The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
IGB to make payment to owners and trainers during closure
IT should have come as no great surprise that the government pulled the plug on greyhound racing (and horseracing) last week, bearing in mind the gravity of the situation that has befallen us.
Fair play to all those who kept the show going behind closed doors, but even they must have had their concerns about contacting the dreaded Coronavirus disease.
Following the announcement of the closure, the Irish Greyhound Board has decided that, from April 8, there will be a payment of €2 per day to the owners of all greyhounds currently registered on the IGB’s racing management system.
This will include greyhounds that have raced or had an official trial at any IGB licensed track in the previous 42 days (from February 11 to March 24, inclusive).
Public trainers will receive 10 per cent of the €2 for all of their greyhounds covered under the scheme and all payments to owners or trainers will be automatically processed on a fortnightly basis similar to the current arrangement for prize money payments, with the first payments on Thursday, April 9.
The April 8 start for the introduction of the scheme is due to the fact that this is the date for the final payment of prize money won to date and any owners and trainers with queries can phone 061 448150.
It has also been announced by the IGB that, following consultation with the Irish Coursing Club, the fee for registering new litters within 14 days of whelping will be waived, the bill here being picked up by the IGB.
Furthermore, the IGB will make its facilities and staff available in the fight against Coronavirus should it be requested to do so, which is a very admirable gesture on its part.
Meanwhile, the meeting that brought the curtain down on racing at Tralee on Tuesday of last week saw Garrison Nikita become the star of the show for trainer, Padraig Regan, and owner, Richard Gentleman, both of Kilmoyley.
This November ’17 son of Taylors Sky and Garrison Berlin is blessed with brilliant early pace and, although very much an outsider at 5/1, he had the fifth race (A2 525) in safe keeping by the third bend, by which point he held a lead of eight lengths or so.
He was never going to retain that lead, but he was never going to be beaten either and he raced home three lengths ahead of the strong-finishing Jasons Tas in 28.80 (.10 slow).
It was just his second win from nine starts, but, whenever racing resumes, this fellow will win a lot more for Padraig Regan and Richard Gentleman than the €325 which was at stake in this particular race. His brilliant early pace will ensure that.
One other winner got inside 29.00secs, on estimated running anyway, and that was Bonnie Lass, which won the eighth race (A3 525) in an estimated 28.92 (29.02 minus .10) for Patrick McCarthy, of Listowel.
This lady, a 3/1 shot in the betting, didn’t come away that well from trap 2, but she ran the opening bend really well to be third off it to Foildarrigh Lady, which had started brilliantly from trap 5. She got within four lengths of Foildarrigh Lady at the third bend and, keeping a terrific gallop going, she got up on the line for a short-head victory over Michael Baker’s charge, with nothing else really counting in the race.
The honour of winning the last race of a meeting that will be remembered well for bringing the curtain down temporarily on the sport fell to Donal G O’Mahony, of Millstreet, whose charge, Millridge Brady, set himself up for victory with the very best of starts from trap 3.
Millridge Brady, a 7/2 shot, was a four-length leader at the third bend and he held off the challenge of Saleen Luke coming home by a length in 29.18, to complete a 17/1 double for Donal G O’Mahony, who won the seventh race in 29.36 with 3/1 shot, Millridge Cody.
Only one favourite won on the night, namely Rushpool Dream in the very first race. She was a 2/1 shot and she won by three lengths in 29.36.
Other winners: Yesterdays News (4/1), 29.35; Space Ghetto (7/2), 29.59; Eridani Alpha (6/1), 29.19; Devon Dancer (6/1), 29.39; Clounamon Cougar (5/1), 29.26.