TRAPRISE - Bella the boss at busy Galway
The Sportsground at Galway was the greatest source of success over a busy week for local kennels and commencing the winning thread early on Friday’s programme was Peter O’Brien’s Borris Bella (Pat C Sabbath-Miss Alloy) as the Borrisokane youngster secured a third career victory.
Having just turned two years of age last week, the steadily progressive O’Brien charge was last successful over 575 yards in the West back in May and a strong runner over four bends, relished Friday’s opportunity in the A5 550.
From her ideal berth on the fence, Borris Bella found a smart break and immediately contested the lead on the long run to the opening bend. Gamely defending the rails against an early paced rival, she readily seized a sole lead when negotiating the turns at pace and dashed clear on the run to halfway. Pressured with her closest pursuer reducing the lead to the closing bends, Borris Bella forcefully settled the race in the home stretch when displaying stout staying abilities to again ease clear and was full value for her four-length winning margin. Posting 30.71, she rises to A4 for her next outing but with much scope over extended distances, that rise will hold no fears as she can be expected to continue her stealthy improvement.
Locals again struck early on the Saturday card at Galway and there will have been some relief for Denis Collins & Pat Cleary when Traceys Tiger (Sir Paddy-Canvas Tracey) finally secured a second race victory in the S9 350.
A likeable racer while always in the mix in similar events, the January 2018 whelp had filled second or third position on nine occasions since his first win last December. With a host of frustrating narrow defeats in the interim, when this overdue second win did arrive, it came in emphatic fashion!
A simple race to describe, Traceys Tiger broke on level terms from trap 4 and quickest to reach full stride, eased clear of his rivals on the long run to the bend. Turning with a three-length lead, the advantage would only increase with every stride thereafter and striking the line with seven lengths to spare, he posted 19.48 which will bring a rise to S6 next time.
Also doubling his win tally on the same Galway card was young Abigail Morrissey’s Abigails Power (Belles Direction-Geelo Lu Lu) as the bright prospect claimed the A2 525 with a fastest of the night performance in just his fourth race outing.
A member of a hugely promising litter for the Cloughjordan kennels, the August 2019 pup went in many notebooks following his eye-catching debut victory at Thurles back in May and again impressed on Saturday in a second run back after a small setback.
Breaking just off the pace from trap 3, Abigails Power tracked an early paced rival to the opening bend but commanding the inside rail while turning, impressively struck the front on the approach to the back-straight. Still just showing in front to halfway, the Morrissey pup found that same rival threatening on the outside at the closing bends but with his lead under threat, the inexperienced racer displayed hugely pleasing battling qualities. Rallying into the home-straight, Abigails Power again hit the front and seeing out the trip stoutly posted a smart 29.02 in a brave half-length verdict. Retaining plenty of scope for further improvement, he looks an exciting runner to follow for the remainder of the season.
Warm weather affected the weekend racing schedule at some venues with outside kennelling, as stringent welfare precautions dictated, and the highest profile postponement came at Thurles where the second-round heats of the Tipperary Cup will now go ahead this Saturday.
Another loss over the weekend was the presence of Port West Salmon in the second round of her A2 525 stake at Galway as the PJ Tynan charge was withdrawn following her hugely impressive 28.97 performance a week earlier.
There was some compensation for the Ballinderry kennels this week however, with Pat O’Connor’s Hillstreet Jack (Superior Product-Rathroe Dancer) claiming his third career win at Clonmel on Thursday in the S4 300-yard contest.
Close in S5 last time out, the April 2018 whelp flashed from traps for a commanding early lead but ponderous between the bends, he would surrender much of his advantage before bumped entering the home-straight. Gamely rallying however, he bravely repelled a packing field on the run to the line for a half-length verdict in 16.74.
There will be obvious disappointment within the GAA community in the wake of Tipperary’s Munster Hurling Final defeat last Sunday but with a wealth of greyhound racing interest within the squad, panellist Craig Morgan has a bright young prospect to temper some of this week’s hurling woes following the maiden win of his Sopwell Thady (Droopys Jet-Liosgarbh Bops) at Limerick.
A September 2019 pup, the Cloughjordan charge was making his third race appearance in last week’s A5 525 having been agonisingly denied by just a shorthead in his previous outing. However, having thoroughly caught the eye then, Sopwell Thady confirmed much of that promise when again impressing along the back-straight having raced in third throughout the early exchanges.
With three lengths to recover on the run to halfway, the Morgan pup steadily closed on the approach to the home-straight and staying stoutly, secured a three-quarter length victory in a smart 29.19. Remaining open to significant improvement, we can expect better still from Sopwell Thady as he continues to develop his strong running racing style.
It is with great sadness this week that the local greyhound community bids farewell to one of its most respected personalities following the passing of Thomas Ryan of Newtown.
A proud Silvermines native, Tommy enjoyed the bulk of his success on the track in the late 70’s and early 80’s with such runners as Tom The Thinker and the brilliant Wheres Me Cap, at a time when there was scarcely a bigger name on the local scene while his training exploits were both feared and admired in equal measure.
Known on every track in Ireland, Tommy filled many spaces on these pages in more recent years with kennel stalwarts, Move Over Ozzie, Move Over Neale and his retired loyal friend to his last day, Mackeys Attack. Renowned for his meticulous detail, Tommy was a font of greyhound knowledge from which yours truly, along with many others, were grateful to repeatedly draw from.
Leaving a void in our local community, Tommy exits this life with friendships that spanned generations in all corners of Ireland within his chosen vocation and will be greatly missed by the entire sport of greyhound racing. We extend our sincerest condolences to his daughter Mary, family and friends. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.