Moana is Magical in Champion Bitch at Thurles

TRAPRISE

On the back of her brilliant victory in the Sean O’Connor Memorial at Limerick a fortnight ago, the Vincent McKenna trained Brickhill Moana (Ballymac Bolger-Twentylittletoes) carried that elite level form to the opening round of the 2026 Thurles Track Champion Bitch Stake with another sharp performance to lead throughout her opening round heat on Saturday.

Facing a tricky draw in trap 4, the Albert Long & John Collins owned August 2023 whelp is far from draw dependant and crucially found a smart exit to immediately show in front for the initial exchanges. Displaying smart dash on the run the corner, the Borrisokane darling made a gentle drift into the opening bend with over a length in hand of her pursuers.

With Tassie Tomboy on her tail to the top of the backstraight, the McKenna winner ably defended that advantage all along a competitive gallop to the closing bends where she crucially shut the door on the advancing Droopys Bundle. Remaining in command to the home stretch, Brickhill Moana contained that rival’s rallying effort on the run to the line for a half-length verdict while posting the fastest time of the round, 28.94 (-40).

Joining the McKenna charge in this weekend’s semi-finals is a stalwart of elite competition for Pat Guilfoyle, Limerick Oaks winner Magical Hope (Dorotas Wildcat-Magical Poppy).

Returning from a short absence, the May 2023 whelp found just a moderate start from her suitable trap 6 draw but displaying powerful dash on the run to the corner, rounded all to strike the front entering the turns.

Never able to draw far enough clear of heat favourite Singalong Cherry however, Hope found that rival on her inside nearing the closing bends and ceding her lead at that point, settled for a three-length runner-up effort in 28.96 (-40) ahead of semi-finals this coming weekend.

Bandit best in Galway semis

Having claimed his opening round heat in the Galway Unraced ON2 525 Yard Stake with a smart debut winning performance, Eoin Troy’s Mystical Bandit (Grangeview Ten-Mystical Luna) remained unbeaten when leading throughout his semi-final out west on Friday.

A winner in 29.26 on the previous weekend, the October 2023 whelp began on terms from trap 4 this time but with the best pace on the run to the corner, turned with two lengths in hand of his closest market rival. Extending to over three lengths with an attractive gallop to the backstraight, the Moneygall charge continued to dominate thereafter. Striking the line with a snug two lengths to spare, Mystical Bandit progressed to 29.03 (-10) and the faster of the semis, will take leading claims to this coming Saturday’s final.

Darragh makes his own Luck at Limerick

Another returning from a short layoff last weekend was Alex Byrne’s Lucky Darragh (Ballyhimikin Jet-Courty Girl) and presenting in sparkling form, claimed the sixth win of his career in Saturday’s Greyhounds Make Great Pets A2 525 at Limerick.

A previous winner in the grade, the John Byrne trained December 2023 whelp was just moderately to stride from trap 6 and occupied an unpromising position on the run to the opening bend with a rival to his immediate inside seeking to gallop a wide path while a length in advance of the Byrne charge. Switching inside that runner before turning however, Lucky Darragh bravely charted a path through a tightly packed field, emerging with a narrow lead off the second bend.

Thoroughly impressive thereafter, Darragh defended a one length advantage all along the backstraight before seeing out the trip stoutly for an ultimately snug one and a half length victory.

Posting 29.20, he remains in the same grade for his next outing and should be a feared opponent for any with likely progression for this return to action.

Saturday’s fixture at Galway introduced a new name to the local winner’s circle when Paul Hogan’s Five Alley Rocky (Ballymac Cooper-Five Alley Star) took a pleasing step forward in his fifth career outing, landing the Book A Fundraiser @ Galway A7 525 in most game manner.

A runner-up last time out, the June 2024 whelp built on that promising effort when breaking just behind the pace from trap 2. Crucially winning his battle for command of the rails on the run to the corner however, the Hogan pup showed narrowly in front when turning on the inside of his closest early paced rival.

Joined early in the backstraight, that leading pair raced as one to the closing bends before Rocky once again edged to the lead with a crucial inside passage. Game as you like from that point, Five Alley Rocky saw out the trip stoutly on the run to the line while easing to a two-length winning verdict in 29.69 (-10).

He will now take a rise to A5 for his next appearance, but the upgrade should hold little fears on Saturday’s evidence.