IGB chairman emphasises importance of SIS meetings

IN his New Year message to the people in greyhound racing, the chairman of the IGB, Frank Nyhan, touched on the importance of the SIS meetings, two of which are run on a weekly basis at Tralee Track (Tuesday and Sunday evenings), and it is unquestioned that the income from these meetings is of significant financial benefit to all the tracks staging them.

A well-known Dublin restaurateur, Martin Molloy, who runs a very successful business in Carrickmines Shopping Centre, near Leopardstown Racecourse, attended the SIS meeting at the Oakview venue on Sunday, December 30, along with his wife and two children, and he was hugely impressed by the facilities and the atmosphere of the racing itself.

He was surprised, though, that there wasn’t a bigger attendance. “This was first-class entertainment and, with free entry, you’d imagine that the place would be fairly well packed,” he said. “We’ll certainly be back to enjoy it all.”

It is very true that the Sunday evening SIS meetings at the Oakview venue should be attracting bigger crowds and, in his New Year message, Frank Nyhan emphasises the importance of all the SIS meetings to the grassroots of the industry.

“There are over 7,000 active owners and 500 active trainers nationwide and it’s important to remember that these are the people who keep the heart of Irish greyhound racing beating,” he said.

Absolutely.

Anyway, the first of the 2019 race meetings took place at Tralee Track last Friday night and an interesting ten-race programme saw the Maurice O’Connor-trained Black Desire excel in clocking 28.61 (.10 slow) in the ninth race for AA0 class over the standard trip.

Housed in trap 2 and a 3/1 shot in the betting, Black Desire was always going to be the one to beat after leading off the first bend from Lassa Exquisite and Loher Storm. He was three lengths in front of Loher Storm (trap 6) rounding the third bend and, although Noel O’Leary’s bitch ran on really well, her challenge failed by a neck, with a length and a half back to Lassa Exquisite.

Two other winners posted times well inside 29.00 seconds and, in fact, Killahan Wonder was only eight spots behind the time of Black Desire in the seventh race (A0 525), on 28.69. It was very close between Vincent McKenna’s 4/1 outsider and Cailín Bideach off the first bend, but Killahan Wonder, which ran from trap 4, was totally in control by the third bend and he sailed home four lengths ahead of even-money favourite, Kit Commando, with half a length back to Loher Grove.

The third greyhound to break 29.00 seconds was Gulleen Harry in the eighth race (A1 525). This fellow came into trap 2 as a reserve and, although something of an outsider at 3/1, he showed outstanding early pace to be a close second to Ashwood Barry (trap 1) off the first bend. He then ran the back straight to great effect, to be well in control rounding the third bend, and he drove home three and a half lengths ahead of Send It Hobbs in 28.74, with two and a half lengths back to 6/4 favourite, Promising.

Other winners: Mystery Thunder, 18.00; Icy Carrig, 29.59; Spirit Makruma, 29.41; Knockeen Bruce, 17.76; Astarforróisín, 29.21; Millridge Tip, 17.94; Palatine Magic, 29.10. The going was .10 slow for all 525yds races and .05 slow for 325yds races.