Derry Greyhounds: Marvel-lous Drumcrow fastest in Liam Melly Memorial at Brandywell

The four first round heats of the Liam Melly Memorial 525 were the highlight of a competitive 8 race programme at the Brandywell on Monday evening. The competition has been generously sponsored by Sean Melly and the Melly family in memory of their beloved Liam who passed away in May 2023. Liam loved caring for his own dogs and going racing to Lifford and Brandywell.

He had many competition winning dogs over the years and he is dearly missed by his family and friends.

Racing got underway with a couple of sprint events and it was Sean McKnight’s Mimees Girl (Confident Rankin x Churchtown Mimee, Apr ’22) that was first to earn her place on the winners podium. Moderately away from trap 3, she took up a good pitch on the inside rail at the first turn.

With the leader moving wide, Mimee took advantage of the clear path on its inner and emerged into the home straight with a 3 length lead. She kept on well to win by 2.75 lengths in 17.33 and relinquished her maiden tag on only her third start.

Thomas Brennan’s Townsend Swift (Blame The Game x A Wild Weegirl, Jun ’22) has become a track specialist at the Brandywell and currently lies third in the 2024 league table for ‘Dog With Most Wins’ at the circuit. Ideally drawn in trap 1, she flew from boxes and made every yard of the running to win by 6.75 lengths and posted a 16.91 clock. She has a great strike rate of 7 wins from 20 starts.

Trainer Michael Corr notched up a double on Monday and his first winner came in the Heat 1 of the Liam Melly Memorial 525. La Calabaza (Ballymac Bolger x Coolavanny Chick, Nov ’22) for owners Roy Ball and Trevor Pearson was well away from trap 4 and tucked in behind early leader Tuttles Timmy.

Calabaza kept up a strong gallop throughout and just got up by a head at the finish line to clock 29.61 and bring her career tally to an impressive 3 wins from only 5 starts. Timmy held on for second place with Mulroy Mary finishing strongly in third to claim her place in the semi-finals.

Drumcrow Marvel (Drumcrow Darwin x Drumcrow Holly, Sep ’22) posted the fastest time in the first round of the Liam Melly Memorial 525 in Heat 2. Moderately away from trap 2, Marvel was afforded plenty of room on the run to the first bend where he took up the lead. He shook off a slight clip on his heels at the second bend and showed great pace on the backstraight to go on to win by 2.5 lengths in 29.26 for Roy Ruddy. Fayes Diamond took the runner up spot with Moorstown Amelia a further 0.75 lengths back in third.

Early pace was the key to success in Heat 3 of the Liam Melly Memorial 525. Richard Grieve’s Shanahee Monty (Ballymac Wild, x Slaneyside Twink, Jun ’22) was fast away from the 5 box and was always in control of the race. He clocked 29.44 finishing 2.25 lengths ahead of 2023 Len McKinney & Track Lotto Brandywell Derby winner Tuttles Bruno with De Black Swallow a head away in third.

Heat 4 of the Liam Melly Memorial 525 saw another fast time posted on the clock. Generous Tricast cut out the early running but Michael Corr completed his double when his own hound, Wee Chancer (Droopys Sydney x Meenagh Midget, Jul ’22), returned to her best form to land the spoils.

Drawn in trap 1, Chancer got a clear run up the inside rail and got into a great position at the first turn to deliver her challenge. As Tricast moved off wide at the fourth turn, Chancer nipped up his inside to win by 2.5 lengths in 29.29. Tricast held the runner up spot with Shelone Glory running on for third.

Brandywell; Race 4 The Liam Melly Memorial 525, Rd 1 Ht 2 was won by DRUMCROW MARVEL IN 29.26. With Father & Son Team Harold & Roy Ruddy.

The most competitive race of the night was Race 7 over the 300 yards. Just over 4 lengths covered first to last as the 6 runners crossed the finish line. But it was Sarah Leahy’s Journalist (Good News x Oldburrin Queen, May ’21) that got the verdict by a short head in 17.45.

Ideally housed in trap 6, Journalist was only moderately away from boxes and steered a wide course throughout. Lying in only third place entering the home straight he showed plenty of determination to grab victory and notch up his fourth career win.

