Baba Yaga scores on Brandywell debut

The style of Baba Yaga’s victory on Monday at Brandywell earned him the headline act title this week.

Making his racing debut, Aaron McCloskey’s hound took on more experienced opposition in the fourth race over 500 yards. A well bred son of Premier Fantasy x Mineola Radical, this Apr ’22 whelp was only moderately away from trap 3 and given his racing inexperience he could have been excused if he failed to get competitive.

But Yaga tucked in behind the early leader Burrow Alaska around the first two bends and showed an eye catching burst of pace exiting the second bend to take up the lead.

The further he went, the further he stretched his lead, crossing the line in 27.83 which was the fastest time of the night, 7.5 lengths ahead of Zoos Zamboni in second. Baba Yaga certainly looks to have an exciting future ahead.

Racing got underway with a couple of sprint contests. In the first race, Thomas Brennan’s Townsend Swift (Blame The Game x A Wild Weegirl, Jun ’22) had a lacklustre start to her career with 3 defeats at Lifford but the switch to Brandywell was the key to delivering results.

After a moderate start from trap 4 she showed good pace to reach the first bend in second place behind Generous Smile, but the later ran wide off the second bend and allowed Swift space on her inside which she duly accepted. Swift ran on well up the home straight and clocked a decent 17.10, with 0.75 lengths back to Smile in second. With age and experience, connections must be hopeful there is more improvement to come.

Beautiful Emma (Burgess Bucks x Titanic Peggy, Aug ’22) also relinquished her maiden title on Monday when she was an impressive 6.75 length winner of the second race in 17.09.

She was well away from trap 3 and was paw perfect thereafter. She is another pup with youth on her side and connections will be hopeful that she will continue to improve with age and racing experience. She is the second pup from this young litter to register a win and has a damline that goes back to North West Oaks winner Culmore Gift.

Race 5, Monday Night 500 yards was won by MOSS FLYER in 28.02. Pictured with (from left) siblings Shane, Rian, & Ceallach Talbot. Their Uncle (winning owner) Matthew Talbot is second from right.

The third race was over the 500 yard trip and the writing looked to be on the wall as prolific Brandywell winner Finnside Gem flew out of trap 6 and made the early running.

She has had a dry spell recently since she topped the league table for ‘Bitch With Most Wins 2023 @ Brandywell’ but Monday’s effort showed that she was coming back to form. However, Eoghan Doherty’s Moorstown Amelia (Ballymac Bolger x Moorstown Debbie, Nov ’21) enjoyed a clear passage from trap 2 and was hot on Gem’s heels as they approached the third bend.

Amelia took the shorter inside route as the pair emerged from the fourth bend and gathered enough momentum to get the better of her rival as she crossed the line in 28.02. It was a solid effort from Amelia and a thrilling race to watch for the racing enthusiasts.

The well bred Moss Flyer (Droopys Sydney x Sidarian Pearl, May ’22) won the fifth race over the 500 yards trip after leading from trap rise. Matthew Talbot’s Flyer used the 1 box to full advantage and was afforded plenty of racing room as Shelone Glory in trap 2 moved middle from boxes. Glory looked to be a threat approaching the third bend but Flyer had enough in the tank to hold off her challenge by 1.25 lengths and clocked a decent 28.17.

Brandywell; Race 2,Monday Night Sprint 300 yards was won by BEAUTIFUL EMMA in 17.09. She is named after Emma who is on the left of photo & her Uncle Josh Campbell is on right of photo.

We reverted to sprint action for the last two races and the sixth race was won by Two More Brendan (Ballymac Best x Queen Adele, May ’21) for Cormac McCloy. He was fast away from trap 5 and held off the challenge of the fast finishing Skinnylittlemiss by 0.75 lengths. Brendan’s clock of 16.89 was a significant improvement on his previous best time of 17.40 and shows he has plenty of pace if he gets it right at the boxes.

