The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Bambam Gizmo and Ballymac Cabra win ON2 class finals
THE regional meetings have been a great fillip to Tralee and the last of them for 2019, involving Kilflynn, Duagh and the St Senans GAA Club, took place at the Oakview venue on Saturday night and featured two sweepstake finals, one of them worth €1,300 to the winner.
Increased prize money overall was made possible by individual financial contributions from backers of the meeting, 29 of whom were named on the programme, and coming up next will be the regional meeting on Saturday, January 18, which involves the three great doggy strongholds of Castleisland, Scartaglen and Ballymacelligott.
The happiest man at the Oakview venue on Saturday night had to be Dean Randall, of Tournafulla, Co Limerick, who won that €1,300 purse with Bambam Gizmo, a February ’18 son of Droopys Jet and Maggies Mikado.
Bambam Gizmo was running from trap 4 in the final of a 525 sweepstake for ON2 class and he wasn’t particularly well fancied, being 5/2 with the only bookmaker framing the odds, Patsy Browne (he actually paid €20.60 to a €1 win bet on the Tote).
However, he had won his semi-final by two lengths in an estimated 29.19 (at odds of 8/1!) and, brilliantly getting first run on his rivals from trap 4, he was not for catching.
Such was his dashing early pace that he held a four-length lead over Ballymac Hondura rounding the third bend and, although both Ballymac Hondura and 4/5 favourite, Slipalong Brett, ran on strongly behind him, he was able to hit the line three-quarters of a length ahead of Ballymac Hondura in 29.41 (.10 slow), with a neck back to Slipalong Brett.
Also decided on the night was the final of a 325yds sweepstake for ON2 class and the €350 purse here was won by Ballymac Cabra, owned by Castleisland trainer, James O’Regan.
The 4/5 favourite was Bodens Tiger, which ran from trap 3, but it was always between Ballymac Cabra and Papas Girl once they broke in front from traps 4 and 5, respectively. Ballymac Cabra, a 5/2 shot, had the early pace to be two lengths in front of Papas Girl rounding the first bend and that was also to be the margin of her victory over the Newcastle West bitch in 18.02 (.05 slow), with three and a half lengths back to Bodens Tiger.
The supporting programme saw the locally-owned Loher Rose record a quite remarkable eighth victory from her last nine starts. It was over the 325yds trip (S1/ S2 class) and blistering early pace from trap 2 saw her in absolute control by the first bend. There was no weakening by her after that and she sailed home three lengths ahead of Hey Im Zsazsa in 17.78.
Altogether, it was quite a good night’s racing and, as always, the televised action from Shelbourne Park was a terrific added bonus especially with Kerry greyhounds prominently involved!
Fastest over the standard trip, on 28.82, was the Patrick O’Connor-trained Slipalong Legend, while the other winners were: World Cup, 29.81; Sign On Mac, 17.95; Caspian Bleu, 29.87; Laces, 29.58; Bobsleigh Lass, 29.39; Westwind Majesty.
Winners at Sunday’s SIS session: Brokenboot, 29.49; Abbey Paradise, 29.46; Slow Bullet, 29.30; Anascaul Blackie, 29.14; Whistling Rover, 29.49;Ballyverane Boy, 29.27; Boomtown Getz, 29.22; Itsall Luckpolly, 29.18.
• Tralee races this weekend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and it returns after the Christmas break on Saturday, December 28, with racing also on Sunday, the 29th. There will be no racing on New Year’s Eve, with the action recommencing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 3, 4 and 5. There is no Saturday night racing on January 11.