Headleys Bridge withdrawn from Champion Stakes
Nick Cotter’s Headleys Bridge has been very lightly raced since the Derby final and trainer Edward O’Sullivan reported that he was lame after a trial yesterday morning. It will now be a race against time to have him ready for this year’s Derby which kicks off in three weeks’ time.
He was due to run from trap four in the first heat and this trap will now likely be occupied by the Pat Buckley trained Slick Sioux, winner of the Tyrur Ted Champion Bitch Stake at Galway. However, this will not be official until the weigh-in because if one of the inside traps became vacant she would move inwards.
It really is an intriguing Champion Stakes and the scramble for the six places in the final on Saturday week will be quite intense.
Cashmans Champion Stakes betting is: 4 Wise Thought, 9/2 Faypoint Man, 6 Shelbourne Aston, 7 Skywalker Queen, 14 Advantage Johnny, 16 Oran Classic, Fatboyz Nodrog, Accordello, 20 Slip The Lark, Barefoot Bryan, Droopys Noel, 33 Shaneboy Lee, Cash Dream, Ballymac Bondi, Barefoot Bolt, 40 Broadacres Turbo, Fane Basher.
Entries are sought for a number of Opens to be run on the televised final programme. These are: 525, Bitch 525, 550 (July ‘07), 575, 600, 750 and 850.
Before we leave the Shelbourne scene, the entries for the Paddypower.com Irish Derby will close on Friday, July 31st at 12 noon and the draw will be made on Monday, August 3rd at 10 a.m. There will be a Special Derby Trial Session on Thursday, July 30th between 4 and 5.30 p.m.
There are a number of changes to the weekend schedule of meetings which will affect Enniscorthy, Clonmel and Thurles racegoers. The County Show will be staged at Enniscorthy Track today and a ten race matinee programme will be staged between 1.30 and 3.15 p.m. But the traditional Thursday night meeting, which features five finals and the heats of the Red Mills 600, will be staged on Sunday evening (7.0).
Due to the All-Ireland Hurling Qualifiers at Semple Stadium on Saturday evening, the greyhound meeting at Thurles has been switched to Sunday (7.30). This card includes the third round heats of the Thurles Fresh Milk Tipperary Cup.
Because of the Enniscorthy and Thurles meetings being staged on Sunday evening, the Clonmel management has decided to bring their normal Sunday meeting forward by 24 hours and they will now race on Saturday at 8.02 p.m. Their patrons will be able to enjoy the Inter Track coverage of the Boylesports Champion Stakes semis from Shelbourne in addition to their own card which will include the finals of the Buddy Flannery Memorial A3 and the Mid Summer A3 575.
All of this highlights how busy the greyhound schedule is just now and let’s hope the crowds turn out in big numbers to witness some marvellous racing. Let us reflect slightly further on the Tipperary Cup where the 24 contenders should produce some red hot action. Cleary Bookmakers make Jerry Griffin’s St Louis Spirit their 11-4 favourite and they then bet: 9-2 Chicken Supper, Mid West Blue; 11-2 Lleytons Dote; 6 Forest Rover; 7 Gilbeyhall Jake; 10 Callums Lad; 12 Bay City Jack, Lemon Zamora; 14 bar.
In conjunction with the final of the Tipperary Cup a number of twelve dog sweepstakes will be run and the heats will be run over the weekend after next, July 24th and 25th. The Stakes are: €600 A2 525, €650 A3 570, €600 A4 525, €600 N2 525, €650 Open 840 and €650 A5 600
The final of the O Coilean’s Bar 550 will be run at Curraheen Park tomorrow night and then on Saturday the semi-finals of the Irish & European A3 Tri-Distance will be the backbone of the card. The next big one coming up at the track will be the 48 dog AIB Bank A1 525, which has a winner’s prize of €10,000 and will, no doubt, attract the usual high class competition. No backgraders will be allowed and entries close on Saturday, August 1st with the heats to be run on Friday, August 7th.
The Cork GOBA Past Presidents A3 Stake for 24 entries is set to commence on Saturday, August 8th. Dogs must have raced three times at either Cork or Youghal and preference will be given to members of the Cork GOBA. Next week’s Getting Out Stakes will be an A1 525 while entries close on Tuesday week, July 28th for a 24 dog A1 Backgraders 575.
This is a real boom month at Youghal, between the top class Hondo Black Southern Oaks and the Cashmans Bookmakers sponsored Free Monday Admission. The semi-finals of the Oaks tomorrow features a renewal of rivalry between Maries Peer and Lady Glenard and the latter can reverse placings from last week. Cabra Tiny and Whitty Christy could be the winners of the other heats. The Cashmans Bookmakers Open 700 starts on Monday and this 12 dog stake will have a winner’s prize of €1,000. Starting tomorrow week is the Carewswood A2 525 for 24 dogs and a winner’s prize of €1,400.
Declan Dowling took over the helm at Tralee Track yesterday and we wish him well in his new role. His first initiative is to offer “Two for One Admission” at the Kingdom Stadium on Saturday evening to entice those attending the football match between Kerry and Sligo to move over to the track afterwards. The production of the match programme will entitle the bearer to the special offer.
The heats of the Barkers Basket D1 730 should provide a couple of very interesting races at Kilcohan Park on Saturday. Commencing a week later will be the Duke Special at Stud A1 575, a 12 dog event with a winner’s prize of €800. Another event coming up is the €3,000 Cabra Cool A4 Non Winners 525 which carries a winner’s prize and is for dogs that have run at least twice. The heats will be on Saturday, August 1st.
Tomorrow will be a very busy day on the track front. The big race will be the final of the Sierra Communications Longford Derby at Longford, while the semi-finals of the Ger Canty Opticians 575 will be run at Newbridge and the entire first round of the Bar One Racing Irish Sprint Cup will be run at Dundalk.
