LADDIE DOES IT AGAIN
Friday, March 12th
Fastest first round winner Soldier Laddie (Razldazl Billy/ Sli An Eolais) was again the star of the show when the second round of the Mike Cronin Readymix Juvenile Classic was run at Tralee on Friday night. The 4-6 favourite, jointly owned by Joyce and Andrew O’Regan, again popped out smartly and raced to the bend with Coolavanny Rambo.
However Soldier Laddie asserted on the bend and quickly went clear, eventually coming home six lengths clear of Paradise Alexus in 28.85 with Coolavanny Rambo a short head third.
This was just one spot faster than Michael O’Donovan trained Big Appetite (Crash/ Beaming Heart) when winning Heat 2. Pat Daly’s youngster railed well to chase fast starting Shaws Bellamy into the back. Big Appetite moved strongly to take it up on the third bend and pulled away for a four and a half length verdict over Shaws Bellamy in 28.86. Headleys Mentor was a staying head third.
There was a big upset in the opening heat when John Kelliher’s I Dunno Boy (Westmead Joe/ Grab A Granny) came up trumps at 7-1. I Dunno Boy was fast away and moved outwards but he led all when beating Zupjack by two and a half lengths in 29.22 with the hotly fancied Sizzling Rambler almost two lengths back in third.
So impressive when coming from last to first in the first round, the Jim Morrissey trained Dromore Dazzler (Razldazl Billy/ Graigues Echo) was a very easy winner of Heat 3 when coming home six lengths clear of Ballymac Norman in 29.07. Dromore was much quicker into stride this time and took over before the third bend and then raced right away for another impressive victory.
Morrissey went on to complete a double when his own dog Graigues Classic (Top Honcho/ Graigues Ditto) was a runaway nine length winner of Heat 4 in 29.01. Graigues Classic got away smartly, took command by the opening bend and went on for a big margin over the strong staying Shaneboy Sport with Ardera Guy a length and a half back in third.
The round ended with a five dog race in the absence of Killahas Ginger. Here Dom Ryan’s Destined Fortune (Crash/ Beaming Heart) was fast into stride and was clear by the back straight. He wasn’t pressed to win by two lengths from the strong finishing Lazy Moment in 29.08, with Knockbawn Sirius some five lengths third.
A JUVENILE LADDIE
Friday, March 5th
There was some exceptional racing at Tralee on Friday night when the Mike Cronin Juvenile Classic got underway and Joyce and Andrew O’Regan’s Soldier Laddie (Razldazl Billy/ Sli An Eolais) proved the star of the occasion as he led from the first bend to win by six and a half lengths from Mailroad Ardfert in 28.75. The winner took it up from Mailroad on the opening bend and quickly went clear.
There were other eye-catching performances, particularly from the Nicola Downes owned Big Ego (Boherduff Light/ Droopys Sporty) which led all in Heat 7 for a four and a half length verdict over Game Darragh in 28.84.
The early pace-setter was Michael O’Donovan’s Big Appetite (Crash/ Beaming Heart) as he took it up on the third bend from I Dunno Boy and went on to win by a length and a half in 28.88.
Another to dip under 29 was Pat O’Connor’s Sizzling Rambler (Westmead Hawk/ Broadway Sizzler) as he led from the first bend in beating Ballymac Jason by almost two lengths in 28.87.
The other heat winners were Mossy O’Connor’s Killahas Ginger (Brett Lee/ Templenacro Dubh) 29.11, Frances O’Donnell’s Hollys Wish (Skywalker Magic/ Thornley Mist) 29.15, Jim Armshaw’s Shaws Bellamy (Droopys Vieri/ Saffron Border) 29.02, Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Lomu (Tyrur Lomu/ Coolavanny Minor) 28.98, the eye-catching Dromore Dazzler (Razldazl Billy/ Graigues Echo) 29.04 and Pat Carey’s Holly Wood (Hondo Black/ Cabin Rose) 29.26.
YES, HE’S THE BOSS
Friday, March 5th
Last year’s Irish Sprint Cup winner Yes Boss (Crash/ Cabin Rose) lived up to his rating when posting the fastest time in the first session of the Kudos Supersprint at Curraheen Park on Friday night.
The Eoin O’Neill trained Yes Boss was always in command as he won by three and a half lengths from Fast Con in 18.09.
