Mood upbeat as Enniscorthy reopens
The track has been restructured since it closed for its traditional Christmas and January closure back in December but local enthusiasts are very optimistic for the future of this venue which has been the breaking-in ground for countless champion greyhounds over the years.
There is a ten race card tonight and an all sponsored Gala Re-opening meeting is planned for next Thursday. So, let’s hope that the future is very bright for the track which has been considerably brightened up in the past couple of months by a team of volunteer workers.
While last year’s winner Definate Opinion will be expected to make a winning opening to his defence of the Gain Feeds Irish Cesarewitch at Mullingar on Saturday, he has been handed a tricky enough draw in Heat 7 where among his rivals will be Razldazlbroadway and Hello Ringo.
Overall it is a good class entry for this 600 yard classic and it is boosted by an English raider in the shape of last year’s St Leger third He Went Whoosh. This fellow is under Graham Holland’s care for the duration of his participation and he has a handy enough draw in the concluding heat. Newcomers to Mullingar regularly find it difficult to handle the quirky circuit but the likes of De Ex Factor and Master Blaster could be ideal while I will also be watching Peter Cronin’s Dirty Old Town with interest.
The Tote Gold Cup at Shelbourne is down to the semi-final stage on Saturday and the chase for the €25,000 prize is still very wide open.
The long odds betting illustrates how open this competition is with six dogs listed between 6-1 and 8-1 at the top of the lists. Looking at the first heat Ballymac Tipp is probably the dog to beat and he is sure to move immediately wide from his inside draw. This move might not help the other fancied contenders Colourful Fox, Judicial Academy and Moes Tavern — so Liam O’Rourke’s dog may be the safest bet in this heat.
There is huge early pace in the second semi and it’s a race where all six are capable of winning. My old favourite Fatboyz Tyson has been improving with each run and he did it nicely last weekend when beating Ballymac Tipp. He may pay to follow again.
The weekend action will commence with the valuable Gallivan-Murphy-Hooper-Donal Juvenile Classic at Tralee and it is going to be quite intriguing to see how first round form stands up this time. The two stars of the opening round were the Ronny Wuyts trained Rockchase Bullet and Shay O’Connor’s Happy Hermit but many others performed in a manner to suggest that they can become real contenders in this competition.
The quarter finals of the Roches Feeds Oaks will be run at Limerick on Saturday and the pattern emerging is that any one of about a dozen bitches can still win this €6,000 prize.
The Kudos Supersprint got off to a flying start at Curraheen Park last weekend and we are set for a brilliant competition. Most impressive winner was Graham Holland’s Calling Spice and this excellent bitch will be in action in the opening semi where Bryan O’Donoghue’s Game Dan and Eoin O’Neill’s Yes Boss will be the main dangers.
