Native Chimes eases into quarterfinal of Irish Laurels

THE Johnny O’Sullivan-trained Native Chimes scored another terrific victory in the second round of the Irish Independent Laurels (winner, €30,000) at Curraheen Park on Saturday night, finishing with real gusto in the last of eight heats to score by two lengths from Fourpenny Rebel in 28.60 (.10 fast).

Native Chimes is proving to be a wonderful servant to the Castleisland trainer and the Kildare syndicate which owns him, having won prize money of €45,958 to date, and there is little doubt that he can qualify for the semi-finals from a trap 1 draw in the third quarter-final this Saturday night.

Johnny O’Sullivan also has Howth Head running for him. This fellow finished third in heat 4 behind brilliant winner, Rockybay Foley, and he runs from trap 4 in the first quarter-final.

Nice Mystery, bred and formerly owned by Anne O’Connor, of Ballyheigue, also qualified for this Saturday night’s quarter-finals after finishing a very close second in 28.32 to her kennel-mate, Flat White, in heat 2 (both greyhounds are trained by Pat Buckley).

Nice Mystery runs from trap 3 in the fourth quarter-final and Tralee patrons will be able to see all the action on the track monitors. Barring technical problems, anyway.

Eliminated in heat 6 was Tralee’s Race Of Champions winner, Clonbrien Hero.