It was a fantasic 3 in a row for the William Mullan owned and trained Catunda Chloe (Ballymac Best x Swallow, Aug ’21) in the last race over the 300 yards. Evenly away from trap 1, Chloe’s early pace was no match for her competitors and she held the crucial lead at the first turn. From there she ran on to clock 17.02 and had 3 lengths to spare over Dreenan Bran in second.

After a sweepstake extravaganza one-week prior, both Friday and Sunday meetings at Lifford were all-graded affairs, however, there were some brilliant performances of note, none more so than that of Ballinabola Bale.

Owned by Charles Coyle, the son of Magical Bale and Dolls On Fire was the subject of huge support one-week prior when tasting defeat, however, he bounced back in the most emphatic fashion is an A5 525-yard contest. Indeed, ‘Bale’ stood out like a sore thumb on paper and as such, he was installed as a 4/5 chance to notch a first career victory.

Lifford on Sunday; Race 3 - The NORTHWEST GREYHOUND SUPPLIES S2 325 was won by ARDAGH BEJING in 17.48. With winning owner Conor Crossan.

Running from trap five, he learnt from his mistake last time out with a ping start (2.63) to immediate outpace his rivals on the run-up. Already in possession of a healthy advantage entering the back straight, this was all one-way traffic for the December pup as he drew further and further clear, before powering up the hill to record a fifteen length success. The time, as expected, was a blistering 28.78.

High quality

The concluding race on the card was one of high quality and it again saw the 29-second barrier smashed by the progressive Own And More. Trained by Paul Magee for John McNamee, this fellow was a fine winner back in July when posting 28.82 but found life difficult when stepping up into A1 company.

However, the drop in class proved fruitful for the 5/2 chance as he bombed from trap five early on to post a rapid 2.56 sectional.

Lifford on Sunday; Race 7 - The GMK A3 525 was won by LIBERTY KATY in 28.93. With Mairead Miller & Shane Mc Colgan.

In doing so, the son of Burgess Buck and Coolavanny Spice had all of his rivals chasing dust as he powered into the back straight with a commanding lead. A smart stayer, there was never any doubts regarding the outcome thereafter as Own And More put his rivals to the sword in crossing the line four and a quarter lengths clear of Hows Things Now in second. The time was a fast 28.90.

On Sunday afternoon, the first tracker to set tongues wagging was the Conor Crossan-owned Ardagh Beijing, who sealed another victory for what is a brilliant litter. Returning from a lengthy break, the son of Broadstrand Bono and Venice qualified in a smart 17.77 so it was a little surprising to see him go off as an easy-to-bet 9/4 chance.

In truth, this was something of a demolition job for this talented tracker as he broke smartly wearing black, before rallying past Fridays Bolger on the run-up. Tracking beautifully around the bottom two bends, the striking black never relented up the hill as he powered to a four and a three parts of a length victory over Glasaree Ace in second. The time was a red-hot 17.48.

The 29-second barrier was dipped under again in race seven as Liberty Katy, who is a Mum, came from off-the-pace to score in style for Mairead Miller. It was Boy Lorian who showed first from trap five and given his strong running abilities, it looked like he had the race sewn up heading into the back straight.

Lifford on Sunday; Race 8 - The GOODNIGHT AND SAFE HOME A1/A2 525 was won by PLENTY OF FROGS in 29.08. From left we have Nevaeh Maguire, Patsy Doherty, Dickie, Darragh & winning owner Ryan Mc Granaghan.

However, ‘Katy’ has form over extended trips and the daughter of Ballymac Bolger and Liberty Marie showed big improvement at the halfway mark. Closing the gap around the bottom two bends, the writing was on the wall entering the hill as the 5/2 chance powered past Boy Lorian to score by an extending three and a quarter lengths. The time was 28.93

The final race on the card saw Plenty Of Frogs make it back-to-back wins in very smart company. A brilliant contest saw punters split on who would come out on top but Plenty Of Frogs, a 3/1 chance for Ryan McGranaghan, meant business from the outset as he bolted from trap five to lead.

Indeed, Plenty Of Frogs is a stout stayer so once leading, it was always going to take a monumental effort from his rivals to peg him back. This proved accurate

as he maintained a strong gallop from trap-to-line to come home one and three parts of a length better off than last week’s stake winner, Tribal Paddy. The time was 29.08.