Mc Razl lays down marker in round two heats of A3 550 sweepstake

THERE might have been pretty lenient qualification in the first round, with no less than eight greyhounds that finished fifth getting through, but the business was of a far more serious nature when the second round of the Lee Strand A3 550 Sweepstake (winner, €10,000) was run off at Tralee last Friday night and, as it turned out, the standard hotted up with the greater degree of pressure being applied.

In that first round, just one greyhound, Swiss Storm, managed to get inside 30 seconds (by eight spots), but five greyhounds did so on Friday night, with the Liam Dowling-trained Mc Razl the fastest of them on a quite brilliant 29.72 – in the very same heat as Swiss Storm at that.

In fact, Swiss Storm failed to qualify for this Friday night’s quarter-finals after totally missing the break from trap 5.

Fastest away was Rallying Saidso from trap 1, but Mc Razl, which is jointly owned by John and Denise McAuliffe, of Athea, swept into the lead off the second bend and he subsequently dominated to the extent that he had seven lengths to spare at the line from Rallying Saidso, with Naylors Jim Bob a further length back in third place and short-heading Lingrawn Aace for a qualifying spot.

The night’s programme acknowledged, through a congratulatory full page, the fact that Liam Dowling was to be inducted into the IGB Hall of Fame in the Killashee Hotel, Naas, two evenings later and this was a nice way, through Mc Razl, to underline the man’s remarkable ability to get the best out of the charges under his care.

Mind you, Mc Razl is set no easy task in the third quarter-final this Friday night because he comes up against two other brilliant second-round winners in the Paul Hennessy-trained Pudgie Budgie (29.83) and the John Kelliher-trained Canon Jack (29.95), with the field being completed by Naylors Jim Bob, Matching Ryan and Coom Mary Mattie.

Pudgie Budgie managed to upstage another Liam Dowling runner (and 4/6 favourite), Ballymac Pele, by a length in 29.83 after a marvellous duel between the pair in heat 2, while Canon Jack was a real revelation in heat 8 by clocking 29.85 on his way to a two-length victory over the front-running Millridge Blitz – this after finding himself in trouble behind none other than Mc Razl in the first round and posting an estimated time of 30.99.

How things can change from one night to the next!

The other second-round heat winners to get inside 30.00 seconds were Chris Houlihan’s Cashen Kuba (29.89), which will have trap 1 for the third time running in the fourth quarter-final on Friday night, and the Abbeyfeale syndicate dog, Packing Heat, which clocked 29.82.

The remaining heat winners were Marazion Bonnie (30.54), Lenas Dasher (30.33) and Native Treasure (30.17).

There was drama in heat 4 when the well-fancied Sonora Sham took a bad fall after leaving traps and further drama unfolded in heat 8 when Miss Pickpocket (5/4 fav) and Misty Angel crashed to the ground at the first bend after badly colliding.

One wonders if any drama awaits in Friday night’s quarter-finals. It’s invigorating stuff to be sure, this Lee Strand sweepstake, and, of course, final night brings the biggest crowd of the year to the Oakview venue, thanks to the marvellous input of the sponsors.

Two more hurdles to be overcome by the greyhounds still standing...and then the shoot-out for the magnificent winner’s purse of €10,000. Yes, invigorating is the word for it.

First quarter-final: Millridge Blitz, Native Treasure, Aines Princess, Shaneboy Kimmy, Marazion Bonnie, Packing Heat.

Second quarter-final: Ballymac Pele, Lenas Dasher, Rallying Saidso, Ballyverane Boy, Aughacasla Haley, Dads Promise (M).

Third quarter-final: Naylors Jim Bob, Mc Razl, Pudgie Budgie, Matching Ryan, Canon Jack, Coom Mary Mattie (M).

Fourth quarter-final: Cashen Kuba, Bowline Raider, Rangers Quest, Killahan Oreo, Caint Agus Craic (W), Lissycasey Ruth (W).

• In a supporting race last Friday night, over the sprint distance, the Pat McMahon-trained Send It Ducula won in 17.61 at odds of 5/1...and paid a quite remarkable €64.20 to a €1 win unit on the tote. Other winners: Spirit Partner (29.13) and Trip To London (28.99).