Greyhound season gets into top gear with Easter Cup start

IT WAS a relatively quiet week for Co. Wexford greyhound owners and trainers, but the season is getting into top gear around the country.

The start of the prestigious Easter Cup, which got under way at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night, is a real sign spring and summer is on the way.

On Friday night Ballinaboola Moll lined up for the final of the Bull Run Bolt over 575 yards but alas had no luck, finishing out of the frame. Still, she did well and a win should not be far away for this lady in the coming weeks.

Thursday morning in Waterford saw success in race two for owner Saoirse Kehoe from Enniscorthy when her Tomahurra Buddy – who was winning for the eighth time in his career – got a nice run on the outside going into the opening corner.

Tracking third out of the second bend, Buddy quickly went second to challenge the leader by the third bend, and on the run to the line on a heavy track he got up to score by a length in a time of 30.21 -0.50 slow. Donal Kehoe is the trainer.

The Eleanor Turner (Enniscorthy)-owned Afternoon Beauty was winning for the third time in her last four starts when taking race eight. Also tracking well, she turned third entering the back straight. The two leaders drifted wide and Beauty took the invitation to go up the inside.

She ran strong at the third bend to hold her line and come home a snug winner in the end for her tenth career win in a time of 29.72 -0.30 slow.

On Tuesday night there was only the one local winner and it came in race eight when the John Roche (Barntown)-owned Kingsmill Izzy ran a very nice race to score for the ninth time.

She cut the opening bend very well from her wide draw to lead into the back, with another Co. Wexford runner, Pitstop Jet, setting off in chase.

But as hard as he tried, Pitstop could not reel in Kingsmill who stuck to her guns well to score by a length and a half in a time of 29.77 -0.40 slow.

Enniscorthy is now getting into gear with both private and official trials taking place. Owners and trainers are no doubt eager to get back racing at their local venue, albeit behind closed doors.