DANICA SMASHES TRACK RECORD IN CON & ANNIE KIRBY OPENER

DANICA SMASHES TRACK RECORD IN CON & ANNIE KIRBY OPENER

Peter Farrell

The opening round heats of the 2024 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial took pride of place at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night and it proved a memorable night for Liam Dowling as Ballymac Danica enhanced her rapidly growing reputation with a new track record for the 525-yard trip.

Indeed, the Kerry native enjoyed earlier success as Ballymac Senan got his Kirby tilt off to a flier with a dominant performance in heat six. However, the night belonged to kennel companion Ballymac Danica as she once again outlined her exceptional engine with a 27.83 clock, which is .12s faster than the previous track record jointly held by College Maybe and Clona Duke.

DANICA DELIVERS

After posting the likes of 28.29 and 28.24, Ballymac Danica came into the Kirby as one of the main players and she cemented those credentials with a dominant performance in heat. The 6/4 favourite, the choicely bred daughter of Ballymac Cooper and Ballymac Arminta donned the white jacket and she wasn’t hanging around at traprise as she pinged the lids to post an exceptional 1.23 early sectional. Turning just in front of Ower Cracker in one, the brindle quickly opened a six length lead down the back and she was to stop the third bend sectional at an incredible 15.88. A stout stayer, Liam Dowling’s brilliant lady maintained a relentless gallop thereafter and she crossed the line five and a half lengths in front of Ower Cracker, who also was a real eye-catcher, in second. The time, as mentioned, was a new track record, 27.83.

MAGIC FROM METAPHOR

Robert Gleeson is no stranger to Kirby success and he has a real player in the 2024 renewal with Droopys Metaphor, who romped to heat nine success.

The 1/2 favourite in this contest was Coolavanny Otto, however, this was all about one greyhound as Droopys Metaphor, a 5/1 shot, made every inch of the running. Disputing early with Coolavanny Otto, the son of Dromana Bucko and Droopys Zero expressed sizzling early gears to run away from the field in the early yards and he was a comfortable leader rounding the opener. Setting a powerful gallop, Gleeson’s charge posted a 15.90 sectional to the third bend and he maintained his superiority in the closing stages as he crossed the line seven lengths clear of Serene Rex in second. The time was a rapid 28.21.

MEADOWS FOR MATTHEWS

Heat five saw another impressive performance from Rushy Meadows as two-time Kirby winner, Brendan Matthews, showed his hand in the renewal.

The 7/4 joint favourite, Rushy Meadows was only moderately into stride from trap two, however, after In Good Time drifted middle from one, this allowed the son of Droopys Sydney and Miss Pickpocket to squeeze up the inside and assert. Nip and tuck with In Good Time down the back, Matthews’ charge had too much power in the closing stages and she crossed the line three lengths clear of her rival to clock an impressive 28.31. Bearing in mind the sectional was 16.22, this was a massive clock.

SENAN DOUBLES UP

Ballymac Senan got the ball rolling for Liam Dowling in heat six as he won at his leisure.

Sent off as the 6/4 favourite, Ballymac Senan emerged from a level break in six to display massive early speed on the outside. Holding a seven length advantage over Grouchos Finn heading down the back, the son of Ballymac Kingdom and Ballymac Diva stopped the sectional clock at a brisk 16.04. Staying on well thereafter, Kilcolgan Whitney came from the back of the field to emerge second, however, there was no doubt about the winner as Ballymac Senan crossed the line with eight and a half lengths to spare. The time was 28.33 and notable non-qualifiers here were Faypoint Harvey and Romeo Taylor.

POWERFUL FROM MODEL

Fashion Model has built a reputation for her blistering finishes and this was on full display in heat ten as the Pat Guilfoyle-trained bitch took up proceedings at the business end.

