Fast times in A3 525 sweepstake quarter-finals

THEY were competing for big money again at Tralee on Saturday night, following the semi-finals of the Tilemaster Kingdom Derby 24 hours earlier, and this related specifically to the quarter-finals of an A3 525 sweepstake, which is jointly sponsored by the Kerry Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association and the track’s Supporters’ Club and which offers a winner’s purse of €5,000.

Three of the four winners bettered 29.00 seconds and the fastest of them, on 28.74 (.10 slow) in the fourth quarter-final, was Conquering Queen, owned by Michael O’Connor, of Ballyduff. The hot 1/2 favourite here was Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Tas, but nothing went right for this lady and the fast-starting Conquering Queen wound up beating Kanefaw by a length and a half, with a length back to Ballymac Tas, which ran on with a lot of power and could yet have a very big say in the event.

The other quarter-final winners were Ardfert Rooster (28.82), Slippy Denny (28.87) and Peters Queen (29.09) and the way has been nicely cleared for the two semi-finals this Saturday night, the draw for which worked out as follows (trap order):

First semi-final: Peters Queen, Grogeen Country, Conquering Queen, Ballymac Tas, Irremore Max (M), Kanefaw (M).

Second semi-final: Black Secret, Derby Lark, Teevee Dawn, Ardfert Rooster (M), Hazelhill Lass (W), Slippy Denny (W).

Patsy Browne, who makes the journey from Athea, was again the only bookmaker present and, for sure, those keen to have any kind of a decent bet outside of the tote are very glad to see him. It would, in fact, be a rather strange scene at the Oakview venue without him on such a night.

Other winners were Rathoneen Road, 17.87; Shinnagh Lee, 29.94; Cape Vilnius, 29.06; Unbroken, 29.65; Feora Maestro, 28.95; Devon Flash, 17.91; Clonkil Jet, 29.54.

SUNDAY EVENING SIS SESSION

STRONG online betting again boosted the tote figures and the winners on going rated .10 slow were: Kilcow Amy, 29.41; Manhattan Sky, 29.14; Anascaul Blackie, 29.36; Beslow Van Gogh, 29.47;Inislosky Patric, 28.88; Doonkinane Flash, 29.18; Denville Millie, 28.98; Mileheight Molly, 28.95.