Derry Greyhounds: Diegos Manna lands the Micky Concannon Memorial 500

We enjoyed a great night’s racing at Brandywell on Monday which included the two semi-finals of the Lornie McMonagle & Track Lotto Sprint along with a feature race, the Micky Concannon Memorial 500 which was generously sponsored by William Hodge.

The 8 race programme kicked off with 3 sprint races and it was Edgarstown Boy (Black Parachute x Pink Turkey, Jul ’23) that was first to earn his place on the winner’s podium. Owned by David Edgar, Boy was having his fourth career start and after meeting crowding in his first few races, he made the most of a trouble free run when trapping well from the 2 box and outpacing the fast starting Brandywell Pride on his inside to the first turn. Once in front, Boy held on to his lead gamely by 1.25 lengths as he crossed the line in 17.18.

There was a quick fire double for the ‘Boy’s’ on the night. In race 2, Anthony Boyd’s Tennesse Boy (Ballymac Best x Musical Roxanne, Dec ’22) was impressive on debut when coming from last to first to win by 2 lengths in 17.08. Slowly away from trap 4, Boy was just getting into top gear as the field approached the first turn. He had a wall of dogs ahead of him yet he somehow found a path through them all to emerge in front in a matter of strides and thereafter was never in any danger of being caught.

Dean Townsend’s Easy Rosie (Ballyhimikin Jet x Beaming Rosie, Jun ’23) was the fastest over the sprint distance on the night with a facile 5.75 length victory in 16.65. Fast away from trap 1, Easy made all and showed he is improving with age and racing experience. He had clocked 17.08 on his only other career success over course and distance on 3rd March. This boy named ‘Rosie’ looks to have a bright future.

The 1st Semi-Final of the Lornie McMonagle Memorial and Track Lotto Sprint saw a welcome return to top form for Charlie Baxter’s Generous Who (Ballymac Cooper x Overtwoher, Mar ’22). Her last success came in August and a spell on the side lines seems to have done her the world of good. Generous showed some sparkle on her last outing when a decent runner up to Dellser Bolger and she was very game to win on Monday from an unfavourable trap 4 draw.

All the dogs boxed 1 – 4 arrived at the first bend in almost a line, but Generous forged on ahead on the outside of her rivals as they turned the bend. She drew clear on the home straight to win by 5.25 lengths in a fast 16.70. The prolific Meet More Often took second place with Oisin Mac a further 0.75 lengths away qualifying for the Final in third place.

The On The Run Syndicate owned and Stephen Radcliffe trained Comer Runaway (Great Blue Shark x Coolavanny Muir, Apr ’22) notched up his lucky 7th career success when he landed the 2nd Semi-Final of the Lornie McMonagle Memorial and Track Lotto Sprint in 16.82. Fast away from trap 4, he had enough of a lead to clear first bend crowding and he ran on to win by 3.75 lengths from Sniper Roro, with Dealornodeal, a further 1.75 lengths back in third, taking the last qualifying place for next week’s Final.

The Trap Draw for the Lornie McMonagle Memorial and Track Lotto Sprint Final is; T1 Meet More Often, T2 Sniper Roro, T3 Generous Who, T4 Comer Runaway, T5 Oisin Mac, T6 Dealornodeal.

Oliver Canavan (right) was presented with the Bashful Kennels Trophy by Barry Holland on behalf of the sponsor Eamon O'Goan after ARDEVAN SOLDIER was voted our favourite performer at the 24/3/25 race meeting.

We welcomed Willie Hodge, his grandson Calvin and members of the Concannon Family to Brandywell to celebrate the memory of Micky Concannon in Race 6 over 500 yards. It was a case of early pace winning the race and Leigh Thompson’s Diegos Manna (Premier Fantasy x Sidarian Fern, Jul ’22) made it a terrific 9th career win after leading from traprise from his preferred 1 box. This lad started his career in England and only had his first race in Northern Ireland in February 2025. He has now won 3 of his 6 starts in NI.