Jointly owned by Paul Horig and Stephen Bourke, Fashion Model was a recent third in the Thurles Champion Bitch Stake and she was installed at sensational odds of 5/1 prior to the off. Running from trap two, the daughter of Good News and Coolavanny Chick survived a scare at the opener as Carrick Keano (4/7) moved off from trap one, however, there was a certain inevitability about the result once Fashion Model turned three lengths adrift of the early pacesetter, Serene Highway. Making her move around the bottom two bends, ‘Model’ went into overdrive around the final bend and she drew clear thereafter to win by five lengths from Serene Highway, who held on from Carrick Keano, in second. The time was 28.39. (Sec: 16.17)

HEAT WATCH

In heat one, Graham Holland and Barbara Lowndes got on the scoresheet as Swords Hero ran a fine race to double his career win tally. A son of Droopys Sydney and Rural Aloha, the 5/2 chance stepped out lively from trap three to lead Tarsna Maasai into the back. Swords Hero came under pressure in the closing stages from the fast finishers in Tarsna Maasai and Ocean Tesla, however, he kept enough in reserve to cross the line with one and a half lengths to spare. The time was 28.36. (Sec: 16.19)

There was a shock on the cards in heat two as Noirs Ben crossed over in front at odds of 8/1. Ballymac Patriot was the understandable favourite in this contest (1/1), however, an early bump saw him have to settle for a qualifying position in fourth. In contrast, Noirs Ben, for Shaun Conway and the Ponies-To-Pups-Syndicate picked up the pieces in the closing stages to stay on strongly and secure a half length victory over Romeo Falco in second. The time was 28.73.

The shocks kept on coming in heat three as 20/1 outsider, Quarry Boy, emerged in front after cruel luck for Mustang Fever. The latter was installed as the even money favourite and looked to have this home and hosed at the halfway mark, however, intervention saw a new outlook up front and it was Quarry Boy who came through to score for Paula Heffernan. A son of King Sheeran and Mean Beauty, it was back-to-back wins for this tracker as he stopped the clock in 28.82.

Heat four may have been a five-dog affair, however, it took nothing away from the quality as Knockeen Dazzler produced a brilliant performance to win for Daniel o’Rahilly. A previous trialist in 18.52 around Limerick, early speed is not a problem for this son of Laughil Blake and Love Island and he outpaced his rival’s early doors from trap six. Holding a healthy lead down the back, Da Bold Falcon did make rapid inroads in the closing stages, however, it was too little too late as Knockeen Dazzler crossed the line with two and a half lengths to spare. The time was 28.48. (Sec: 16.04)

Perhaps the biggest shock of the night was the elimination of Whyaye Bonnylad in heat seven and the eventual winner was the fast-finishing Ballinabola Bill (Confident Rankin - Dolls Lady). A winner of his trial stake last time out, the Pat Buckley-trained powerhouse sat in midfield at the halfway mark as Feshtys Mo led, however, ‘Bill’ was the greyhound showing all the speed entering the third bend as he breezed past Whyaye Bonnylad into second. A thrilling finish in store, Feshtys Mo was nothing if not game until the final yards where he surrendered the lead to Ballinabola Bill (4/1). Just a length between the pair, the time was 28.61. (Sec: 16.14)

Despite Faypoint Harvey making an earlier than anticipated exit from the Kirby, litter brother Faypoint Sean made it back-to-back wins for Patricia Flanagan and Graham Holland in heat eleven. An even money favourite, ‘Sean’ came away well from trap five but Hanover Sky proved a worthy rival early on, and indeed for the majority of the contest. The duo went stride for stride throughout before Faypoint Sean, a son of Droopys Sydney and Roaming Shari, pulled clear late on to cross the line with three lengths to spare. The time was 28.47. (Sec: 16.28)

On a night of some big upsets and surprising eliminations, there was another big priced winner in the concluding heat of the night as Phoenix Tyson (10/1) built on his big win in the Swimbooker A2 525 at HQ last time out. Trained by Ian Reilly for Billy Reilly, the son of Grangeview Ten and Fahy Ripley broke well from six and rode a bump superbly to assert early on. Followed in second by Barefoot On Fire, the latter emerged a big threat in the closing stages as he wore down the leader, however, ‘Tyson’ kept enough in the tank to score by half a length. The time was 28.53. (Sec: 16.22)