Punters are back on course at Kingdom Greyhound Stadium
IMPORTANT shafts of light are penetrating the doggy game, and this week Tralee track welcomed back the first members of the public since Covid-19 brought greyhound racing to a halt in March.
Yes, just 50 of them were allowed in from Tuesday night, with pre-booking required, and they had to stay in the outdoor area, but it’s an important step towards some sort of normality.
OAPs might be peeved that pre-booking costs €10, which is twice what they normally pay for entry, but that, surely, is a temporary measure. Anyway, being out in the open for so long is hardly conducive to the good health of OAPs. The inside area, upstairs and downstairs, is so much more comfortable.
Those who do turn up this week, the doggy people themselves on the ground floor, the people who pre-book to be in the upstairs restaurant (with table service available), and the 50 members of the public will all be able to have a tote bet, but, very importantly, cash cannot be accepted by tote operatives who will be on the move and who will be taking the bets.
Credit notes can be bought from the tote booth, to whatever value is sought (credit notes can be pre-booked for the restaurant area, with the amount added to the bill), and, when a bet is less than the value of the credit note, change will be provided in the shape of another credit note.
Patrons can exchange all credit notes and winning tickets for cash when they have finished betting or when racing is concluded.
Bookmakers returned for the first of the SIS meetings on Tuesday, essentially to price up the greyhounds in the different races for SIS. A barrier was to be erected to prevent the 50 members of the public from accessing them - but will the mountain come to Muhammad?
Altogether, a pretty different scenario to normal at the Oakview venue, but the important thing is that the show is up and running again to a pretty acceptable degree and, for the most important people of all, those producing the greyhounds for racing, decent prize money is there to be won again.
That prize money amounted to €4,240 last Friday night and, in claiming €345 of it in the last race (A1 525), Cosard Jet produced a terrific run of 28.64 (.10 slow) for a Newcastle West syndicate headed up by Nicholas Dowling, formerly of Banna, Ardfert. That was the fastest run of the night over the standard trip by 26 spots.
The April ’16 son of Droopys Jet and
Dunquin Bound powerfully overtook the front-running Loher Storm into the third bend and he hit the line seven and a half lengths ahead of Noel O’Leary’s charge, to bring his career earnings to a very impressive €7,080.
The next best winning time was the 28.90 clocked by the Ballymacelligott-owned
Lanody Pat in the fifth race (A4 525), while also inside 29.00 seconds in the ninth race, on 28.98, was the Jerry Griffin-trained Rockburst Mike.
Over the 325yds trip, 17.89 (.05 slow) was clocked by Steeple Rd Venus in the sixth race, for S2 class, and a litter brother to this lady, Steeple Rd Buddy, completed a fine double for Tarbert man, Dan Wren, when winning the eighth race (A2 525) in 29.33.
Another good sprint winner, on 17.88, was the Michael Baker-trained Gallarus Amy, while the other winners were Abbeyballboy, 29.19; Boxer Nidge, 29.38; Sarges Bullet, 29.32, and Exit Ruby, 29.50.