The opening heat saw the reserve Portmagee Ranger lead home Skeough Katie in 18.31 while in the second heat it was Jerry O’Sullivan’s Kilmoney Paul that led home Three One Three by a length in 18.18. The other heat winner was Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Mitsy as she had four lengths to spare over Cool Scorpion in 18.21.
INSEPARABLE ON THE CLOCK
Saturday, February 20th
The semi-finals of the John & Mary Dowling Memorial 570 topped the bill at Tralee on Friday and both contests were won in identical times with the Graham Holland trained Titan Tyrone and Dan Nolan’s Ardrahan Rotunda both stopping the clock in 31.49.
Titan Tyrone (Premier County/ Shalome) landed odds of 4-6 in the opener when leading from the first bend for a three and a half length victory over Fortfield Maeve with Stackies Book two lengths back in third.
The other semi was won by Dan Nolan’s Ardrahan Rotunda (Razldazl Billy/ Whatsthemoodlike) as he broke smartly and led all the way for a length and a half margin over Compass Smash with Compass Miko a half length back in third.
ARDRAHAN IS HOT
Friday, February 12th
Dan Nolan’s Ardrahan Rotunda (Razldazl Billy/ Whatsthemoodlike) maintained his unbeaten run in the event when a 4-1 scorer in the final heat of the John & Mary “Killeacle” Dowling Memorial at Tralee on Friday.
The 4-1 chance got away smartly and led all the way for a comprehensive six length margin over Knockbawn Gorm in 31.69, the fastest time of the night on ground rated at .50s slow.
The only winning favourite was Graham Holland’s Titan Tyrone (Premier County/ Shalome) as he took it up on the second bend in Heat 3 and went on to beat Dunsallagh Milo by two and a half lengths in 31.73.
The opening heat was won by Maeve McMahon’s Fortfield Maeve (Ballymac Maeve/ Finuge Lass) which also led from the second bend when beating Sashas Tippa by a length and a half in 32.00.
The other heat was a mighty tight affair but resulted in Larry Keane’s Rathanny Billy (Split The Bill/ Cleanglass Maid) edging out Ballyfidora Pal and Carrowkeal Sam by a neck and the same in 31.87.
LANNEY’S GATILLO
Friday, February 5th
There was a very appropriate outcome to the final of the €1,000 Johnny Gatillo @ Stud Open Hurdle at Harold’s Cross on Friday when Steve Locke’s Little Boy ran out an easy winner in 29.58.
Johnny Gatillo was trained by Martin Lanney to win the Irish Sprint Cup at Dundalk two years back and Little Boy is handled by Lanney. The son of Honcho Classic and Any Time Soon took it up on the opening bend and ran out a four lengths winner from Navajo Hailpin with Catunda Dylan a half length third.
SMART TRALEE TIMES
Friday, February 5th
There were some smart times when the first round of the John & Mary “Killeacle” Dowling Memorial A1 570 got underway at Tralee on Friday.
Kathleen Murphy’s Carrowkeal Sam (Digital/ Pony Plan) was an easy six and a half length winner of the opening heat from Dunsallagh Milo in 31.08 and that time was equalled by the Graham Holland trained Titan Tyrone (Premier County/ Shalome) as he beat Aer Bus by a couple of lengths in the second heat.
The other heat winners were Ardrahan Rotunda 31.61, Compass Smash 31.15, Briens Blackie 31.53, Kincraig Ranger 31.65 and Polar Rocket 31.24.
On the same card the final of the 3 Mobile Open 550 was won by the Johnny Regan trained More Pain (Droopys Vieri/ Baltovin Lulu) which got up late for a three parts of a length margin over Pencray Lass in 29.99.
McKENNA’S SPRINT DOUBLE
Sunday, January 31st
Trainer Owen McKenna got the week off to the perfect start when winning both semi-finals of the Droopys Kennels Open Sprint at Clonmel on Sunday evening.
He turned out Eamon Curley’s Curlew Mountain (Droopys Vieri/ Odette) to win the opening heat by four lengths from Jolly Treasure in 16.23. The veteran Ullid Conor also got through to the final a half length back in third.
There was a brilliant run from Faypoint Dec (Droopys Scolari/ Youraisemeup) in the second heat. The dog trained by McKenna for his wife Sian and Patricia Flanagan scorched from traps and raced to a hugely impressive six length verdict from Broadacres Lee in 15.99 with Lord Casleisland a short head adrift in third.