Lane leads all the way to Clonmel

Cork hurling manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy enjoyed fine success on the coursing fields on Sunday when his Jacksons Lane, trained by Michael O’Donovan in Tipperary town, won the Derby Trial Stake at Abbeyfeale.

A great supporter of greyhound sport, this victory ended the long wait for a first Clonmel qualifier since he and his son, Brian, watched their Telematic Touch, trained by his cousin and Curraheen stalwart John, go to the last 16 of the Oaks back in 1996.

The win was not unexpected, as the son of Lochbo Butch and Aghadown Laura had shown distinct promise in earlier competition. “He was beaten ‘just up’ by the winner in Newcastlewest and so we knew we had a chance this time, but it’s very tough to win a trial stake,” said Barry-Murphy.

“Thankfully it worked out well and we couldn’t be more delighted. He’s a nice dog, and it’s great to get one to Clonmel.”

The dog was bred and reared by PJ and Niall Collins, brothers of Curraheen racing manager Brian, and he comes from a long line of the Collins family’s Aghadown breeding — a line Barry-Murphy is familiar with.

“We bought him off the Collins’ — we’ve bought a few off them down through the years because you know they’re well-bred and they’ve been reared properly,” he added.

“This is a litter that take a bit of time to get going — they need that little bit of experience — but Jack Hallissey has a sister, Kilty Union, who I thought was very impressive when winning the Oaks Trial Stake at Glanworth early last month. She showed plenty of pace as well.”

Installed a 20-1 chance to lift the Boylesports.com Derby at next month’s national meeting, Barry-Murphy is excited about the prospect of having a runner, but keen not to get too carried away.

“There are so many good ones out there, it feels like a bit of a lottery at times,” he admitted. “But we live in hope.”

As Brian Collins pointed out, Jacksons Lane’s grand-dam is Aghadown Glitter, but the first Aghadown Glitter, bred by his father, Michael, who will celebrate his 90th birthday next week, went to the last four in the Oaks back in 1959.

“Jimmy bought him off us as a pup but he was reared here by Niall and PJ,” said Collins. “He’s the third trial stake winner of the year that they’ve reared.

“The dam, Aghadown Laura, had her first litter to Tynwald Smokey, one of which we thought an awful lot of, but we didn’t get the rub of the green with them. But, thankfully, this litter looks very promising.

“We thought he (Jacksons Lane) might win in Kilsheelan and he was desperately unlucky in Newcastlewest, but he won this impressively and we’re delighted for Jimmy — it means an awful lot to him.

“It’s a great achievement for connections — as my father always says, you haven’t a trial stake won until you read about it in the paper on Monday morning.”