O’Leary dog storms to victory in Feale Rangers buster final

THE Feale Rangers Buster (A0) 525 was the feature of a ten race program on Friday night. A medal presentation to the districts U-16 footballers added to the atmosphere of the evening and there were some impressive performances on track to add to the occasion.

The final was the eighth race on the card and the impressive Loher Storm (Laughil Blake/ Loher Baby) continued his fine run of form to justify favouritism at 2/1. A model of consistency for owner Noel O’Leary, Loher Storm made a decent start from trap 4 but a terrific burst of early pace saw him lead at the opening bend from Promising in the stripped jacket. Loher Storm pulled two lengths clear of his rival off the second and Promising was facing a real battle to make inroads on the leader’s advantage.

The field was well strung out down the back straight as Loher Storm began to turn the screw on his opponents. Promising was making little impression on the leader’s advantage off the closing bends and the O’Leary-owned runner stayed on gamely to the finish line to stop the watch in 28.73. Promising was three lengths back in second with Giovan Astral a similar distance back in third.

The winner is proving to be an extremely useful sort as he was claiming his ninth career success from 17 starts.

Tokenfire Abbie (Laughil Blake/ Kilara Abbie) got back to winning ways with a trap to line victory in race 7. The Seamus Cooper owned runner sported the blue jacket in this A1 contest and she took a flyer from trap rise to lead independently at the opening bend. She ran superbly through the opening two bend’s and had opened a two-length cushion racing past the sprint boxes.

Her nearest rival Gower Jet was working up head of steam down the back straight and closed right up on the early leader into the third bend. However that was as close as the challenger got to the Rathmore owned bitch that stayed on gamely off the last bend. The 2/1 shot was 1 ½ lengths clear of Gower Jet in a time of 28.78. Sarges Bullet finished the best of the rest 3 ½ lengths further back.

Milridge Tip (Bickerton Boom/ Sign On Katie) made it 3 wins from as many starts when scoring in Race 6 which was a sprint race for grade S1/S2. Drawn on the outside, the Donal G. O’Mahony owned runner made a moderate start and surrender plenty early ground to the pacy Steeple Road Jet. The latter took them round the opening curve, but Milridge Tip was making his move on the outside of the early leader and challenged for the lead at the second bend.

Loher Grove was also in with a sporting chance at this point and it was race on between the leading trio up the home straight. Milridge Tip just did enough to prevail however and a time of 17.78 was enough to lead Steeple Road Jet by ½ length with Loher Grove completing the placings a further neck down.

Earlier on the card, Send It Cotton (Storm Control/ Send It Sally) got back to winning ways in Race 4 (A5) for Joan and Pat McMahon, Tralee.

The wide seed broke smartly in the stripped jacket and led his rivals in the race to opening bend.

Whilst there was trouble in behind, the leader took full advantage to extend his advantage off the second bend. The lead was reduced somewhat down the back straight as Send It Cotton surrendered ground to his rivals due to racing close to the hare rail down the back. However he ran superbly through the closing bends and really accelerated to the line to score by 7 lengths in 29.11.

Superior Lady claimed second with Knock Duty a further length back in third.

Other winners on the night were Coolmore Skye 18.07, Abbey Carmac 29.35, Lakota Empire 29.23, Hitachi Lisa 29.15, Moyvane Mystic 29.41, Lord Sunny 29.46