Derry Greyhounds: Diego's Manna is the star of Greyhound Data Gala Night

The Brandywell Greyhound Stadium was honoured once again to host the annual running of Greyhound Data Gala Night which was generously sponsored courtesy of Tony Gallagher at Greyhound Data. There was an 8 race programme with a three dog match race over 525 yards being the feature event.

First to earn a place on the winner’s podium was the Shaun Eastwood Dees Krona (Broadstrand Bono x Nialls Krona, Jul ’23). She was slow away from trap 1 but paced up alongside the leaders at the first turn where she gamely held her inside pitch to take up the lead. She entered the home straight with a narrow advantage over Mexicano and stayed on well to win the Greyhound Data Classifieds Sprint by 0.75 lengths in 17.39. A terrific start for her to win on her career debut.

Trap 1 also produced the winner of Race 2 when Gary Simpson’s Shesafunnylady (Good News x Imfine Imgrand, Jul ’23) trapped smartly and made all. She won the Greyhound Data Test Mating Sprint in 17.45 by 1 length and made it third time lucky to relinquish her maiden tag.

Race 3, The Greyhound Data Ask The Vet Service Sprint saw the Toland brothers back at the winners podium with a new recruit. Their other dog Starcash Barry is a hard act to follow, but Vermont Winter (Ballyhimikin Jet x Wishful All, Nov ’23) has started his career with more than a hint of promise.

Fast away from trap 4, he lead the early charge with Gortin Dan showing good pace up his inside to draw level at the first turn. Winter swept around Dan’s outside in a race winning move and held his advantage by 1 length at the line in what was the fastest sprint time of night, 17.06.

Stephen Radcliffe’s Catunda Quinn (Ballymac Anton x Cabra Diva, Feb ’22) is in a rich vein of form. She made it 3 wins in a row when winning Race 4, the Greyhound Data Discussion Forum 500. Fast away from trap 3, Quinn was soon led by the early pacers in the race.

She entered the back straight in fourth place but with a lovely burst of pace got herself into third place at the third turn. Still only third entering the home straight, she tucked in along the rail saving valuable ground and flew home to win by half a length in 28.43. A really game performance by Catunda Quinn.

There was a first career win for Surprise Gained (Our Surprise x Nothing Gained, May ’23) in Race 5, the Greyhound Data World Wide Pedigrees 500. Owned and trained by Kevin Canning, this lad flashed out of trap 1 and moved middle to wide on the run to the first bend. From there he took control of the race and ran out an easy 3 length winner in 28.31 on what was his eighth career start. Plenty more to come from this lad given a more favourable trap draw.

Brandywell; Race 1 Greyhound Data Classifieds Sprint was won by Dees Krons in 17.39. Pictured with Shaun Eastwood (left) & Sean Rouse.

Race 6, The Greyhound Data World Wide Rehoming 525 was decided at trap rise. Diegos Manna (Premier Fantasy x Sidarian Fern, Jul ’22) is a Brandywell Track specialist and currently leads the ‘Dog With Most Wins’ league table for the circuit for 2025. He added another win to tally with a smart exit from trap 1 and was never in any danger of being caught. Versatile over the sprint trip and enough stamina for the 4 bends, he is a force to be reckoned with for Leigh Thompson. He won by 2.25 lengths in 29.50 to record his 17th career win.

Stamina was the key to Race 7, the Greyhound Data Sire Pages 500. It was won by Kyle McCarron’s Italian Lady (Burgess Bucks x Cannobio, Jun ’22) who, as expected, tailed the field of early pacers from trap 2. As she rounded the second bend Lady had closed the gap on the leaders and looked like she was a serious threat. Coming around the fourth bend, she powered up the inside of her rivals in a race winning move. Lady flew up the home straight in splendid isolation to clock 28.54 and win by 5.25 lengths.

Brandywell; Race 6, Greyhound Data World Wide ReHoming 525 Yds was won by DIEGO'S MANNA in 29.50. Pictured with winning owner Leigh Thompson & Patrick Gibson.

