Dan The Man set to make his mark at stud
With 17 wins across four tracks, he was a consummate professional, but it was at Curraheen Park that he proved most prolific, winning 10 of his 16 starts, all bar one of which was at the top level.
He was a true sprinter and, somewhat unusually, the furthest he ever raced over was the 360 yards sprint at Thurles. He certainly isn’t bred to be a pure two-bend dog, as his dam, Natural Energy, was twice a winner over 575 yards, and produced 2011 Leger winner What A Tornado (by Crash), and the prolific Master Blaster (by Tyrur Ted), who was placed over 750 and 725 yards, and won over 700.
Natural Energy was by Larkhill Jo out of that brilliant racer and broodbitch Frosty Rose, who won the Corn Cuchulainn at Harold’s Cross in 2000 and once held the 700 yards track record at the old track in Limerick. Being by Spiral Nikita out of Ullid Citrate, Frosty Rose was a litter sister to former Derby runner-up Late Late Show, who twice broke the 600 yards track record at Shelbourne.
Arguably one of the most difficult jobs in greyhound racing is to establish a new sire and, thus, I can only wish him luck in his new venture, and hope this most genuine and reliable of trackers will make the most of the opportunities which come his way. He is standing at Springmount Kennels in Golden, Co Tipperary.
This got me thinking about another old favourite, Knockglass Billy, who is also at stud. As a local greyhound, who was responsible for one of the great nights at Curraheen Park, I have a natural bias towards him, and also hoped he would get his chance.
His litters from which he has had runners have produced very promising sorts. As one would expect of a Laurels winner, there’s plenty of early dash in his sons and daughters and, just last week at Shelbourne Park, April pup Forrachmore Dubh (out of Forrachmore) made it two from three starts with an all-the-way victory in 28.70.
March bitch pup Knockglass Lilly (out of Trixies Post) has raced just once, winning at Youghal in a very smart 29.55, while her litter sister, Kilbrien Clodagh, recorded victory in 29.51. Another brother, Hovex Mo, was touched off in his two starts, recording 29.06 and 28.85 in defeat at Limerick.
Clearly, Knockglass Billy breeds greyhounds very much in his own mould — with terrific early pace — and has the potential to be a successful sire but, like so many others, being given the opportunity and getting the numbers and quality of bitches to really make a mark requires plenty of goodwill and no little luck.
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The Christmas season is rapidly approaching and the tracks are beginning to release their schedules. The Cork GOBA Christmas Party Night at Curraheen always delivers a high-class card. It takes place on Saturday week, December 19. Entries are being sought for all races, with preference going to GOBA members.
That meeting will be the last of 2015 at Curraheen, where a break will then be taken until the first Saturday of the New Year, January 2.
More immediately, the semi-finals of the Macroom Motor Services feature this Saturday night and, after the shock exit of Leger winner Skywalker Rory in the opening round, Witches Belle and Newlawn Simon are the leading fancies.
There’s also a busy weekend ahead at the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium, Tralee, where tomorrow night’s programme features the second-round heats of the Vulturi @ Stud Kingdom Derby while, on Saturday, the track will play host to a benefit night for Kerry Coursing Club.
