Derry Greyhounds: Tina triumphant and Quinn quickest on memorial night

PICTURED ABOVE: THE JOHNNY McLAUGHLIN MEMORIAL SPRINT FINAL was won by SKYWALKER TINA in 17.33. Pictured with owner; Dominic McGarrigle kneeling behind his winner. Daisy Rouse was presented with the trophy by Brandon McLaughlin. Friends & family of Johnny were also in attendance.

Monday Night at Brandywell was a night for remembering two of the sport’s keenest enthusiasts; Daniel Canning and Johnny McLaughlin. Their family and friends turned out in force to celebrate their memory, the love they had for greyhounds and the time they spent as part of the community that went racing each week at Brandywell.

The 8 race, all sponsored programme, featured the finals of the Daniel Canning Memorial 500 and the Johnny McLaughlin Memorial Sprint.

First to earn a place on the winners’ podium was the Leigh Thompson owned Dainty Pearl (Broadstrand Bono x Young Dainty, Jun ’22). Smartly away from trap 5, Pearl lead the early dash to the first turn. She relinquished her lead before the bend but steered a steady wide course on the outside of her rivals to move back into second place behind Townsend Abby who had a 2 length cushion turning for home. Pearl dug deep, took the inside of Abby on the home straight and showed the better stamina to win the Ferrys Essentials Sprint by 0.75 lengths in 17.41.

The odds of winning the Race 2 from the same trap, by the same distance and in the same time as Race 1 were slim, but that was exactly what happened. Oakfront Lemon (Deerjet Sydney x Lemon Elsa, Jan ’24) made his career debut a winning one in the Daniel White Sprint for owner Michael Calvert.

A recent purchase from the Cork Sales, this striking white and fawn lad was moderately away from boxes and paced up to the first turn on the outside of a closely packed field. He steered a wide path around them and entered the home straight on the outside of Townsend Tonya. Lemon had the better stamina and it was a double whammy for owner John Joseph Porter who had to settle for second place with his Townsend hounds in the first two races.

The Johnny McLaughlin Memorial Sprint was probably one of the closest finals we have had at Brandywell. Less than 3 lengths separated all 6 dogs at the finish line and they finished in trap order which is a rare occurrence.

It was Dominic McGarrigle’s Skywalker Tina (Skywalker Barry x Skywalker Cilla, Feb ’23) in trap 1 that took full advantage of some first bend crowding. Meet More Often led to the first bend where Cee Or Seven drew level and the pair tangled.

Brandywell; RACE 4, THE DANIEL CANNING MEMORIAL 500 FINAL was won by CATUNDA QUINN in 28.41. Shane McColgan is holding the winner & is surrounded by many of the Canning children.

Meanwhile Tina used her track craft to move middle and slipped past the leaders on their outside rounding the bend. It was a move that won her this prestigious event by 0.75 lengths in 17.33.

We witnessed another absolute thriller in the Daniel Canning Memorial 500 Final when Starcash Barry made a speedy exit from trap 2 for Dean Toland. He got to the first bend in amongst the leaders and after some crowding, emerged into the back straight in front.

As always Barry gave 100% effort in the race, however, he was denied by a short head, right on the line, by the Stephen Radcliffe owned and trained Catunda Quinn (Ballymac Anton x Cabra Diva, Feb ’22). Quinn had shown good early pace from trap 5 but took a bump wide at the first turn which nearly cost her the race. It was a credit to her that she kept on relentlessly to be rewarded with the win in 28.41.

The winner of Race 5, the North West Plastering 500 posted 27.98 which was the fastest time over the distance on the night. Ryan McGranaghan’s Bows Hill Jet (Deerjet Sydney x Glengar Smasher, Jun ’22) flew out of trap 3 and made every yard of the running. Diegos Manna was cutting back the deficit as the line approached but Jet was still 1 length to the good. After a spell on the side-lines since last October, Jet has returned full of zest and this victory followed on from his sprint win in Drumbo a fortnight ago.

