Fahy poised to take his own prize

Greyhound folk will have their stamina tested to the limit in the coming week with some top class racing at tracks all over the country while the National Coursing Meeting will commence at Clonmel on Monday morning.

There will be the traditional huge crowd at Powerstown Park for the three days next week while there will be terrific racing at the local track on Monday and Tuesday nights.

But pride of place this week belongs to the final of the Tyrur McGuigan @ Stud Open 575 at Shelbourne on Saturday.

By virtue of his unbeaten run to the final, Irene McConnell’s Martinstown Snow is likely to go off favourite ahead of Broadstrand Lad but I have a suspicion that we could be in for a little shock in the chase for the €7,000 prize. Leo Dunphy’s Ohio Rumble is running very well while Neilus O’Connell’s Croom Star simply doesn’t know how to run a bad race and was beaten less than a length by Martinstown last week.

But sponsor PJ Fahy has a massive chance of taking his own prize with one of his two runners, Tyrur Willyjoe or Tyrur Domingo. Willyjoe is the more obvious one on the evidence of his impressive 31.28 run last weekend but Domingo really caught the eye in the other heat when slowly away before making up a lot of ground to finish just a length behind Croom Star. This fellow can go up fast and he only had his first run since September when contesting the first round. A little investment at 7-1 (Paddy Power) might not go astray!

The Shelbourne card also includes the semi-finals of the Joe Dunne Memorial Puppy Stake and here all eyes will be focused on the second heat where huge prospects Droopys Jet, Subway Gerry and Noirs Buachaill clash. From what we have seen Droopys Jet has the superior early pace and that can carry him through.

The Guinness Trophy A1 Stake attracted an entry of 36 and the six heats will be run on Saturday night at Curraheen on a programme that will also include the presentation of the Track Awards for 2011. To refresh the memory, the award winners are John Kiely (Public trainer), Tom O’Neill (Private trainer), Helen Wadsworth (Owner) and Paid Paddy (Greyhound).

There is a decent entry for the Guinness Trophy with last year’s winner Oakfront Aga defending his title. But the one to beat is surely Sede Vacante, though he faces a tough first round task pitted against Coole West Bound, Rising Flyer, Burgess Star and Big Bam.

The Curraheen dog of the year Paid Paddy is also in there and meets Glenanore and Dower Phanter in the final heat on Saturday.

The National Greyhound Awards Presentation will take place at the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone on Sunday, March 11 at 1 pm. Cost of tickets will be €35 and can be ordered from the IGB.

The Vetsearch Recharge 525 got off to a flying start at Limerick last weekend with Graham Holland notching a first round treble which was headlined by Calling Spice’s 29.27 record run. It’s a performance that makes her the one to beat.

Slick Seattle’s renaissance can continue in the first heat where Airforce Roger and Barefoot Machine are two formidable rivals. The final heat will see Calling Spice opposed by Colorful Champ and Airforce Newyork but the latter is very badly drawn in six for a real inside lover.

The Suirview Kennels Festival of Racing has given racing at Waterford a nice early season fillip and there should be a smashing crowd for Saturday’s five finals as well as a couple of good open contests. There will be a Guaranteed Trio Pool to €600 for the opening Open 575 where Whatsupjack looks a likely banker.

Racing resumes at Enniscorthy tonight following their winter break and the Monday night racing will then resume on the first Monday in February.

The road to Clonmel will begin for many on Saturday with the Pop Gun meeting at Thurles.

The Coursing Saplings Sale will take place before racing at 6 pm and there are some very well bred youngsters among the 30 strong catalogue.

Top race on the night will be the Gain Open 1035 and here I cannot oppose Derek Kehoe’s Slaneyside Havoc with Tom Kearney’s Kearneys Lucy the one to chase him home.

Monday’s card at Clonmel will include six finals headed by the O’Reilly’s Pharmacy Open 550 and also a couple of open races. Then on Tuesday the three major competitions of the week, the Festival Open Unraced Stake, the Broadway Pet Food Open Bitch Stake and the John Mitchell Open 525 will reach their conclusion. There will be four other finals and open races.

Latest betting with Boylesports on the Powerstown classics:

DERBY: 8 Solid Monk, Offshore Eoin; 10 Go Home Hare, Ashmore Master, Belated Birthday; 12 Cuddly Man, Uptown Abu, Hopes And Dreams, Blue Sam; 14 bar.

OAKS: 5 Fives Treasure; 9 Barrack Bimbo, Ravel Glory; 10 Alainn, Kingsmill Eve; 11 Holy Lady; 12 Gaisce Mor, Glenvale Katie; 14 bar.