TRAPRISE - Dazzler was Keen for Kirby Knock-out at Limerick
The final act in what had been an exhilarating 2024 renewal of the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Stake drew a near capacity crowd to Limerick on a glorious Saturday evening and winning the chase for €80,000 was Knockeen Dazzler (Laughil Blake-Love Island) for Castleisland’s seventeen-year-old owner and trainer Daniel O’Rahilly.
Claiming early round victories as his brilliant early pace quickly became a feature of the Kirby, the March 2022 whelp suffered his sole defeat at quarterfinal stage but resumed winning ways with a fastest semi-final victory, and scarcely sighting a rival in Saturday’s final, led throughout a four-length defeat of Merits Inclusion while posting a stunning time of 28.10 for the 525-yards.
Amongst the most popular and well received performances in a major event that the sport has ever witnessed, young Daniel O’Rahilly, under the guiding hand of his dad D.D, enjoyed a rapturous reception in the wake of victory having reduced the sport’s most elite protagonists to bit-part players in the Knockeen Dazzler show. All done with just two racing greyhounds in the family kennels!
Da Warrior is Saturday fastest at Thurles
There was much to entertain outside of the Limerick action on Saturday and the regular Thurles fixture proved most fruitful for local challengers with a brilliant fastest of the night performance from Kieran McGrath’s Da Warrior (Premier Fantasy-Taylor Kate) grabbing headlines in the Premier.
Having spent near five months away from racing before returning to action at Thurles last month, the May 2021 whelp had eased his way back to racing form over past weeks but claiming victory in Saturday’s www.grireland.ie A3 525, advanced to new heights in a third race win.
Housed in trap 2, the Toomevara charge produced his best break and easing to a one length lead at the opening bend, skipped further clear to the backstraight while smoothly negotiating the turns. Comfortably in command to halfway, Da Warrior maintained a strong gallop throughout a dominant six and a half-length winning verdict, posting a quality new career best of 28.78 (-20).
With just twelve races under his belt on the approach to his third birthday, Da Warrior remains very lightly raced and having always looked likely to reach Open class, may well cope with his significant upgrade next time.
Adding to a successful Saturday fixture when securing his first race victory in the Tipperary G.O.B.A. A4 525 was Sally Mounsey’s Patterdale Ricky (Burgess Bucks-Patterdale Donna).
Not seen since held in his debut outing last November, the Paraic Campion trained June 2022 whelp left that form firmly behind despite finding just a moderate break from trap 2 this time. Pacing up well on the run to the opening bend, the Clashnevin pup tracked an early paced rival at a one length deficit to the top of the backstraight despite suffering some crowding while turning. Catching the eye while readily overhauling the leader on the run to halfway, Patterdale Ricky extended to a one and a half-length advantage before tackling the third turn. Seeing out the trip with aplomb, the Mounsey winner completed victory with that same margin in hand while posting 29.52 (-20) and without an upgrade next time, it would come as little surprise should he follow-up with likely improvement!
Sparking the winning action on the night in the Split The Pot @ Thurles Track A7 525, James Treacy’s Montore Topsie (Skywalker Logan-Montore De De) secured her maiden victory at the tenth time of asking.
A previous A8 runner-up, slow starts have been the chief contributor to many bumpy passages and the May 2021 whelp was again just moderately to stride from trap 1 on Saturday. Hunting up the field with all rivals in her eye-line on the approach to the opening bend, the Treacy youngster cannily sneaked a passage along the rails while passing runners on the approach to the backstraight. Advancing to second at that point, Montore Topsie readily reduced two length arrears and had stretch to a three-length lead before negotiating the closing bends. Seeing her lead reduced in the closing stages by a strong staying rival, Montore Topsie was largely untroubled in a one and a half length victory and posting 30.03 (-20), will take just a small rise to A6 next time.
There were further smart performances around the country with runners advancing to the next round of competition for this coming weekend but the Thursday fixture at Galway welcomed a new name to the winner’s circle when Denis McGrath’s Foxwood Carter (Bockos Jon Jo-Oakfield Dancer) claimed debut success.
Slow to reach full stride in the Welcome To Galway Greyhound Stadium Novice 325, the August 2022 whelp displayed much the best speed once gathering full gallop and had rushed up on the outside of rivals to race in a menacing second nearing the first bend. Badly bumped and significantly unbalanced at that point, all hopes for victory appeared well and truly scuppered when shuffled back to four lengths adrift. Rallying into the home straight however, Foxwood Carter left a highly pleasing impression when switching inside the leader on the approach to the line for a thrilling head verdict in 18.70 (-5).
That time keeps the McGrath pup in the basement level but clearly there is imminent and significant improvement to come, and he is unlikely to be contained next time!