Gurteen Dawn is fastest as middle traps produce a wealth of winners
TRAP 4 was known as the ‘coffin’ box on the old grass track at Tralee, but things changed in a big way when the new sand surface was put down in 1997 and today it is widely accepted that trap 4 holds no great disadvantage at the Oakview venue.
Indeed, the two middle boxes, 3 and 4, provide plenty of winners on a regular basis and never have they been more successful than was the case last Friday night when nine of twelve races were won by greyhounds running from these boxes.
There were six winners from trap 4 and three from trap 3 and included were all three semi-finals of a € 750-to-the-winner A2 570 buster sweepstake, which is acting as a fundraiser for the West Kerry GAA Board.
The first of the semifinal winners was Gurteen Dawn (Droopy’s Maldini – Cuamh Dubh), owned by Mary N O’sullivan of Cahersiveen. She impressively overtook the frontrunning Undertheweather on the inside rounding the third bend and she went on to score by two and a half lengths from Killorane Comet in 31.45, which was the fastest semi-final time.
The other two semi-final winners were Surreal Rambler and Oak Free. Mind you, misfortune befell the fast-starting Smart Maxwell in the second semi-final because, after impressively leading the field into the first bend, he appeared to pick up an injury off the second bend and finished completely tailed off.
It was all very nicely to the advantage of Surreal Rambler (Brett Lee – Shanless Lady), owned by Denis C Holly, of London, and trained in Tarbert by Patrick O’connor. This fellow had been at the tail of the field rounding the first bend, but he motored sweetly on the back straight to be second to Skellig Man rounding the third bend and he mastered Skellig Man on the run to the line by a length in 31.59.
In winning the third semi-final, it was essentially a case of making all by Oak Free (Ballymac Maeve – Lauragh Serena), jointly owned by Peter Regan, of Ardfert, and young Sarah Maunsell, of Tralee. Oak Free held a lead of two and a half lengths over Flat Week rounding the third bend and, in a thrilling run to the line, she prevailed by the shortest of short heads from the Glenflesk dog in 31.60.
The final takes place this Friday night and the draw resulted as follows (trap order) Skellig Man, Surreal Rambler, Killorane Comet, Flat Week, Oak Free, Gurteen Dawn.
Last Friday night’s programme also featured the final of a novice 750 sweepstake and this was won in outstanding fashion by Lassinagh Glory (Kincloch Brae – Lady Aaron), owned by Maurice Harty, of The Spa, Tralee.
The 4/5 favourite was impressive semi-final winner, Homestead Dash, and he appeared to be well in contention at the fifth bend when a close third behind Lassinagh Glory and a reserve, Steeple Rd Ella. However, Lassinagh Glory, a strong 2/1 second favourite, drove on really well from this point and she won by a length and a half from Steeple Rd Ella in 42.77, with a length back to Homesteasd Dash. Nothing else counted in the race.
The time, interestingly enough, was seven spots faster than Homestead Dash had clocked at the semi-final stage when beating none other than Lassinagh Glory by three and a half lengths. Greyhound racing is full of stories like this.
Earlier in the night, that great local doggy man, Oliver Healy, saw his charge, Gotic Bridge (Headley’s Bridge – Kilcoran Duchess), get inside 29secs at just the second time of asking.
This wide seed was very much an outsider in the betting, at 3/1, but he impressively cleared the first bend in the lead and he totally dominated thereafter on his way to a four-length victory over even-money favourite, Liosarinn Bound, in 28.96.
The hottest race of the night was the seventh, for open class over 550yds, and Lithuanian trainer, Marius Kybartas, who has his base in Abbeydorney, signalled that another great year could be ahead of him by very impressively winning with 6/4 favourite, Paddy The Pricer (Ballymac Maeve – Lauragh Serena), which is jointly owned by Joe Ward and Kevin O’shea, of Manchester. Paddy The Pricer, which was 6/4 favourite, timed his break to perfection from trap 4 and nothing stood a chance with him thereafter. Baltovin Pedro was always running second to him and finished four lengths adrift in a very fast 30.05.
Other winners: Rushpool Harry, 30.01; Iloveyoubobby, 18.08; Millridge Flame, 29.50; Lena’s Faye, 29.22; Marconi Teddy, 17.94; Port Dover, 29.34.