Ballyquin Tilly (King Elvis x Townsend Beauty, Oct ’23) made it third time lucky to relinquish her maiden tag when winning Race 7 over 500 yards. Kirsty Harpur’s pup was moderately away from trap 3 but had two hounds on her inside at the first bend. Tilly bravely ran around their outside as the inside pair crowded each other and it allowed Tilly to build up a significant lead on the backstraight.

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Olwinn Again ran on well to reduce the winning deficit to 1 length, but Tilly had done enough to earn her win and she also won the Brandywell Greyhound Supporters Group £50 Bonus carried forward from End Of March 2025 for her efforts. The time was 28.91.

The evergreen Killmacs Best (Ballymac Best x Killmacdonagh, Mar ’21) showed exactly the sort of determination that has paid dividends this year. The 4 year old veteran has already notched up 5 wins in a row since February, followed by three runner up places and on Monday made it two in a row after following up on his win in Lifford on Sunday night. After a slow exit from trap 3 Best tucked in behind the leaders at the first turn to emerge in second place entering the back straight. He joined the leader at the third turn and had enough in the tank to hold his advantage by 1 length crossing the line in 28.46 for the 500 yards.

Action from Lifford Greyhound Stadium

There was a twelve-race card on offer at Lifford Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night but there were two performances of real note as both Brassneck Usyk and Beebees Princess dipped well under the 29-second barrier.

Breaking 29-seconds isn’t for the faint-hearted at Lifford Stadium and the night got off to a flyer in the opening contest, which was a ON2/ON3 525. Of the runners, the ‘talking dog’ of the line-up was the Martin Healy-owner Brassneck Usyk as he emerged for the first time since being purchased at the recent sales auction at Kilkenny. Indeed, ‘Usyk’ had plenty in hand over his rivals in terms of the qualifying clock and as such, he was installed as the 4/5 favourite to make a winning start to his career on Irish soil.

Oliver Canavan (right) was presented with the Bashful Kennels Trophy by Barry Holland on behalf of the sponsor Eamon O'Goan after ARDEVAN SOLDIER was voted our favourite performer at the 24/3/25 race meeting.

Rocketing from trap four, the son of Droopys Sydney and Waltham Magic quickly put the contest to bed as he posted a rapid 2.61 sectional, on route to opening an already unassailable lead entering the back straight. Stretching out impressively thereafter, ‘Usyk’ proved a class above his rivals as he stayed on in powerful fashion to cross the line ten lengths clear of Salvador Aerial in second. The time was an impressive 28.85.

Not to be outdone, the performance of the night came in the concluding race on the card as the Niall McGhee-trained Beebees Princess stormed to a convincing tenth career win.

After being reeled in on her latest start at Lifford, Beebees Princess was easy to bet at 7/4 in the market, however, Martin Lafferty’s consistent black was once again paw-perfect as she bolted from trap four to post a scarcely matched 2.58 sectional.

In doing so, the daughter of Grangeview Ten and Beebees Star opened a huge lead over Ballintoher Bud in second and, at this point, the contest looked a carbon-copy of proceedings one-week prior. However, Beebees Princess wasn’t to be outdone on this occasion as the fast-running surface played to her strengths and she never looked likely to be reeled in as a result. Staying on well, McGhee’s charge crossed the line three lengths better off than Ballintoher Bud and the time was a blistering 28.59 on the clock, which is the fourth fastest time at Lifford since its re-opening in 2023.

On Sunday’s SIS meeting, the highlight on the card was a double for the kennel of Martin Gallagher with Burnpark Boris in particular stealing the show. Jointly owned by Kyle McCarron and Connor McCarthy, the November whelp was a good winner at the Brandywell in recent weeks and as such, he was installed as an 11/4 chance to land the spoils.

Drawn in four, this proved a procession as the son of Newinn Taylor pinged out to lead early. In doing so, ‘Boris’ drew clear with every stride to emerge a facile, eight and a half length winner over the fancied, Slicer, in second. The time was a fast 28.90. Just two races later, the double was complete as Freedom Tonic finally repaid her loyal supporters. A favourite of many punters in recent weeks, the 2/1 chance also made her intentions early on with a swift exit to lead.

Thereafter, the daughter of Good Cody and Fourbet Layla stuck to her task well to cross the line three parts of a length clear of Crokers Millie in second. The time was 29.33.