Winners keep coming for trainer Neilus O’Connell

LIMERICK trainer, Neilus O’Connell, just keeps on churning out the winners at the Oakview venue. He brought five greyhounds to last week’s Tuesday SIS session and won with two of them, to follow up another double a week previously. It was almost a four-timer, too, because another two of his greyhounds were beaten by short heads. The winners were Mohane Joey (29.33) and Looster Baxter (29.31) and the two beaten in photo-finishes were Ellie Diva and Mohane Rio. Rather unusually for a Tuesday night session, there was no 325yds race and the honour of recording the fastest time for the 525yds trip belonged to Knocknaboul Ozie, owned by Tadhg Kelly, of Ballydesmond. This lady had won a week previously in 29.58 and, again competing in A3 class, she dramatically improved to a career best 28.80 (.10 slow) in beating Tokenfire Abbie by three and a half lengths. Mind you, she had also bettered 29.00secs twice last month, finishing first (28.99) and second (28.95). Just one other winner managed to get inside 29.00secs at last week’s Tuesday meeting and that was Promising, which clocked 28.95 (.10 slow) for James P Broderick, of Lisanearla, Abbeydorney, Promising won by a length and a half from the front-running Mauras Wish and, in picking up a purse of €350, he brought his career earnings from 34 starts to a pretty impressive€4,790. Pulling off a three-timer in the last race for Dan Wren, of Tarbert, was Steeple Rd Taylr (30.12), also successful at the two previous Tuesday night SIS meetings. Once again, foreign tourists helped to greatly boost the attendance – three busloads of Germans and one busload of French people. These foreigners and, everybody else visiting, clearly love the excitement of greyhound racing and, of course, the facilities for them at the Oakview venue are up to the very highest standard. It would be nice to see more of them at the new Sunday evening meeting. And why not? Other winners at last week’s Tuesday meeting were: Headleys Rusty, 29.26; Millridge Miss, 29.30; Chutehall Dauber, 29.16; Leaha Sky, 29.52; Hadtobe Rory, 29.45. Winners at Friday’s meeting: Strideaway Spot, 18.05; Stride On Bill, 29.26; Bohard Eagle, 29.26; Mohane Gizelle, 17.88; Your Brandy, 29.55; Westwind Magic, 29.11; Jennys Dream, 29.70; Fortfield Erin, 28.79; Knocknaboul Jade, 28.95; Hey Im Zsazsa, 29.13.