A superb crowd in excess of 1000 patrons turned up in Kilkenny for the Summer Party night. It made for a great nights entertainment for all, many of whom were first time visitors to the track, who will hopefully return. The atmosphere showed all that is good about a night at the dogs.
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| Scolari Me Daddy ex Lady Ecko pup sold for €900 |
The racing action was excellent, with trophies presented to winning connections after all races. The Aucion of 3 superbly well bred puppies raised €2400 for the track, while almost 20 patrons left the track with raffle prizes. The free barbeque went down a treat, while all of the face painted kids seemed to be having a ball.
The card got underway at 7.30, and in the opener, the ‘Sharps Green Rub & O'Dwyer Dog Foods A8 Final’ , it was the outsider of the field, Station Boy who waited until this final to produce the run he was threatening to produce for a number of weeks, with a strong running display from the 6 box, in an impressive 29.70. His returned price of 8/1 suggests that he also did the bookies a favour in this one.
Next up was a six bend contest sponsored by track vet Pat Dunne. On the bookies boards the one to beat was Seamus Kennedy and Sean Leahy’s Newlands Seanie (6/4), and so it prevailed that the veteran tracker (a Nov 06 whelp) produced the goods with a very good 40.79. ‘Seanie’ won his first race around Kilkenny 3 years ago, and while he possesed good early pace (4.50 split) over 525, he really has come into his own over the past couple of years over 6 bends, and is now a good open class distance dog, still with early pace, and he shows no signs of regression thus far.
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| Tomás Leahy recieves the trophy for Newlands Senie, from track vet Pat Dunne. |
In the AP Systems puppy race, we had very good field go to traps, and cases could be made for all dogs. Most came from the recent unraced stakes at the track showing potential at differnt stages, but it was wide open and 5/2 the field told the story. In trap two Burn and Turn made most of his favourable draw get around the first bend in good shape and came off the second bend chasing down the fast starting Ballygur Dream. He duely did so at the thrid bend and went on gamely to collect holding off a late challenge from Declan Meaney’s Lafontom. The time 2969 was a reflection of the trouble in the race, but make no mistake the winner will go onto good things.
In the next, an A3 sponsored by Kilkenny Welding Supplies, Brendan Murphys Rockmount Cruise took the honours. This former Newbridge regular led up in 4.56 and form there it was all over.
The final of the €4000 O’Dwyer Dog Foods A5, was a keenly contested affair, with support in the ring for the early paced Garryglass Brett for the Ramsbottoms who went off as 7/4 fav. He looked well housed and with his ealry pace, the consensus was if he trapped he won. There was also support for the puppy, Rattlin Goldstar, has shown us awesome pace at different times in recent weeks, but his trapping was suspect. But, as the lids opened ‘Goldstar’ took a flyer, and a superb 4.49 split from the 5 box gave him the lead from Buddys Express going down the far side. However, this son of Droopys Scolari powered on down the back, and streched his lead all to way home to an eventual 6L, he stopped the clock in a superb 28.90. Garryglass Brett may have disapointed connections with his placing, but that did nothing to temper the vocal cords of connections in the bar
after racing.
In the open sprint the Ann Baxter trined Chasing Willjoe made it 3 for 3 on his visits to Kilkenny.
Mama Odie produced a dramatic run in the Pat Carroll sponspored A2/A3 when she found trouble at the second bend which let her 8L adrift of Liam Dwans Pedro on Air, but this bitch is very game and chased hard to pick up Pedro close to home and take it in 29.38, a super run considering her
trouble.
The feature event of the night was an Open 700 race sponsored by the track bookmakers, and the Tony Nugent trained Greenane Bingo used his back straight pace and staying power to pick up Boldthadyquill at the third and hold on from a fast finishing Master Blaster to take this race.
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| Soem solice for Waterford followers at the end of a tough day ! |
In the Dropys Stud A3 final, it as all about the early paced Suir Lucas, traded at 4/6 on the boards this dog led from trap to line. A son of Big Daddy Cool, he really has settled down to find his feet now after some earatic form in the early part of his career, and he may go onto to be a dog for connections, his trapping is very consistent and he will stay a little further than the standard trip also. 29.01 here was a very good run indeed.
All that action left one race on the card, and that race went to Cashman’s Cat. ‘The Cat’, has been a super servant for owners Danny and Breda McEvoy over the last couple of years, and he really does love running Kilkenny. He was returning last night from a short layoff, but he certainly has not lost any of his early zip. He showed tremdous courage to hold off Kilgraney Dessie on the home straight, and this certainly capped off a great nights racing at the track.
All that action left one race on the card, and that race went to Cashman’s Cat. ‘The Cat’, has been a super servant for owners Danny and Breda McEvoy over the last couple of years, and he really does love running Kilkenny. He was returning last night from a short layoff, but he certainly has not lost any of his early zip. He showed tremdous courage to hold off Kilgraney Dessie on the home straight, and this certainly capped off a great nights racing at the track.