Kylenoe Bell (Pestana x Kylenoe Maid, Jul ’23) also made every yard of running in Race 6, the Lenny McKinney Transport 500. Racing from trap 6, Richard Grieve’s 52lbs pocket rocket translated her best Thurles form to Brandywell with a 6 lengths victory in 28.15. Plenty more to come from this lady as she gains more experience of the circuit. Maybe a contender for the Brandywell Oaks later this year?

Oliver Canavan’s Olwinn Swift (Ballymac Cashout x Jumeriah Liberty, Feb ’24) took the honours in Race 7 the CT Shop Fitting 500. Well away from trap 1 she moved middle on the run to the first bend and moved into the lead. She was challenged throughout by Lye In Wait but Swift was too good for her on the night and won by 3 lengths in 28.20.

There was a quick fire double for the Stephen Radcliffe trained and Ethan Tyre owned Knockavilla Jet (Dorotas Woo Hoo x Fill The Till, Sep ’22) in the BM Electrical 525. After a 29.33 success over Lifford’s 525 on Sunday, Jet was spring heeled again when winning Race 8 from trap 6 in 29.51. He was up with the early pace rounding the first bend and took up the lead entering the back straight. From there he went on to win by 3.25 lengths from Spiritinthesky who ran on for second place.

Thanks must go to all who contributed to such a successful night’s racing at the Brandywell and in particular to Kevin Canning and Brendan McLaughlin who organised the event on behalf of their families.

Brandywell; Race 1 FERRYS ESSENTIALS SPRINT was won by DAINTY PEARL in 17.41. Pictured with (from left) Brendan Mc Laughlin & Leigh Thompson & Patrick Gibson.

Although conditions at Lifford Greyhound Stadium were running on the slow side over the past weekend, there were some quality displays on offer and race two on Saturday saw a very useful prospect emerge in the form of Cloneden Shadow. A superbly bred son of Broadstrand Bono and Madabout Bella, who is the dam of Lifford specialist Cloneden Flash, this puppy was expected to take some stopping and he meant business from the off.

Drawn in three, the August whelp broke smartly before excelling into a clear advantage on the run to the opening bend. Thereafter, ‘Shadow’ got stronger as the race progressed as he crossed the line seven lengths clear of Kandoo Kid in second. A very impressive performance from Paul O’Donnell and Enda Currie’s charge, the time was 17.85.

Elsewhere on the card, there were three heats of the Fitzwilliam A3/A4 525 down for decision and just six spots separated the heat winners on the clock. Indeed, both Rossna Millie and Glavin Thief clocked identical times as they came home in 29.33. Rossna Millie, owned by Kirsty Harpur, was the first to score as the daughter of Ballymac Bolger came from the stars to reel in the Sniper Sam Hall by three parts of a length. Shortly after, that time was matched in trap-to-line fashion by Jim Joe McGrath’s Glavin Thief (Zero Ten – Mary The Thief).

In different style, his charge built on a brilliant sprint performance last time out to open a commanding lead before holding off Thisipromiseyou by one length. In the remaining heat, Saoirses Girl bounced back from a recent defeat to win handsomely for Eddie and Teresa Hurson.

A winner of a red-hot unraced sprint stake earlier this year, the January 24’ daughter of King Sheeran broke level but immediately pulled clear of her rivals from trap two. Building a substantial lead thereafter, she stayed on much stronger this time around to cross the line three and a quarter lengths clear of Zoos Ariel in second. The time was 29.39.

Brandywell; RACE 8, B,M. ELECTRICAL 525, was won by KNOCKAVILLA JET in 29.51. Pictured with Daithi Tyre.

An interrupted card on Sunday saw Jimmy Anderson notch a quick-fire double earlier in the card. First up was Pharis Sarah as she showed fine determination to fend off numerous challengers. The time was 29.81. Shortly after, Abbeyside Bono sealed the double was she too held on gamely to win by a half-length in 29.81.

Elsewhere on the card, the standard was set in emphatic fashion by Tippenyaki, owned by Orla McGhee and trained by Cathal McGhee. Known for his early speed, the son of Dorotas Wildcat overcame a moderate start to pace up brilliantly around the outside. In doing so, he appreciated the downgrade as he stretched clear of his rivals to win by an extending eleven and a half lengths. The time was a fast 29.28.