Shock as Saidso fails to deliver
THE remarkable heat wave which hit our country created its problems for all those with greyhounds, especially those trying to keep them right for racing, and it was a very sensible decision to allow the runners at Tralee Track last Friday evening to be kennelled an hour later than usual.
It was also a sensible to cancel Saturday afternoon’s SIS session and to also have late kennelling on Saturday evening as well, even though there was plenty of cloud in the Tralee area through Saturday.
Friday evening, of course, saw the running of the four second-round heats of the Kerry Group A2 525 Hospital Sweepstake (winner, €3,000) and plenty of attention focused on the fastest first-round winner, Rallying Saidso, which was 4/6 favourite to win the first of the heats from a favourable trap 1 draw.
She had clocked 28.60 in achieving that first-round victory and none of the opposition had got inside 29.00secs, but, for sure, there’s no such thing as a certainty in greyhound racing and Rallying Saidso not only failed to win, but also failed to finish in the first three, knocking her out of the sweepstake.
Unfortunately for her, she didn’t repeat her flying start of a week previously and she was then involved in some bumping with Ballyard George rounding the first bend, which definitely took its toll on both.
The one claiming victory was Right Half Back (3/1), a well-proven performer owned by Gerard Dowling, of Listowel. This fellow took up the running early on the back straight from Rallying Saidso and, after being two lengths ahead of Youngfellathanks and Rallying Saidso rounding the third bend, he won a tremendous charge to the line by a head from Youngfellathanks in 28.95, with a neck back to Patricks Castle and a short head back to Rallying Saidso.
How many good greyhounds have been eliminated from sweepstakes by that tiny short head?
The new front runner in the event is Gone To Ground, which Michael J O’Donovan trains for Miss Caroline Dalton, of Thurles. This fellow had won his first-round heat in 28.91 and it was quite something by him to improve to 28.59 in winning heat 4, especially with the track now rated .10 slow for all 525yds races.
Gifted with very good early pace, Gone To Ground very quickly got himself into a winning position from trap 5 and he was always going to justify even-money favouritism, with two Liam Dowling runners chasing him home, namely Ballymac Trinkle and Varvatos (the distances in defeat, respectively, were two lengths and two and-a-half lengths).
Liam Dowling earlier won heat 2 with 4/6 favourite, Akelawre. This fellow left himself with plenty to do from trap 1, but he did have the finishing power to touch off the front-running Sawdust Club on the line by the shortest of short heads in 28.79, with two lengths back to Clounbrane Kerry.
The remaining second-round heat winner was the Neilus O’Connell-trained Ahavoher Beauty, which won heat 3 in 28.75 after bombing out of trap 4. There was plenty of confidence behind this lady in that she was 6/4 favourite and she raced home a length and a half ahead of the very strong-finishing Cosard Jet in 28.75, with six lengths back to Ramona Sara.
Neilus O’Connell has three semi-finalists, as has Liam Dowling, but there is little doubt that Gone To Ground has become the one to beat and he will hardly suffer the same fate as Rallying Saidso from a trap 4 draw in the first of the semi-finals this Friday night. He is, in fact, given a nap vote.
The draw for the two semi-finals worked out as follows (trap order): First semi-final: Akelawre, Patricks Castle, Right Half Back, Gone To Ground, Cosard Jet (W), Youngfellathanks (W). Second semi-final: Ballymac Trinkle, Varvatos, Clounbrane Kerry, Stardust Club, Ramona Sara, Ahavoher Beauty (W).
Friday night’s supporting card saw the John Kelliher-trained Smearla Dazzle really excel in clocking a fastest of the night 28.52 in the last race (A0 525), while the other winners were: Ahavoher Blake, 18.11; Kildroum Maybe, 29.37; Ballydaniel Benz, 29.33; Headleys Nancy, 28.82; Ballads For Life, 17.80.
CASTLEISLAND trainer, Johnny O’Sullivan, has qualified both Native Chimes and Howth Head for the semifinals of the Laurels (winner, €30,000) at Curraheen Park this Saturday night.
Native Chimes ran yet another blinder last Saturday night to finish a close second to Rockybay Foley in the third quarter-final in 28.38 (.10 fast) and he runs from trap 5 in the first semi-final, while Howth Head, which finished third in the first quarter-final behind Kilmacdonagh in 28.41, runs from trap 4 in the second semi-final.
Nice Mystery, formerly owned by Mrs Anne O’Connor, of Ballyheigue, who is also the breeder, won the fourth quarterfinal in 28.71 and she runs from trap 6 in the first semi-final.
Great to see the Kerry involvement so very much alive in such a high profile classic.
At Shelbourne Park, Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Arminta qualified for the final of the Champion Sweepstake (winner, €7,500) and she runs from trap 3 in the final this Saturday night.
The very best of luck to her, too. THERE was deep regret last week at news of the death of Jack O’Rourke, of Abbeyfeale. They just don’t come any finer than this guy and what he accomplished for coursing in particular, as a front man in the sport and as an innovator, was just gigantic.
It was very much an honour to have known and befriended him.
THE Saturday afternoon SIS meetings at Tralee Track are to be moved to Sunday evenings from August, with the first race at 6 o’clock.