie, Native Chimes, Brandyandbailys. Good News, Witches Belle (M).
Backing up the Race Of Champions semi-finals on Friday night were two semi-finals of the Kerry Group A5 525 Club Championship (winner, €2,000) and there was a marvellous run of 28.31 in the second semi-final by Coolavanny Spin, which guarantees favouritism for this lady in the final this Friday night. There was also a hugely impressive run of 28.68 by Kildroum Brandy in the first semi-final, while the other winners were: Misty Nidge, 17.98; Punjabie Kitchen, 28.81; Razldazl Beth, 29.06; Ballymac Meena, 17.49; Giovan Astral, 28.76.