A pall over track after loss of Johnny

TRALEE Track raced normally on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday of last week, but there was nothing normal about the sadness which enveloped the Oakview venue at the four meetings which took place over those five days.

This was because that wonderful doggy and GAA man, Johnny Carroll, of Doon, Tralee, had tragically died on the Tuesday in a car accident on the Castleisland – Abbeyfeale road.

The removal of his remains to St Brendans Church, Tralee, on Friday evening drew one of the biggest gathering of mourners ever seen in Tralee and it was the same at the funeral to New Rath Cemetery following Requiem Mass at 11am on Saturday.

Johnny wasn’t just a great doggy man who achieved the enormous distinction of training the winner of both the Irish Cup (Castlelawn Oak, Clounanna, 1998) and the Coursing Oaks (Lisloose Accord, Powerstown Park, 2010), he was a man gifted with the warmest of personalities, allied to the sharpest of wits.

Whether at Tralee Track, at a coursing meeting or out socially, you always knew that Johnny would be central to any lively conversation that took place. If there was criticism to be offered about anything, especially when it came to Kerry GAA, he was never known to hold back.

The man absolutely exuded personality and that is why so many people walked behind the coffin in the flogging rain to New Rath cemetery on Saturday. It was the most striking of send-offs to a quite remarkable man.

Johnny leaves behind his wife, Mary, his sons, Conor and Anthony, his twin daughters, Caroline and Marie, his brother, Michael, his sisters, Sr Breda, Josephine and Teresa, and the deepest sympathy of all fortunate enough to have befriended him, or even to have known him, goes out to them.

Yes, the racing did continue as usual at Tralee Track last week, but it is a week that will always be remembered for the pall of gloom that hung over the place. Only very exceptional people can have that kind of affect and Johnny Carroll certainly fitted into that category.

Rest in peace, old friend.

The Tuesday night meeting, held under the first pall of gloom at news of his tragic death, saw the fastest run for the standard trip coming from My Right Ear, owned by Mary Moriarty, of Gortatlea. Running from trap 5 in the sixth race, for A2 class, My Right Ear was something of an outsider at 9/2 and it was hard to see him winning as the race progressed.

The 6/4 favourite, Millridge Puzzle, was three lengths in front of Spirit Honey rounding the third bend, with My Right Ear back in fourth place, and Spirit Honey looked the more likely winner turning for home. However, My Right Ear sprouted wings to win the charge to the line by half a length from Spirit Honey, with a neck back to Millridge Puzzle.

The winning time was 29.05, which was just a single spot ahead of the time clocked by Spirit Secrets, a litter sister to Spirit Honey, in the seventh race (A3 525) and four spots ahead of Millridge Champ in the fifth race (also A3 525).

In the ninth race (A5 525), Shronedrugh Hawk commanded attention because he was running his 107th race and he finished third behind Aughacasla Abbey in 29.17, to bring his number of placings to 53 (he has scored 17 victories in his remarkable career).

Other winners: Rosies Rambler, 29.49; Cosmetic Starlit. 29.68; Dramatic Ambush, 17.64; Cyprus Billy, 29.56; Fortfield Grace, 29.42; Aughacasla Abbey, 29.17; Courancove Dick, 29.30.

Friday night

FRIDAY night saw Millstreet owner, Donal G O’Mahony, send out Millridge Bruce to win a sprint race (S1 325) in the quite spectacular time of 17.45.

Back from Dundalk, where he had clocked 21.48 for 400yds last time out despite being beaten into fifth place, Millridge Bruce was strong in the betting market at 6/4 and he quickly put the race to bed by rocketing out of trap 2.

There was serious trouble behind him at the first bend, with Battle of the boyne falling after being struck into from behind and Eidel Dacota also being thrown completely out of contention, but it was all pretty immaterial to what was happening up front.

Millridge Bruce was simply burning up the ground and the runner-up, Baltovin Rumble, did quite well to get within three and a half lengths of him at the line.

Over 525yds, Distant Rain was fastest on 28.70. A 2/1 shot in the betting, he had won an A3 race a week previously in 28.89 and was upped two grades, but he proved well equal to the task, leading the charge into the first bend from trap 2 and being well in control by the third bend before finishing five lengths ahead of Oak Spice.

Other winners: Miss Aero, 29.40; Jeffs Icon, 18.10; Moyvane Scolari, 29.61; Carolina Reaper, 17.75; Leaha Sky, 29.51; Mohane Denzel, 28.98; Aughacasla Jet, 29.71.