The finale, the Thank You Greyhound Data Sprint was a real thriller. Dakota Star looked to have put the race to bed but checked back at the first bend when tracking too close to the inside rail. She lost momentum and Thomas Mullan’s Promises To Keep (Droopys Sydney x Cantcallherthat, Jan ’21) used her trap 1 pitch to full advantage, slipping past her to take up the lead and ran on well to win by 2 lengths in 17.07.

Not for the first time, the star of the show at Lifford Stadium over the weekend was Saorlaith. Trained by Eddie Hurson for Teresa Hurson, this lady emerged as one of the brightest prospects at Lifford earlier this year when winning in 17.56 in just her second career outing. Lightly raced since, the daughter of King Sheeran – Cielo returned with a sparkling 17.38 trial and although she didn’t quite see out the stiff 525-yards at the Northwest venue, she proved a class apart on her return to sprinting action.

In what was a red-hot race, the 6/4 chance went up in the air slightly at boxes, however, quickly challenged Jolly Ten on the run to the opener. Showing great determination to course around her rival, the strapping black quickly asserted thereafter to power up the hill and win by one and a half lengths. The time was a fast 17.48 considering it was far from a clear passage.

The concluding two races on the card on Saturday saw two fine performances from Cloneden Flash and firstly, Ballybun Ranger. The latter was the subject of strong market support and the Alan Byrne-trained runner ran a terrific race to make it back-to-back wins at Lifford. Even money at the off, ‘Ranger’ broke smartly from trap two and showcased all of his explosive early speed to take a lead of one and a half lengths into the back.

Quickly doubling that advantage to bound clear of Rackethall Rambo, the son of Ballymac Bolger, owned by Adrian McGlinchey, raced to a commanding victory thereafter as he crossed the line with five lengths to spare. The time was 29.23.

Brandywell: Race 8 Thank You Greyhound Data 300 Sprint was won by PROMISES TO KEEP in 17.07. Pictured with Thomas Mullan.

Shortly after, Cloneden Flash posted the fastest time of the night as the veteran clocked a sixteenth career victory for connections. Jointly owned by Enda Currie and Paul O’Donnell, the son of Makeshift is fast approaching his fifth birthday, however, he still retains plenty of ability, especially when dropped into A3 company.

Drawn in one, ‘Cloneden’ received the freedom of Donegal early on from his inside berth and he grabbed this opportunity with both paws as he paced up brilliantly to assert. In doing so, he manufactured a commanding lead down the back before proving much too strong in the closing stages of the contest. Racing to a solid three length victory, the time was 29.15.

On Sunday’s SIS card, there were a couple of doubles for kennels of Jimmy Anderson and Paul Whyte. The first of the Anderson winners saw Abbeyside Bono post an eighth career victory as she came off the pace to score. Sent off at odds of 9/2, the daughter of Broadstrand Bono took over at the penultimate bend before holding off the powerful finish of Mount Oliver in second. The time was 29.89.

Arguably the performance of the night saw Anderson double up with Strike It Dolly in race six. Dropped into A5 grade, this lady looked the one to beat and she certainly delivered with an exceptional display to win almost ten lengths. Drawn in five, Conall Doherty’s 9/4 favourite pinged from five and once taking charge at the second bend, proceeded to outclass her rivals thereafter. The time was 29.46.

The concluding two races saw Paul Whyte seal a quick-fire double. The first to score was Bellatrix Doll (5/1). Normally all about early speed, on this occasion the daughter of Ballymac Bolger came from off-the-pace to take charge at the penultimate bend. Thereafter, she raced to a two and a half-length victory in 29.68. 

Lifford on Sunday; Race 6, was won by STRIKE IT DOLLY in 29.46. Pictured with Caeleen Anderson holding the dog & her friends.

Moyola Wojtec sealed the double in race twelve. The 6/4 favourite, the strapping black disputed early on from five before taking over upon entrance to the back straight. Storming to the front, the son of Ballymac Cashout ran to a convincing three length victory in 30.19.