NOAH IS MAGICAL IN TIME GREYHOUND NUTRITION OPENER AT GALWAY
Peter Farrell
The opening round heats of the valuable TIME Greyhound Nutrition A3/A4 525 served as the feature on last night’s card at Galway and it was Magical Noah who set the standard with a dominant performance.
Only a June puppy, Magical Noah showed serious pace on his debut when staying on strongly to score in 29.23 .10s at Galway and despite tasting defeat in his subsequent only start since, he was still a warm order in the betting ring as the 4/7 favourite. A strapping fawn son of Grangeview Ten and Grangeview Mags, it didn’t take long for this prospect to put this contest to bed as he was paw-perfect from trap three to turn in front from Peteles Phantom in second. Holding a three length lead down the back, that lead soon doubled at the crown of the penultimate turn as Pat and Sandra Guilfoyle’s charge upped the ante and he drew clear thereafter to score in most impressive fashion. Crossing the line seven and a half lengths clear of Peteles Phantom in second, the time was an exquisite 28.77 .10s; already the one to beat in this stake.
HEAT WATCH
In heat three, Townspark Benjy made it back-to-back victories as he built on a most impressive win over the 400-yard trip at Dundalk in recent weeks. Trained by Ollie Bray, Townspark Benjy was installed as the 6/4 second favourite behind Hot Wood but it was Barntick Midget who bounced out in front from trap three to dictate. However, Townspark Benjy (Broadstrand Bono - Silver Penny) was never too far off the leader and he reproduced his blistering finish in his last outing at Dundalk with another strong display of stamina to reel in Barntick Midget in the closing yards. One and a half lengths separating the duo, the time was a rapid 29.04 .20s.
In the opening heat, May On Faya justified her 4/5 favourites tag with another off-the-pace performance for Murt Leahy and Peter Mulrooney. Another very impressive winner of a sprint outing in 17.85 .5s, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Vigorous Lindsay showed another thread to her bow as she walked from traps to maneuver through runners and score. Running from two, ‘May’ was in midfield at the halfway mark but scraped the paintwork to get herself into a promising position before finishing at speed to win by one and a half lengths from Springwell Kobe in second. The time was 29.62 .10s.
It was another close call in heat two as Ballyhealy Star (Dorotas Wildcat - Blundel Bridie) held off the fast-finishing Brickhill Fayla. Trained by Thomas Flanagan for John Vaughan, the September puppy was two from two heading into this event and she duly maintained her unbeaten record with another trap-to-line display. Running from four, the 5/2 chance bolted from traps and proceeded to open a two length gap down the far side. Brickhill Faya was chasing hard in second throughout, however, try as she might, ‘Star’ showed brilliant determination to hold off her rival by a mere neck on the line. The time was 29.34 .10s.