Clonbrien Hero wins Race of Champions and €10,000
HE might have generated a lot of controversy when allegedly failing successive drug tests in last year’s Irish Laurels, but he still won that classic, along with the National Produce Stakes, the Irish Leger and a €10,000 race on the Night Of Stars, and there he was, at Tralee last Friday night, winning the Race Of Champions...and bringing his career earnings to a quite staggering €104,028.
The greyhound in question is, Clonbrien Hero, an April ’15 whelping by Razldazl Jayfkay out of Trout Or Salmon, which Graham Holland trains for Mrs Kay Murphy, of Kilmallock.
The general feeling was that victory would rest with 5/4 favourite, Droopys Ant, which had been the most impressive semi-final winner, and this lady, though not getting away as well as she did in her semi-final, managed to show in front off the second bend from Clonbrien Hero (5/2) and Ballymac Meena (10/1).
However, there is no more resilient performer than Clonbrien Hero and victory was more or less assured for this fellow when he ran the back straight strongly enough to hold the lead rounding the third bend. He went on to score by a length and a half from Ballymac Meena, which ran a blinder for Liam Dowling, with half a length back to Droopys Ant. The time was 29.99.
Afterwards, Graham Holland described Clonbrien Hero as a real battler. “He is a great competition dog and he does it in the final for you,” he said.
In spades, let it be added. Clonbrien Hero has become a real serial winner on the big occasion and those alleged positive drugs in last year’s Irish Laurels certainly put no halt to his gallop. A lot of power lies within his 70-pound frame and, for sure, he can win a lot more than that €104,028.
The €15,000 that he won last Friday was, of course, made possible by sponsorship provided by the Kerry GAA Supporters’ Club and, as expected, a very big crowd watched all the action unfold. This is a major annual fund-raiser for the Kerry GAA Board, specifically for the training of Kerry teams, and there was a very strong upbeat tone to the whole night, especially when it came to talking about Kerry’s prospects in the year ahead.
Kerry Group are, of course, intrinsically linked to Kerry GAA teams through major sponsorship of them and they had their name attached to the final of an A3 525 sweepstake that carried a winner’s purse of €3,000.
This was won by 6/4 favourite, Sarasota Black, owned by Michael Bourke, of Ballylongford. This fellow had impressed when winning his semi-final by six lengths in 28.72 and he produced a repeat performance from the same box (trap 5) to score by three and a half lengths from Ballymac Taxi in the almost identical time of 28.71, with a length and a half back to Skips Brew.
Sarasota Black again brought great early power into play and victory was more or less assured for him when he led around the opening bend from Ballymac Taxi.
Kerry GAA clubs and divisional boards had their names attached to runners in this sweepstake and the South Kerry Football Board was lucky enough to have drawn Sarasota Black.
Another Ballylongford man, Michael McEllistrim, won the O’Neills A5 525 sweepstake final with 4/5 favourite, Eminent, which excelled in coming from behind to win by half a length from Varvatos in 29.03, while Longmeadow Raven (29.13) won a track supporters’ club sweepstake final to initiate a double for Tarbert trainer, Patrick O’Connor, who was also successful with Saleen Brax (29.08).
Another sweepstake final, sponsored by Eleco Services, was won in 29.33 by 5/4 favourite, Carmac Courage, from the Ardfert kennels of Timmy Carmody, while Millstreet owner, Donal G O’Mahony, equalled the feat of Patrick O’Connor by recording a double with runaway winner, Millridge Milo (29.03), and Millridge Act (17.51).
Other winners were: Flat White (28.47), Floury Spuds (31.67) and Honthehill (28.81).
• Winners at last week’s Tuesday SIS meeting: Coom Twins, 29.33; Millridge Hero, 29.13; Steeple Rd Jet, 17.75; Brackers Brandy, 28.87; Inislosky Bumble, 29.16; Joe Blackie, 17.94; Feora Eoin, 28.80; Rangers Quest, 28.94; Voltair Hope, 29.21; Coom Mary Mattie, 28.73.