Hailing from the same dam as top class sprinter and multiple track record breaker Flashing Willow, Shanmoyle Amy (Pestana x Cabbage, Mar ’21) showed she was also a force to be reckoned with when she landed the spoils in the last race of the night.

The Eamon O’Neill and Daniel Higgins owned Amy was smartly away from trap 5 and despite being under pressure throughout, held off her challengers to clock a pleasing 17.09. This was her third career success and all credit to her owners for getting her back into form since her last win in March 2023 which was a sparkling 21.40 for the 400 yards in Dundalk.

Action from Lifford Greyhound Stadium

There were a number of quality performances at Lifford Greyhound Stadium over the weekend and the highlight was the first round heats of the Trackside Restaurant A3/A4 525 which saw Xhaka go quickest.

Lifford; Race 4 - The N.W.G.O.B.A ON2/ON3 325 Round 1 Heat 3 (Grade : ON2) Flat 325 was won by LONGVALE FINN in 17.85. From left; Molly O Neill, & holding her hand is Megan Crossan, winning owner Georgina Gibbons, Crystal Crossan and Macushla Brady on front right of photo.

A serial winner at the Northwest venue, the Charles Coyle-owned runner was once again sent off as the 5/4 favourite, however, he was all out to score from the eye-catching Harrowgatetownbaz. Just a four-dog affair, Xhaka meant business from the off with a rapid 2.55 sectional and despite coming under serious pressure from Harrowgatetownbaz in second, the son of Skywalker Canny and Titanium Kab brought up a tenth career win with a half-length victory. The time was a swift 29.01.

The opening heat of the night was claimed by Ross Dame (9/4) who made a successful return to Lifford after a stint in Dundalk. Jointly owned by Eamon Devlin and Sean Hagan, the son of Droopys Jet and Quare Dame looked in a spot of trouble early on as prolific winner, With Luck, set off in front.

However, showing a fine turn of speed down the back, ‘Dame’ powered to the front and ran out a one and a quarter length winner, in 29.36.

Brandywell; Race 1, The Monday Night Sprint 300 yards was won by TOWNSEND SWIFT in 17.10. Winning owner on left, Thomas Brennan alongside Control Steward, Martin McLaughlin.

In the remaining heat, Ardnasool Arc bounced back from defeat last time out with another polished performance for Orla McGhee.

The 2/1 favourite ahead of Wilms Blake, it was the latter who showed his hand first with a smart exit from trap three. However, Ardnasool Arc is a powerful tracker and she loomed large down the back before producing her customary strong finish. A lovely performance from a bitch who has now won three of her last four starts, the time was 29.04.

AN IZZYS DOUBLE

On Sunday night, it proved a fruitful night for the Breslin kennels of Fermanagh as litter brothers Izzys Jimmy and Izzys Jack (King Sheeran – Corryglass Spark) landed their respective contests. The first to score was ‘Jimmy’ in the open sprint as he continued his purple patch to make-all in a fast 17.70, while ‘Jack’ implemented similar tactics over the standard trip to come home two and a half lengths clear of Kates Loch in second. His time was 29.28.

The opening round heats of the NWGOBA Unraced 325 got underway on the card and Ardnasool Rebel made a winning start to his career for joint owners Cathal McGhee and Lesley Barber.

A son of Ravenswood Hugo and Droopys Elite, the strapping blue was installed as the 5/4 favourite and he never looked back after a swift exit from trap one. Crossing the line one and three parts of a length clear of Clooney Rebel, the time was a fast 17.88.

Lifford; Race 7 - The GMK A4 525 was won by IZZYS JACK in 29.28. With winning owner/trainer Ann Breslin.

The fastest of the opening round heats was the Sean Dunphy-owned and Charles Coyle-trained Droopys Cynthia. Justifying 4/6 favouritism, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Fia made no mistakes in proving too hot to handle for her rivals, in 17.83.

The remaining two heats were landed by Longvale Finn, who maintained a purple patch for Declan Crossan and Georgina Gibbons in 17.85, while Tober Fred also impressed for Austin Maxwell when coming from off-the-pace to win by two lengths in 17.89.