Major prize at stake
Biggest greyhound weeks of year
THESE ARE the biggest few weeks of the year at Enniscorthy Greyhound Track, with the first rounds of the €8,500 to the winner Red Mills Future Champion Unraced Stake getting under way.
On Thursday the first round heats of the Boylesport Enniscorthy Leger (550) were held, and there was some cracking racing with some very close finishes and good performances to boot.
Heat four saw the fastest winner of the first round when Ballbough Murt raced to the lead down the back before coming away to score by seven lengths in a fast 29.90.
Heat two saw a local win when Brightside Vim led and ran on strongly to hold the persistent challenge of Black Tango and the finishing Toker Olivia by two lengths in a good 30.05.
Heat five was not the quickest but there was a very eye-catching run from Deadly Viking who was left from traps.
Trailing the field last at the first bend, he ran right around the field to score going away in the end.
Heat six, the last race of the night, was a real thriller as Boylesport Boom and Flying Lola had a ding-dong battle from trap rise, with the improving Obama Country moving well in behind.
On the run in the three flashed over the line with short heads only separating them, with Obama getting the verdict from Boom and Lola another short head away in a time of 30.35 to round off a great night for trainer Karol Ramsbottom who was completing a fine treble.
The second round this week should make for some very good racing.
Race five was the feature race, the final of the Christmas Parties at Enniscorthy Stake, and the €1,250 prize went to red-hot favourite Susies Mick.
Drawn in trap one for the third week in a row, he broke a bit better but was cut off at the first bend by Rathvilly Paudie who had broke well and led down to the third bend.
However, the favourite then got on terms, and went away to score in a fast 28.88 for owners Susan Nolan and Daniel Frayne and trainer Nick Turner.
Unfortunately, the Pat Robantrained Liberty Gale was out of luck in the semi-finals of the Dublin Coach Juvenile Derby in Shel- bourne Park, getting crowded on the run to the first bend before taking a heavy knock and being unable to recover after that.
She had certainly put up a great performance in the stake and there should be plenty more success for this lady in the coming months.
October 8 results - race one, The Welcome to The Show Grounds Stakes: 1, Town Mystery (owner, A.J. Dooley, Co. Carlow; trainer, Seán Dooley), 29.01; 2, Vinegarhill Moon, 29.06.
Race two, The Book Your Work Night Out at Maiden Stakes: 1, Kilcash Spark (owner, Raymond McNamara, Co. Kilkenny), 29.49; 2, Metric Sassy, 30.05.
Race three, The Track Bar Open For Parties Sprint: 1, Ballinaboola Loch (owner, Niamh Murphy, Ballinaboola), 18.94; 2, Rockmount Hi, 19.11.
Race four, The Loch Garman Stakes: 1, Pay The Hostess (owners, Hugh Martin and Ned Murphy, Enniscorthy), 29.19; 2, Rathbally Rocky, 29.40.
Race five, The Model County Stakes: 1, Rathdaniel Abbey (owner, Stuart Jones, Co. Wicklow), 29.45; 2, Sand Storm, 29.47.
Race six, The Track Side Diner 575 Stakes: 1, Notabadlady (owner, Ben Turner, Barntown; trainer, Nick Turner), 31.75; 2, Abbies Arc, 31.89.
Race seven, The Boyle Sports Leger starts this Thursday Stakes: 1, Jojo On Air (owner, George Roche, Barntown), 29.56; 2, Ballyhi Sky, 29.66.
Race eight, The Slán Abhaile 525 Stakes: 1, Bisto Majestic (owner, Liam Kavanagh, Enniscorthy), 29.37; 2, Lillie Road, 29.47.
October 11 results - race one, The Welcome to The Show Grounds Stakes: 1, Metric Brae (owner, Pauline Byrne, Marshalstown), 29.31; 2, Spaceem Sand, 29.45.
Race two, The Track Side Diner 525 Stakes: 1, Tullig Pearl (owner, Caroline Hutton, Oxfordshire; trainer, Seán Dooley), 29.14; 2, Ballinaboola Rum, 29.15.
Race three, The 2018 Boylesports Enniscorthy Leger, round one, heat one: 1, Garryglass Rover (owner, William Ramsbottom, Portlaoise; trainer, Karol Ramsbottom), 30.10; 2, Forest Rival, 30.15.
Race four, heat two: 1, Brightside Vim (owner, John Kavanagh, Enniscorthy), 30.05; 2, Black Tango, 30.19.
Race five, The Christmas Parties at Enniscorthy Stake final: 1, Suzies Mick (owners, Susan Nolan and Daniel Frayne, Wexford), 28.88; 2, Rathvilly Paudie, 29.19.
Race six, heat three: 1, Beepers Paddy (owners, Michael Wren and Leonard O’Hanlon, Co. Meath), 30.33; 2, Bling Bling Arlo, 30.47.
Race seven, heat four: 1, Ballybough Murt (owner, Pat Carroll, Co. Kilkenny; trainer, Martin Leahy), 29.90; 2, Some Storm, 30.39.
Race eight, heat five: 1, Deadly Viking (owner, Gerry Hannon, Bray; trainer, Karol Ramsbottom), 30.45; 2, Town Mystery, 30.62.
Race nine, heat six: 1, Obama Country (owner, Lauren Ramsbottom, Portlaoise; trainer, Karol Ramsbottom), 30.36; 2, Boylesports Boom, 30.37.