Derry Greyhounds: Sweet, sweet success for La Calabaza in Derby run

There was a great crowd at the Brandywell on Monday where the Final of the Len McKinney & Track Lotto Derby was decided as part of a generous all sponsored race programme.

Thomas Brennan’s Up Tipp Two (Turree Buster x Blackie Blake, Aug ’22) was the first to visit the winners podium. Ideally drawn in trap 1, Tipp recovered from a slow start to pace up strongly to the first bend for a share of the lead. He tracked cleverly around the turns and stayed tight to the inside rail which gave him a race winning advantage in the Danny McGilloway sponsored Teddy Sprint Stake.

He had a comfortable 4.5 length lead crossing the line and clocked 17.44 to land his first career success. His victory also gave his sire, Turree Buster, his first winner.

Paul Ryan sponsored Race 2, The Just Vape Trophy Sprint, and it got trainer Michael Corr’s Derby Night off to a great start when Emmas Twinkle (Blame The Game x Meenagh Melody, Apr ’23) claimed her first career win on what was her ninth start. Owed by both Michael Corr and JP McHugh, Twinkle was evenly away from trap 3 and showed good pace to lead at the first turn. She stretched her lead around the bends and held off the fast finishing Lifes Nippy by 3 lengths in 16.97.

As well as co-sponsoring the Derby, Len McKinney also sponsored Race 3, the Len McKinney Transporter Trophy over 500 yards. The early pace of Do It Jella (Broadstrand Bono x Coolatee Molly, Mar ’22) caught the others on the hop and despite only a moderate break from trap 4 she was in control by the first turn and led her rivals a merry dance. Jella held off the late challenge of last week’s impressive winner Dreenan Jill and, in doing so, clocked a fast 27.81 to record her tenth career success for owner Andrew White and trainer Ray White.

The feature event of the night was Race 4, The Len McKinney & Track Lotto Derby over the 525 yards trip. Trainer Michael Corr completed a fantastic double on the night when La Calabaza (Ballymac Bolger x Coolavanny Chick, Nov ’22) used trap 2 to her full advantage and made it through the Derby competition unbeaten. Fast away from boxes, she led around the first turn and extended her lead throughout to win by an impressive 6 lengths in 28.96.

A terrific result for her owners Roy Ball and Trevor Pearson. Galliagh Bolt ran on for second place and last year’s Derby winner Tuttles Bruno gave another good account of himself by taking third place. Thanks must go once again to Len McKinney for his continued sponsorship at Brandywell and to Track Lotto for their organisation and co-sponsorship of this event.

Race 5 The Track Lotto Trophy, sponsored by Track Lotto, was over the 500 yards. It was Ciaran McLaughlin’s new recruit Jacktavern Teddy (Droopys Sydney x Skywalker Angie, May ’22) that made it seventh time lucky to record his first career success. Evenly away from boxes, he was crowded for room on the run to the first bend but his early pace took him to the front at the first turn.

He ran strong bends and built up a good lead on the back straight. This distinctively tall 87 pounder was tiring coming home but had just enough left in the tank to hold off Punch A Hole in 28.53 by 0.75 lengths.

Brandywell on Monday. Race 8. The Aidan Mc Allister Trophy 300 Sprint was won by TOWNSEND SWIFT in 16.78 to give her owner a double on the night. Pictured with; (from right) Barry Holland, Kevin Canning who presented winning owner Thomas Brennan with his trophy. Then Sean Eastwood & Tyler Patterson

Dessie Tighe sponsored Race 6, The Roadside Nurseries Trophy over 500 yards and it was Deirdre Eastwood’s Tammy Kay (Broadstrand Bono x Believer, Aug ’22) who showed terrific determination to come from last to first and reel in the long time leader Derrinasafa Jet. Slowly away from trap 5, she picked off her rivals one by one and came up the home straight with a wet sail to win by 1.75 lengths in 28.50.

This was Tammy Kay’s second win from only six starts and her racing attitude will certainly be an asset in her career going forward.

Emily Amore (Judicial Post x Best Illusion, Oct ’21) always gives a good account of herself and she was paw perfect in race 7 The Mother Clucking Chicken & Pizza Shed Trophy Sprint which was sponsored by Andrew McKinney. Ideally drawn in trap 1, she made full use of her pitch to lead from trap to line and clocked 17.20 to bring her career tally of wins to 5 for owners Raymond Fay and Colm Sweeney.

