Fahy trio short-listed for top award
The three contenders for top male tracker are litter brothers Tyrur McGuigan and Tyrur Big Mike as well as the Laurels winner Tyrur Enda, who dead-heated for the Gain Waterford Masters with Krug Ninety Five.
Making it a really exciting occasion for Fahy, Tyrur Temptress is one of the nominees for the brood bitch award. The others in contention for this title are Dalcash Diva and Regards To Alice. Unraced since going unbeaten through the closing stages of the Puppy Oaks and the entire Irish Oaks, Dalcash Diva is one of the nominations for the bitch award and is joined by Cooladerry Fizz and Clearview Kelly.
Dorothy Pollard’s Cooladerry Fizz makes her own piece of history as she is nominated in two categories. Apart from being in contention for top female, she is also nominated for the stayers’ category. The others in the running here are Kiltrea Kev and Ferdia Bound. Another gaining recognition for a second year is Carlows Pride, a clear reward for his consistency at the highest level. The other speedsters in the running are the Sprint Cup winner Sheepwalk Mac and the highly consistent Yes Boss.
Yet to be announced are the inductees to the Hall of Fame. The overall winners will be announced at the National Greyhound Awards Lunch in Limerick’s Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa on Sunday, March 20.
DOG OF THE YEAR: Tyrur Big Mike, Tyrur Enda, Tyrur McGuigan.
BITCH OF THE YEAR: Clearview Kelly, Cooladerry Fizz, Dalcash Dvinsky.
SPRINTER OF THE YEAR: Carlows Pride, Sheepwalk Mac, Yes Boss.
STAYER OF THE YEAR: Cooladerry Fizz, Ferdia Bound, Kiltrea Kev.
BROOD BITCH: Dalcash Diva, Regards To Alice, Tyrur Temptress.
It is two weeks now since Dick O’Sullivan stepped down as chairman while there have been a few vacancies among members for quite some time.
Michael Martin looks likely to waive the outgoing Government’s entitlement to make the new appointments and instead the task might move to Enda Kenny and his new Minister for Agriculture.
Things are very busy on the track front this week with the Tote Gold Cup and Roches Feeds Oaks resuming at Shelbourne and Limerick respectively, while the Gallivan Murphy Hooper Dolan Insurances Juvenile Classic commences at Tralee tomorrow and the Kudos Supersprint first round will be run at Curraheen tomorrow and Saturday.
The standard in the opening round of the Tote Gold Cup was impressive and the four second round heats should be thrillers. Cases can be made for any number of dogs in each contest but my suggested Yankee would be Tyrur Domingo, Broadstrand Lad, Fatboyz Tyson and Quick Lee.
Star first round performer in the Limerick Oaks was Express Trend and Mary Jo Dalton’s bitch will clearly have a big say in the competition. She has a tough opponent in Razldazl Alice in Heat 3 but the latter needs an inside draw to be seen at her best. The banker on Saturday could be Paul Hennessy’s Air Force Ellie with her big finish likely to come into full play.
There will hardly be a more interesting night of racing this year than at Tralee tomorrow where the nine first round heats of the Juvenile Classic will be run. One suspects that the quality of this year’s field is the best ever and names that jump out of the entries include Razldazl Rioga, Jamaican Man, Tyrur Lanney, Ballymac Razl, Royal Patrol, Positivity, Meadow Bank Owl, Droopys Hutton, Local Chief, Paradise Orlando and Beaming Olive.!
So to the Kudos Supersprint at Curraheen over the weekend. Tomorrow’s opening session could be a profitable one for Owen McKenna who has a very interesting new inmate in Intelligent while he can also win with Pablo Supreme. On Saturday the big attraction will be the clash of Irish Sprint Cup winner Sheepwalk Mac and the flying Calling Spice in Heat 4.
Reigning champion Yes Boss will be the favourite in Heat 6 where Mumhan Aris is a major threat.
