Dumas fancied for main event at UHK fundraiser

THE annual benefit meeting for Tralee hospital (University Hospital Kerry) is now in its 28th year and, to date, it has raised a quite remarkable €2 million for necessary equipment at the hospital.

Massive support is always forthcoming for the benefit meeting, reflecting well on all associated with it and on an organising committee headed up by that seemingly ageless bundle of energy, Liam Brassil, and it can be taken for granted that Tralee Track will be packed to capacity this Friday night for the latest running of it, as has been the case since the first benefit meeting all those years ago in 1990.

There will be a marvellous programme of racing, headed up by the final of the Kerry Group A2 525 Hospital Sweepstake (winner, €4,000), and, as always, there will be plenty of off-track entertainment, including an auction for two All-Ireland final tickets (hurling or football) and an auction for the pair of football boots worn by Colm Cooper in his last match. Colm will be there himself to present the boots to the highest bidder.

According to Liam Brassil, it is hoped to raise between €80,000 and €100,000 through this year’s benefit meeting and it will be used to buy a Cardiac Echo machine. The prizemoney on the night will be upwards of €25,000 and, of course, Liam Brassil was the man back the years who, through his involvement with the Kerry Greyhound Owners and Breeders’ Association, ended the practice of a 50 per cent deduction in prizemoney for owners at benefit meetings.

Brassil lauds Kerry Group, the main sponsors of the benefit meeting since its inception, and he also warmly thanks the various race sponsors, advertisers, dog sponsors, ticket sellers and anonymous donors.

“A very special word of thanks has to go to Mr Tom McCormack, consultant surgeon at UHK, for his immense contribution to this benefit meeting since 1990,” said Liam Brassil. “It is also appropriate at this time to pay tribute to deceased members of the organising committee who were so much part of the success of the benefit meeting over the years.

“From day one, everybody involved has been a volunteer and, really, it has been an amazing team effort.”

Liam Brassil says that if anybody out there would like to donate to the fund-raising effort, they can do so by issuing a cheque, postal order or bank draft made out to Friends of University Hospital Kerry. Alternatively, contributions can be made directly into the Friends of Kerry General Hospital Savings Account at Bank of Ireland, the number of which is 22452411. (IBAN: IE81 BOFI 9058 3822 4524 11. BIC: BOFIEE2D).

“Every contribution, no matter how small, will be warmly appreciated,” said Liam Brassil.

In relation to the night’s racing, a brilliant programme will, as stated, be headed up by the final of the Kerry Group Hospital Sweepstake and the certain favourite is the Owen McKenna-trained Dumas, which is owned by Tralee accountant, Des Grace.

Owen McKenna has enjoyed plenty of success at Tralee Track, like his legendary father, Ger, before him, including three juvenile classic victories, and, indeed, Dumas might well have won this year’s juvenile classic but for finding serious first-bend trouble at the semi-final stage.

He was actually out of competitive action until the start of the Kerry Group event and he has posted the fastest time in every round, starting with a hugely impressive 28.20 in the first round.

Mind you, he didn’t have it all his own way in the first semi-final last Friday night, with Misty Supreme contesting really well with him before he saw off the challenge by two and a half lengths in 28.48, with four and a half lengths back to the fast-starting Breton Charlie.

The other semi-final was won in 28.71 by Pennylane Lucky, which did the business really well from trap 1 for joint owners, Niamh McKenna and Ally O’Connor. This lady led off the first bend from Send It Ducula and Millridge Grant and she powered home three lengths ahead of College Bell, with half a length back to Send It Ducula.

There is little doubt that Dumas will be a strong favourite to win Friday night’s final, though nothing like as short as the 1/3 about him last Friday night. Trap 5 could well create problems for him (he ran from the favoured trap 1 last Friday night) and he will certainly need to get it right at the break. If he does, he will surely win because he is definitely the class act in the field.

The draw is (trap order): College Bell, Send It Ducula, Breton Charlie, Pennylane Lucky, Dumas, Misty Supreme (W).

Other winners on Friday night: Lithuanian Didi, 18.25; Rewind Eske, 29.57; Man Twenty One, 28.72; Ardfhearta Costa, 17.74; Send It Treron, 28.98; Jasons Fifi, 28.82; Bridies Slippy, 29.46; Kingdom Point, 29.36; Hadtobeme, 29.09.