The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
McKenna’s unraced favourite loses heat after late collision
YOU always take strong notice when a trainer with the reputation of Owen McKenna targets a sweepstake in Tralee, especially knowing his record in the track’s juvenile classic, and it was inevitable that plenty of interest would centre on his sole runner, Hitachi Nicki, in a first round heat of the Red Mills Unraced Sweepstake (winner, €1,450) at the Oakview venue on Friday night.
Not surprisingly, Hitachi Nicki was sent off the even-money favourite from a trap 5 draw in heat 3 and things were looking good for her when she led off the first bend from Allowdale Hannah and An Bhanríon Jane.
However, the race was to undergo a quite dramatic change as it progressed. Hitachi Nicki was still in a winning position into the last bend, along with Allowdale Hannah on her inside, but An Bhanríon Jane clattered big time into them from behind and took a really spectacular fall.
Allowdale Hannah was lucky enough to be able to come away from the contact in the lead and she went on to score by two lengths from Crossfield Kate in 29.37, with a length and a half back to Hitachi Nicki.
The strong likelihood is that An Bhanríon Jane would have won had she been able to see her challenge through and, assuming that everything is okay with her, she will surely be a very strong fancy next time out.
However, nothing can ever be taken for granted in greyhound racing, no matter how heavily the odds appear to be loaded in your favour, and it is not easy to know how things will unfold in the semi-finals of the Red Mills Unraced Sweepstake this Friday night.
One man, Brendan O’Shea, of Millstreet, has three standing for him, including the aforementioned Crossfield Kate, and, as it so happened, O’Shea also provided the fastest first round winner in Crossfield Dolly, which clocked 28.94 (.10 slow) in heat 1.
Crossfield Dolly (5/2) was running from trap 3 and she very smartly took up the running off the second bend from Cooladerry Mags and Ballymac Garden. It was very comfortable for her after that and she finished three and a half lengths ahead of Cooladerry Mags, with four lengths back to Ballymac Garden.
A big disappointment was 6/4 favourite, Droopys Madison, which was last at the first bend and stayed last.
It was a very different story in heat 2 for trainer, Brendan Maunsell, who saw his charge, Lithuanian Paula, justify even-money favouritism in splendid fashion. Lithuanian Paula took a flier from trap 1 and, although Crossfield Riona was within a length and a half of her rounding the third bend, she extended well from this point onwards to beat Brendan O’Shea’s bitch by three lengths in 29.18, with a head back to Marys Belle.
Four qualified in each of the three heats, leaving twelve going through to the semi-finals this Friday night, the draw for which worked out as follows (trap order).
First semi-final: Marys Belle, Crossfield Riona, Ballymac Garden, Crossfield Kate, Hitachi Nicki, Lithuanian Paula.
Second semi-final: Crossfield Dolly, Rathanny Tina, Cooladerry Mags, Boher Catchmenow, Allowdale Hannah, Rubyknowsbest.
The heats of the Red Mills sweepstake were backed up by the final of the Tarbert GAA A6 525 Buster Sweepstake (winner, €670) and the night acted as a fund-raiser for the Tarbert club, which explained the very big attendance.
There were also semi-finals of two graded sweepstakes carrying the names of Rockchapel/Meelin GAA clubs and Presentation School, Tralee, the finals of which will be run off this weekend.
The Tarbert GAA final was, as one would expect, given top billing on a 12-race programme and victory rested with 3/1 shot, Aughacasla Jet, owned by Gabriel Keane, of Castlegregory,
It was a final that saw a very bad fall taken by the well-fancied Lisloose Kingdom at the first bend and 6/4 joint favourites, Quality Song, looked the one to beat after darting into the lead on the back straight from Pawsforvic and Aughacasla Jet. However, Quality Song was headed by Pawsforvic rounding the third bend and then Aughacasla Jet made his winning move on the inside of Pawsforvic, taking up the running and scoring by a length and a half from the strong-finishing Yes Maybe, a litter brother to Lisloose Kingdom, in 29.67, with a head back to Pawsforvic.
The supporting programme saw Ballyheigue trainer, Ger Reidy, complete a double with Danzey Flyer (29.60) and Rocky Valley (29.21), while the other winners were Saw You Running, 18.50; Kingview Madison, 29.39; Farran Ice, 29.02; Oneco Padraig, 18.40; Steeple Rd Chris, 29.29; Rafa Babys Baby, 29.12.
All 525yds races were rated .10 slow and two 325yds races were rated .05 slow.