Ejected Stormy Cruiser too fast for his own good
REMEMBER the story of Allowdale Shelly a few weeks back? She was thrown out of an unraced 525 sweepstake at the semi-final stage because she improved more than 1.2 seconds on her qualifying time, but, subsequently, it was decided that there was a misinterpretation of the rules and she wound up winning a thrilling final – and €2,200 – for her owner, Áine McCarthy-Roche, of Banteer.
Well, that 1.2 seconds rule was again applied at the Oakview venue last Friday and this time, it being the first round of another unraced 525 sweepstake (for ON3 class), there was to be no reprieve for the greyhound that brilliantly improved from his qualifying time of 30.52 to 29.16, representing an improvement of 1.36 seconds.
Another 30 spots could be taken off that because the track was running .30 seconds slow, so the greyhound at the centre of it all, Stormy Cruiser, owned by Dermot Fitzgerald, of Glin, is clearly a pretty special talent. And while Dermot Fitzgerald will be disappointed to be out of the sweepstake, he has the strong consolation of knowing that a very juicy price tag is now attached to his greyhound.
Having said all that, Stormy Cruiser needed to be travelling as fast as he was because just a length and a half behind him was Pennylane Matt, owned by a syndicate headed up by Niamh McKenna, of Lixnaw.
Pennylane Matt also improved a lot from his qualifying time of 30.31, especially with the deduction of 30 spots, but he is cleared to run in the second round this Friday night and, although he comes up against two first-round heat winners in Crossfield Naz (29.81) and Russmur Divine (29.91), he does represent banker material.
A litter sister to Crossfield Naz, Crossfield Tara, clocked the second fastest time in the opening round, which was 29.43. The 4/6 favourite here, Native Whacker, checked badly into the third bend when attempting to get into contention and Crossfield Tara wound up winning by four and a half lengths from Cashen Missile.
The next best time was the 29.46 recorded in the opening heat by Barnagrane Sean. Sent off the 4/5 favourite by the two bookmakers framing the odds, Patsy Browne and Kieran Bourke, Barnagrane Sean got the start that was required from trap 3 and he won by two lengths from Rushmoor Carol.
The runner-up ran on particularly well and she will command plenty of attention in her second-round heat this Friday.
The other heat winners were Ballyard Rocky (29.81), Oldinn Cheta (30.38), Millabbey Mandy (29.87) and Russmur Divine (29.91) and, in relation to Millabbey Mandy, her owner, Tommy Kearney, of Abbeyfeale, sadly lost his father, Tom, of Abbeydorney, earlier in the day.
The late Tom Kearney was a passionate doggy man, as well as being a hurler of note (he won a county senior championship with Abbeydorney in 1974), and deepest sympathy is extended to his wife and family.
The draw for the second round of the unraced sweepstake was made after racing on Friday night and worked out as follows (trap order):
Heat 1: Barnagrane Sean, Baltovin Razl, Chosen Flame, Oldinn Cheta, Rockburst Tracey (W), Cashen Missile (W).
Heat 2: Zoos Quattro, Crossfield Naz, Russmur Divine, Leahys Arianna, Lissycasey Holly, Pennylane Matt (W).
Heat 3: Ballyard Rocky, Kilcurra Minnie, Oldinn Ross, Schwmozzle, Russmur Carol (W), Lissycasey Dolly (W).
Heat 4: Millabbey Mandy, Catwalk Queen, Letter Cain, Crossfield Tara, Ionic Townie, Garfineys Hero (W).
Last Friday’s supporting card saw Killerisk Five produce the fastest time of the lot for the standard trip, which was 29.03. She did it in the eleventh race, for open class, and sprang a 4/1 surprise when beating 6/4 favourite, Loher Blake, by half a length.
Her owner, John Moynihan, is, of course, a classic winning trainer on the coursing field and you only expect the best from somebody like that.
Other winners: Seomra Zoe, 18.34; Dooncaha Blaze, 18.08; Ballymac Deb, 29.28. The going was .15 slow for 325yds.
SUNDAY SIS MEETING
The Jeremiah Hanafin-trained Barrow Kempis was fastest at Sunday evening’s SIS session on 28.97 (.10 slow), while the other winners were: Ashwood Barry, 29.28; Ferndale So, 29.31; Abbey Carmac, 29.12; Leaha Katie, 29.63; Dungara Brandy, 29.66; Murphs Recruit, 29.19; Zingers, 29.07.