The last race on the programme was the Aidan McAllister Trophy Sprint and Thomas Brennan finished the night the way he started it, with a great winner. Townsend Swift (Blame The Game x A Wild Weegirl, Jun ’22) is the most prolific winner at Brandywell this year and she proved why she has earned that position with a fast and gutsy display of trapping and sprinting. Bolting from the 2 box she won unchallenged by 4.25 lengths in a fast time of 16.78.

Brandywell on Monday. Enda O’Goan (second from left) is presented with the Len Mc Kinney Greyhound Transporter Trophy by Josh McKinney after Leslie Hunter’s (left of photo) Golan Mum was voted our favourite performer at the 4/11/24 race meeting. Len McKinney on right of photo.

It was a terrific night’s racing and thanks must go to all those involved who contributed in any way to the success of the meeting, in particular Thomas Hasson whose support at Brandywell over the years has, and is, invaluable.

Action from Lifford Greyhound Stadium

It was an historical weekend for Lifford Greyhound Stadium on Sunday evening as they ventured onto the SIS scene for the first time with the racing action being streamed worldwide over various betting platforms.

On a night where the track maintenance team had the surface in pristine condition, there were a number of career best performances, the best of which came in the second race as Halfway Russo (Slippy Cian - Adimac) scored for a fourth time. Owned by Michael Farrell, the 11/4 second favourite was poorly drawn in three, however, he nestled into an excellent pitch rounding the opening bend to sit a close third.

Long Spartacus took over from Tobernal Beauty at the midway point and looked sure to pass the post in front, however, ‘Russo’ came with his customary fast finish to power through and record a one and a quarter length victory. The time was a good 28.93. 

Whobreakstherules has been banging on the door in recent weeks and Martin Gallagher’s talented sort finally broke her maiden tag when justifying her 5/4 billing. Running from four, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Magnetism was on the receiving end of one of her better starts on this occasion and she turned a handy third entering the back. Bridging the gap on the approach to the penultimate bend, ‘Rules’ went for a daring run through runners and this paid off as she hit the front before storming to a convincing five length victory. The time was 29.01.

Lifford on Sunday. Race 2 - BET ON THE TOTE A3 525 was won by HALFWAY RUSSO in 28.93. Pictured with Peter Farrell.

There was some strong support for Sunshine Kid in race three and the Laurence Crossan-owned tracker duly obliged as he too came from off-the-pace to score. A member of a brilliant litter that includes the likes of Ardagh Vis and Ardagh Beijing, the son of Broadstrand Bono and Venice stuck tight to Do It Jella throughout and his superior stamina shone through in the closing yards as he hit the front to record a one length victory. The time was 29.17. 

On Friday night, the main event was the final of the ‘Track Bookmakers S3/S4 325’ and the €500 feature was landed in supreme fashion by the even money favourite, Swift Landan. Owned by Patrick Doyle, the son of King Elvis and Swift Tabby burst onto the Northwest scene last time out when clocking a blistering 17.43 and he franked that performance with another virtual solo in the decider.

Emerging from a level start to show his explosive early speed, ‘Landan’ outclassed his rivals to the opening bend and he maintained a relentless gallop on the run for home to win by a comfortable four lengths. The time was a rapid 17.45. Not to be outdone, Sniper Roro (Broadstrand Bono - Sniper Ria) took home the mantle as the quickest speedster on the night. Owned by Kevin O’Kane, the 3/1 chance showed his sizzling early pace from trap one and in doing so, the strapping blue powered to a three and a quarter length win over Import Duty.

Lifford on Sunday. Race 1 - WELCOME TO LIFFORD STADIUM A7/A8 525 was won by NOTANOTHERMONDAY in 29.92. Pictured with the Anderson family; (from left) Jimmy, then birthday girl Caeleen & her mum Ciara. This was the winner of the first race broadcast via SIS from Lifford.

The time was a whopping 17.38. Over the standard trip, the Niall and Cathal McGhee duo of Beebees Princess and Ardnasool Arc recorded identical times in their respective contests. ‘Princess’ was the first to notch victory as the Martin Lafferty-owned bitch won for a third successive outing.

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Swiftly into stride to record a 2.56 sectional, this was all one-way traffic for the daughter of Grangeview Ten as she fended off Rough Roco to win by two lengths. The time was 28.77 and that time was matched by Ardnasool Arc (3/1) in the very next race.

Owned by Orla McGhee, ‘Arc’ is as consistent as they come and she made her intentions clear with a slick exit from three to lead. As a result, the daughter of Droopys Cain was always going to prove difficult to peg back and she duly saw off Own And More to win by one and a half lengths.