Pick Six is claimed for €7k

THERE was one winner of the €7,000 Tote Pick Six at Tralee Track on the night of the Kingdom Derby final. A total of €550 was invested by punters and four greyhounds were covered in the final leg, which was race No 8 and which was won by the Pat Buckley-trained Pennylane Lucky.

The Tote Pick Six is now back to €1,000. TIME after time, the break dictates the outcome of important sweepstake finals and that was certainly the case in the final of the supporters’ club A3 525 sweepstake at Tralee Track last Friday night.

At the semi-final stage, Noel Browne’s bitch, Coolavanny Ella, got first run on the Patrick O’Connor-trained Clounbrane Kerry, with a length and-a-half separating the pair at the line in 28.92 (.10 slow).

This time, however, Coolavanny Ella, which was even-money favourite, didn’t achieve the same kind of slick start from the very same box (trap 2) and, in fact, Clounbrane Kerry (5/2)was the one in front off the first bend from a trap 5 draw.

That was the deal done, as good as done anyway bearing in mind the way Clounbrane Kerry had run on behind Coolavanny Ella a week previously. Noel Browne’s bitch tried her best to get into contention, but her challenge failed by two and-a-half lengths in 29.10 (.30 slow), with the same distance back to Pony Beauty, which ran on really well from the back of the field.

So, a lovely purse of €1,500 for the joint owners of Clounbrane Kerry, Mary and Myles Kearney, of Moyvane, and fair play to Patrick O’Connor for producing the daughter of Droopys Jet and Saleen Kerry in such sharp form when it counted most.

Fair play, too, to the track supporters’ club for continuing with its sponsorship of such valuable sweepstakes.

Other winners on a night when eight bitches won (as on December 19) and when the going was .30 slow for all 525yds races and .15 slow for two 325yds races: Feora Alice, 18.35; Omega Roz, 30.15; Oak Cherry, 18.15; Mauras Wish, 29.56; Confident Beata, 29.73; Astra Zeka, 29.86; Send It Softly, 29.74; Ardfert Carmac, 29.25; Ballyard Jenny, 29.33.

SIS Meeting

The brilliantly-consistent Sign On Garfiney, which is owned and trained locally by Anthony Slattery, gained his 20th victory from 64 starts when clocking 29.12 on going rated .30 slow and he has now brought his winnings to €8,219.

The faster time of 29.03 (.20 slow) was clocked by the Moyvane-owned Shifters Pearl, while the other winners were:

Shift Blake Hill, 29.80 (.40 slow); Ardralla Paul, 29.71 (.40 slow); Ramona Biddy, 29.77 (.40 slow); Giovan Astral, 29.42 (.40 slow); Helenas Joker, 29.43 (.30 slow); Blue Slip, 29.75 (.20 slow).