The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Dogs and GAA combine at Night of Champions
Buckley claims top prize at Kerry GAA’s Race of Champions
“NO wonder the GAA in Kerry is as strong as it is.”
That was a comment overheard at Tralee Track on Friday night and it was easy to understand the justification for it. This was a major fund-raiser for the Kerry GAA Board, more specifically for the training of Kerry teams, and there was a vibrancy about the night that was pretty exceptional from start to finish, prompting the chairman of the County GAA Board, Tim Murphy, to say to a packed stadium at the end of it all that this particular fund-raiser was becoming more and more successful year on year.
All the people at the organisational end can certainly take a bow for that, particularly Christy O’Connell, chairman of the organising committee, and Donie O’Leary, chairman of the Kerry GAA Supporters’ club, which sponsored the night’s big race, the final of the Race Of Champions over 550yds.
That sponsorship enabled a winner’s purse of €15,000 to be offered again and some of the best greyhounds in the country went chasing it. The original field of 18 was reduced to six last Friday night and, on the very strong evidence of the semi-finals, the two record-breakers, Native Chimes and Good News, were sent off joint favourites at 7/4.
However, everything was to be upstaged by 7/1 outsider, Killinan Rosie (Brett Lee – Killinan Baby), which Pat Buckley trains for Austin Whelan, of Croydon, London.
Running from trap 2, Killinan Rosie managed to claim the lead rounding the first bend and, after disputing on the back straight with Native Chimes, narrowly ahead of Cahir Castle, she managed to gain a very important lead of a length and a half over Cahir Castle rounding the third bend.
It was a lead that was to stand in a big way to her, enabling her to hit the line half a length ahead of Cahir Castle in 29.62 (.10 fast), with two and-a-half lengths back to Native Chimes.
Straightforward enough there, on the face of it, but there was an awful lot more to the story than the summary outlined and very central to that story was one of the two favourites, Good News. Patrick Guilfoyle’s charge took a flier from trap 5, as did Killinan Rosie from trap 2, and he was actually half a length to three-quarters of a length ahead of Killinan Rosie rounding the first bend, on her outside.
However, in attempting to drive to the front rounding the bend, Good News came into serious contact with Killinan Rosie and he lost his action to the extent that he fell right back through the field to last place.
That was his chance well and truly ended and, fair play to Killinan Rosie, she displayed a lot of spunk to see off the challenges of the more fancied greyhounds contesting with her and there was no happier person at the Oakview venue afterwards than Pauline Buckley, wife of trainer Pat, who was, of course, across the pond because of his involvement in the English Derby.
“That was a class field and it’s fantastic to have won,” said Pauline.
“Once our lady drew trap 2, we knew she had a real chance. That was a great draw for her. Her mother won open races at all distances and she certainly has the stamina in her, as she showed out there tonight. Tralee, of course, has been very good to Pat and this will certainly rank with his sweetest victories here.”
A brilliant supporting programme backed up the Race Of Champions and particular interest centred on the final of the Kerry Group A5 525 Club Championship (winner, €2,000). The 1/2 favourite was Coolavanny Spin, but she completely fluffed the break from trap 4 and never had a chance of getting into contention.
In sharp contrast, Right Half Back, a 4/1 shot which had been the fastest first-round winner, flew to the first bend from trap 3 and he led around it from 3/1 second favourite, Kildroum Brandy. He proceeded to establish a two-length lead over Kildroum Brandy by the third bend and, running that third bend really well, he was nicely in front turning for home.
Kildroum Brandy, as he had done all through the event, ran on very strongly, but Right Half Back was not for catching and saw off the challenge by half-a-length in 28.40 (.10 fast), with four lengths back to Spirit Partner.
The winner is owned and trained by Gerard Dowling, of Listowel.
Fastest over the standard trip, on 28.31 (.10 fast) was Melodys Maestro, which Maurice O’Connor trains for Patrick Collins of Ballylongford. This fellow fairly confirmed that he is a very exceptional talent by winning the final of an A4 sweepstake by seven and a half lengths from Rockburst Ian.
In all, there were eight finals and the other winners on an 11-race card were: Portmageewiseguy, 28.58; Aghaburren Belle, 29.03; Bracula, 28.78; Sunshine Cathy, 17.66 (.05 fast), Lybes Destiny, 28.60; Skiproe Master, 28.49; Scart Macgyver, 28.93; Mohane Odie, 29.06.