Derry Greyhounds: Dreenan Bella fastest in Bart Teague Oaks heats

The Bart Teague Memorial Oaks will be the last major event to be decided at the Brandywell for 2025 and the first round semi-finals got underway on Monday as part of a 7 race programme.  In addition, Race 7, the Martin Lavery Sprint attracted the cream of the crop in terms of our fastest local sprinters. 

The Toni Graham and Nicole McGavigan owned Whitehalls Gift (Blame The Game x Stella Can Wait, Mar ’23) made the most of her trap 6 draw to lead from trap rise in Race 1 over 300 yards.  She was challenged throughout by Greedy Belly who was ready to pounce should Gift falter.  But Gift wasn’t to be denied and she won by 1.5 lengths in 17.30.  This was her first career success on only her second start. 

Trap 6 also housed the winner of Race 2 over the 300 yards.  Oliver Canavan’s Olwinn Tank (Dromana Bucko x Olwinn Me, Aug ’24) was evenly away from the boxes but showed impressive early pace to lead around the first bend.  From there he kept on gamely to win on his career debut by 1.25 lengths in 17.12.  It was a good performance from this 16 month old pup.

Early pace was the key to Race 3 when Aiden Cullen’s Still Mulligan (Pestana x Springside Jiver, Jul ’23) in trap 3 soon pulled ahead of his rivals’ midway down the back straight and ran on well to win by 3.75 lengths in 16.95 for the 300 yards.  This was his third career win from only five starts.

The first semi-final of the Bart Teague Memorial Oaks was won by Gary McHugh’s Dreenan Bella (Coolavanny Calvin x Kingdom Queen, Aug ’23).  She really is riding on the crest of a wave at present, winning her last 3 starts.  Bella won last Monday at Brandywell over 6 bends but had a tougher assignment over the shorter 4 bend trip this time.  Racing from trap 3, she tucked in behind the early paced hounds and turned the bend in fifth place. 

Brandywell Race 2 was won by OLWINN TANK in 17.12. Pictured with Oliver Canavan (right) and Shaun Eastwood.

With some crowding ahead of her at the second bend, Bella slipped through on the inside rail into second place and from there she steadily narrowed the deficit on the early leader Meet More Often.  Bella took control of the race entering the home straight and won by 2.75 lengths in a fast 27.91.  Meet More Often finished second with Drumcrow Style finishing third. 

Sunnyside Aoife (Callaway Pro Am x Cardi Duke, Oct ’23) flew out of trap 5 in the second semi-final of the Bart Teague Memorial Oaks and turned the bend just ahead of Champagne Jet on her inside. 

Brandywell Race 3 was won by STILL MULLIGAN in 16.95. Pictured with Damien Cullen.

The pair had a real buckle down the back straight but Aoife’s stamina took her home 4.75 lengths in front of Jet in 28.09. Pepsi Drop took the remaining qualifying place for the Final next Monday. 

Trap draw for the Bart Teague Memorial Oaks Final: T1; Dreenan Bella, T2; Meet More Often, T3; Drumcrow Style, T4; Sunnyside Aoife, T5; Champagne Jet, T6; Pepsi Drop. 

Race 6 over the 500 yards was a real thriller with a head and two short heads separating the first 4 over the line.  It was Roy Ruddy’s Drumcrow Lemon (Drumcrow Darwin x Lemon Kerrie, Dec ’23) that got the verdict in 28.52.  Her time did not reflect how well she ran to come from last place and overcome some crowding to win. 

This was her first career success on only her second start and the style of her victory suggests that a promising career beckons. 

The finale over the 300 yards looked a cracker on paper and it didn’t disappoint.  It was the Adrian McGarry owned and Aidan McVeigh trained Portrush Ben (Ballymac Cashout x Dingys Diva, Nov ’23) that translated his Mullingar Fair Warrior form into a sizzling 16.56 victory at Brandywell. 

Brandywell: Race 6 was won by DRUMCROW LEMON in 28.52. Pictured with John McCann (left) and Harold Ruddy.

Old Fort Lakota showed the best early pace but Ben from trap 2, took over the lead midway down the back straight and ran out a 6.5 length winner, improving on his 16.73 winning time back in July this year.  He now has 7 wins from 16 starts.

Friday night saw Lifford Stadium kick off the weekend in style, with several sharp performances spread across the ten-race card. The standout display came in race four, where Greenmount Pearl posted the quickest run of the night by some margin over the standard trip.

Trained by Eddie Hurson for Darragh Murray and Patrick Donaghy, the talented bitch was dropping in grade and clearly relished the ease in class. Sent off the 6/4 favourite, the strong-running daughter of Magical Bale and Upward Pearl broke smartly from trap four and settled into second behind Rinnwood Emer in two. However, given Pearl’s proven stamina, there was an air of inevitability about the outcome.

She duly stayed on stoutly in the closing stages, reeling in the long-time leader to win by a length and a half. Her time, an impressive 29.14 in testing conditions, underlined the quality of the run. Elsewhere on the card, Niall McGhee enjoyed a kennel double. Josies Tenner (2/1) took the opener in 29.58, while Lincoln Officer (2/1) produced a notably sharp performance in his S4 325 contest, scoring by a length and three-quarters in 17.72.

On Saturday night, the feature event was the final of the ‘Lifford Stadium S5/S6 325’, and it was Monbeg Jacob who claimed the honours for trainer Stephen Radcliffe.

Lifford on Friday; Niall McGhee & son Darragh with JOSIES TENNER after he won Race 1 the WELCOME TO LIFFORD STADIUM A6 525 in 29.58.

A semi-final winner in a brisk 17.85, the 3/1 chance, owned by Brendan McLaughlin, imposed himself immediately with a sharp break from trap one. That slick exit allowed the son of Deerjet Sydney and Monbeg Bolger to seize control early and effectively put the €750-to-the-winner contest to bed.

The even-money favourite, Roanna General, did make late inroads, but Monbeg Jacob had enough in reserve to fend him off, crossing the line a length to the good in 17.82. 

Earlier on the card, Pivotal Time delivered a dominant display befitting her status as something of a track specialist at the Northwest venue. Owned by Kelmore McConaghie, the 4/6 favourite produced her customary electric start from trap two, and from that point it was all one-way traffic. Setting a relentless gallop throughout, the daughter of Broadstrand Bono and Pro Melody powered home three and a half lengths clear of Ballyroyal Nate in a rapid 28.88 - a standout run on the night.