TRAPRISE - Gem concludes Dolly’s Champion night at Thurles

A large crowd at Thurles Greyhound Stadium on Saturday evening was swelled by stars and staff of Tipperary Hurling for the final act in the 2024 Droopys Stud Champion Bitch Stake as the coveted prize made its way to Doon with Gilbert Anderson’s Singalong Dolly for trainer Pat Buckley.

Without a heat victory, the November 2021 whelp bounced back to her very best with a strong running performance, striking the front for a one length victory over big home track hope Borna Flame for Michelle Dwan, posting 28.72 (-20) for the 525-yards.

The next pair across the line were our brace of Pat Guilfoyle trained challengers and completing their respective campaigns with meritorious final efforts, Fashion Model claimed third while two lengths further back as Mustang Fever chased her to the line in fourth.

The night did not pass without winners to cheer however and concluding the vibrant fixture with victory in the Thurles Racecourse A2 525 was Christopher Delaney’s Skirk Gem (Droopys Sydney-Oldburrin Diva).

Within a wonderful recent run of extended consistency, the August 2021 kennel stalwart has now filled a trio place in each of her last nine race outings and registering a fourth win in that spell on Saturday, took full advantage of an ease in grade to lead throughout.

Quickest to reach full stride following a level break from trap 5, the Roscrea charge swept across Brian Kennedy’s Kind Soul when forcefully tackling the opening bend and relegating that rival to third, extended to a two-length lead on the run to halfway.

Never likely to be contained thereafter, Skirk Gem saw out the trip stoutly for a two and a half length verdict over a strong staying rival in a swift 29.17 (-20), with just a shorthead back to Kind Soul who coped ably well with her latest upgrade following A4 success.

Amongst the highlights of the Saturday fixture, a warm Liffey Mills and Glasheen Coaches ON1 Novice 525 saw Geoff Parnaby’s Tarsna Maasai (Droopys Sydney-Tarsna Rose) begin his racing career in sublime manner.

Breaking smartly from trap 3, the July 2022 whelp extended to over a length before sweeping the opening bend in advance of Laura O’Meara’s Chubbys Vagabond (Ballymac Bolger-Chubbys Rolex). On the latter’s tail to the backstraight, Pat Guilfoyle’s Magical Geronimo (Burgess Bucks-Amazing Alice) would fill runner-up position when producing a strong running effort from that point but never sighting a rival, Tarsna Maasai remained dominant throughout. Retaining a snug four lengths at the line while posting a wonderful 28.84 (-20) ahead of Magical Geronimo, the Borrisoleigh winner announces himself as another bright prospect for his shrewd kennel and in a race that may well be referred to for form on many occasions going forward, both local pups to chase him home should also be followed closely.

A kennel continuing to churn out winners in the early season, young Abigail Morrissey exited January with a weekend treble across two venues and signed off on a successful February with another brace of winners at Limerick as her Abigails Sinead (Great Blue Shark-Abigails Sky) shed her maiden tag in highly impressive fashion on Friday.

A previous A5 runner-up, the June 2022 whelp was scoring at the eighth time of asking despite headed throughout the early stages following a moderate start from trap 4 in the Extreme Networks Social Club A6 525.

Reaching the second bend with three lengths to recover on an early paced leader, it was from that point where the Tina Morrissey trained pup revealed her smart potential. Rapidly reducing the arrears on the run to halfway, Abigails Sinead struck the front before tackling the third turn with three lengths in hand and thoroughly catching the eye, thereafter, drew dismissively clear to a facile ten length winning margin in a sharp 29.14.

That winning time will ensure a rise to A3 for her next outing but with further improvement highly likely and a future which lies at longer distances going forward, she looks a smart prospect now that the penny has well and truly dropped!

That Friday success was supplementing victory on the previous night for the mother and daughter combination who also guided Abigails Duke (Great Blue Shark-Abigails Sky) to a first race victory at the sixth time of asking in the Race Entries By Text/Online A6 525.

Sparking the litter double in similar strong running fashion, he got the better of an entertaining tussle for supremacy at the closing bends before easing clear in snug fashion along the home stretch for a two-length score in 29.58 and takes just a small rise to A5 for his next outing.

Having returned from a two-month absence to commence her 2024 racing campaign at Lifford with 525-yard victory at the beginning of February, the PJ Tynan trained Port West Maui (Dorotas Wildcat-Rural Maui) was back at the Donegal venue on Sunday and confirming her current well-being, set up a hat-trick bid next time with victory in the LYNAS A3 550.

Taking a one grade rise for that latest A4 victory, the Sean Hackett owned February 2022 whelp exits puppyhood in sparkling form and again breaking well from trap 5, the wide seed immediately took command throughout the early exchanges on Sunday.

Scarcely sighting a rival while leading throughout, Port West Maui posted 30.53 in a cosy two length verdict and without penalty on the gradin ladder, will prove tough to contain in her treble bid next time.