Heavy rain makes it a slow night of Tuesday racing
“IT never rains but it pours.” How many times have we heard people say that and, for sure, it is a statement that applied in a big way on Tuesday of last week, putting that night’s SIS race meeting at the Oakview venue at serious risk.
The track management, however, went ahead with the meeting and fair play to all involved, especially the people with the greyhounds, for braving all the driving rain and getting through the entire card on time.
Very sensibly, there was no parading of greyhounds. They were taken straight from the kennelling area to the traps and, as it turned out, plenty of fancied greyhounds won, which is something you wouldn’t expect with the underfoot conditions so unfavourable.
Those conditions affected the going to such an extent that the last three 525yds races were rated .80 slow, which is the equivalent of eleven and a half lengths, and the other 525yds races varied from .50 to .70 slow (the only 325yds races was rated .40 slow).
Needless to say, people wondered if .80 was the slowest going ever recorded at the Oakview venue, but it is not. Moss O’Donnell, the man who has given his name to the Moss O’Donnell Corner on the ground floor, remembers a night when it was a full second slow and one can only imagine the fall of rain in the run-up to that particular meeting.
Anyway, there were ten winners at last week’s Tuesday SIS meeting and the fastest of them was 5/2 shot, Tokenfire Abbie, which won the tightest of finishes to the eighth race (A1 525) by a short head from Lassa Excitement in 29.61. Take away the 80 spots and this lady was clocking a very respectable 28.81.
The only 325yds race was won in 18.45 (.40 slow) by Village Road, which did really well to overcome first-bend trouble and win by a neck from Uberrima Fides. This 9/4 favourite was bringing his career earnings to €1,488, respectable enough in itself but, goodness knows, it is a long, long way behind the whopping €120,378 which has been won by his famous litter brother, Clonbrien Hero.
Shows how luck can come into play when a pup is being picked from a litter . . .
Other winners at last week’s Tuesday SIS meeting: Ellie Diva, 29.97 (.50 slow), Steeple Rd Taylr, 29.84 (.50 slow); Lassinagh Super, 29.97 (.50 slow); Send It Zenaida, 29.76 (.60 slow); Knockeen Ridge, 29.60 (.70 slow), Ballymac Roy, 29.67 (.70 slow); Manhattan Elvis, 30.26 (.80 slow); Helenas Paddy, 29.90 (.80 slow).