Shiner illuminates Saturday meet with 570 run
THE semi-finals of two sweepstakes sponsored by the Kerry Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association headed up the programme at Tralee on Saturday night, but it was the winner of one of the supporting races that stole the show.
The greyhound in question was Shiner (Droopys Cain – My Girl Lollypop), owned and trained locally by Oliver Healy. He was running from trap 3 in the seventh race, for A2/ A3 class over 570yds, and, in absolutely routing the opposition, he produced a time of 30.72 which was only ten spots outside the track record jointly held by Raparee Polly (2008) and Toms Brett (2012).
It was a privilege to watch a run like that and bigger things surely await Shiner.
As far as the two Kerry GOBA sweepstakes were concerned, trainer Liam Dowling certainly dominated the second of them (A5 525) by winning both semi-finals, the first in 29.06 with the Javier Jarne-owned Chespirito and the second in 29.08 with his own bitch, Ballymac Notnow.
Chespirito came from well off the pace to win and she has to be the fancy to win the final this Friday night, the draw for which worked out as follows (trap order): Slipalong Prince, Chespirito, Ballymac Notnow, Wonderful Magic, Looster Baxter, Steeple Rd Mol.
The other sweepstake was for A7 class over the standard distance and the two semi-final winners were the Patrick O’Connor-trained Caint Agus Craic (28.91) and Russmur Tune (29.11). The better time and a trap 1 draw clearly makes Caint Agus Craic cthe one to beat in the final on Saturday night.
The draw is (trap order): Caint Agus Craic, Aines Princess, Lithuanian Didi, Russmur Tune, Gracias Wonder, Rubys Diamond
The supporting card saw the locallyBrackers Brandy excel in clocking 28.92 (A5 525), while the other winners were: Clounamon Hanney, 18.01; Ballylane Vic, 17.89; Kildroum Curadh, 17.91; Yeats Blu, 29.22. The latter was completing a double for trainer, Patrick O’Connor.
SATURDAY MORNING: Limerick trainer, Neilus O’Connell, just keeps on turning out the winners at Tralee Track. It has been a hugely successful 2017 to date for him and he achieved a quickfire double at Saturday morning’s SIS meeting with Costa Volcan, which won the fourth race in 29.24, and Mohane Denzel, which won the fifth race in 28.99.
Proceedings opened with a 28.97 run by Millridge Puzzle, while the other winners were: Pennylane Star, 29.24; Sporting Breno, 29.13; Blue Slip, 29.33; Sign On Garfiney, 29.08; Shineasyougo, 29.26.