Lady Mike sheds maiden tag at Limerick

Traprise

Within another very busy weekend for local kennels, a hugely competitive presence across many venues accounted for half the winners on last Friday’s fixture at Limerick and it was an impressive maiden victory for the Toomevara 6 Syndicate’s Toomevara Mike (King Sheeran-Toomevarabigmike) which stole headlines as the fastest of the night!

Having endured a bumpy passage on return from a winter break a fortnight earlier, the Michael Delaney trained June 2023 whelp was enjoying just her fifth career outing in the Go Greyhound Racing A7 525 but the girl with a boy’s name displayed pleasing progression when improving on her previous slow starts.

More forward in the early stages this time with an adept break from trap 2, the Delaney pup tracked an early pace rival at a one length deficit to the opening bend before forced to check with her path blocked while turning. Quickly back on an even keel with that same length to recover on the approach to halfway, it was from this point that Toomevara Mike fully stamped her authority on the race. Easing to the front before the closing bends, she shed her maiden tag when extending dismissively clear to a seven-length victory in strong running manner, posting a very smart 28.64 (+10).

The performance will ensure a significant upgrade to A1 for her next outing, but she nonetheless must enter all notebooks as one to follow closely over the coming weeks and months.

The big Kirby Final fixture on the previous weekend at Limerick had harboured high hopes for Abigail Morrissey’s Abigails King (King Elvis-Superb Beauty) in the final of the prestigious Sean O’Connor Memorial Stake but having endured a luckless passage then, some compensation was secured when he resumed winning ways in Friday’s Limerick & Clare GOBA A1 525

Securing ample racing room this time with an adept break from trap 1, the April 2023 youngster tracked an early paced rival to the corner with a length to recover before challenging for the lead on the outside at the top of the backstraight. Easing readily clear approaching halfway, Abigails King reduced the race to a virtual solo passage from that point an untroubled to the line, posted 28.68 (+10) with a commanding eight and a half lengths in hand.

The performance will keep the likeable Cloughjordan stalwart in the same grade for his next outing with obvious claims for a repeat.

Spicy Byrne brace

Staying with that same Friday fixture at Limerick, a most entertaining night out for local supporters got better as the meeting progressed and concluding the action in the Slan Abhaile A3 525, Peadar Kinane’s Kevinsfort Spice (Malachi-Kevinsfort Tiger) completed a double on the night for trainer John Byrne.

Back over the standard trip following a recent sprint victory at Shelbourne Park, the April 2023 whelp was enjoying his sixth career start and secured a third race win when striking the front entering the second bend having vied for the lead within a tight early tussle after a level break from trap 3. A length to the good on the run to halfway, Kevinsfort Spice saw out the trip with aplomb thereafter and completing victory with the minimum of fuss, posted 28.83 (+10) in a four-length score.

The local exploits on Friday began with the first leg of the John Byrne double as the Knockalton handler guided John Ryan’s Private Return (Malachi-Sidarian Fern) to his first career win at the second time of asking.

Progressing for debut experience, the September 2023 whelp showed the best early pace off a level break from trap 1 and having established a one length lead before tackling the opening bends, Private Return ably contained all challengers for a one and a half length verdict in 29.71 (+10).

Remaining attractively graded in A6 company for his next outing, expected further progress will make him difficult to contain.

Maui prevails out West

A dominant winner of her early round heats in the Greyhounds Make Great Pets A6 550 Yard Stake, Sean Hackett’s Port West Maui (Dorotas Wildcat-Rural Maui) completed a flawless passage through the Galway event on Saturday.

Over a year away from the winner’s enclosure, the PJ Tynan trained February 2022 whelp was appealingly graded ahead of the opening round and once bouncing back to her career best A2 form when posting 30.46 (-10), she quickly doubled up in the event with a facile semi victory. Odds-on to land Saturday’s showdown, another level break from trap 5 was enough see her just about lead throughout once again. Narrowly in command approaching the corner, the Ballinderry charge absorbed a bump while turning but gamely gathering her stride, extended to two lengths at the top of the backstraight. Untroubled thereafter, Port West Maui posted 30.81 (-10) in a two and a half-length victory, completing her smart competition campaign with the seventh race win of her career.

Ready for Roscrea double

Limerick was a happy hunting ground all weekend and with the winning action commencing on the Thursday SIS fixture, it was a brace of Roscrea winners who duelled for the honour of fastest on the afternoon meeting.

Winning those bragging rights was the Ready To Dream Syndicate’s Ready To Explore (Explosive Boy-Express Shine) who secured his third career win in the Lucky Last A3 525. Improving to a new personal best in just his seventh career outing, the Aoife Loughnane trained September 2023 whelp began on terms from trap 6 before tracking an early paced rival to the opening bends with a length to recover at the top of the backstraight. Joining the leader on the outside beyond halfway, Ready To Explore struck the front before tackling the closing bends and seeing out the trip well, posted 28.85 (+10) in a one and a half-length defeat of that same rival. He will now rise to A2, but that level should hold little fears on this evidence.

Next best on that Thursday card while just failing to match his Roscrea counterpart on the clock was the O-L Syndicate’s Whats Up Doc (Grangeview Ten-Muckinish Flyer) when a most game winner of the Go Greyhound Racing A2 525, while also denying Aoife Loughnane a double!

Breaking on terms from trap 2, the Padraig O’Lone trained August 2022 whelp displayed the best dash for a one length lead around the opening bends and retained that same margin all along the backstraight while Loughnane’s Kilgarran Mickey advanced to a challenging second on the outside at the third turn. Repelling his local rival in the home stretch however, Whats Up Doc showed ample resolve for a half-length verdict in 28.88 (+10).

Both the winner and runner-up will avoid an upgrade and hopefully avoid each other next time!