GRANGEVIEW TREBLE THE HIGHLIGHT AT GALWAY
Peter Farrell
There was plenty of good action at Galway Greyhound Stadium last night but the highlight was a treble for the kennel of Michael Hogan.
On the card that featured the opening round heats of the Paddy O’Gorman A1/A2 525, as well as the Liam Brussells Memorial semi finals, the Hogan kennel was to stamp his mark on the eleven race card in the opener as Grangeview News justified his 1/2 starting price. Owned by Jamie Hogan, the December son of Good News took control early from trap three and despite coming under serious pressure from Poppys Oreo late on, he got the nod by a short-head in 19.76 .5s.
The double was completed in race six as Grangeview Sab also scored at odds of 4/5. In different style to his kennel companion, ‘Sab’ was in search of a hat-trick but he had to work hard for victory as Annadown Jack set the pace. However, storming up the Galway straight was the son of Pat C Sabbath and he got the verdict, by a neck, from Annadown Jack in second. The time was 19.32 .5s.
The pick of the Hogan winners came in the fourth heat of the Paddy O’Gorman stake as Grangeview Lolo completed the treble. Again sent to traps as the 4/5 jolly, Emily Hogan’s bitch was chasing back-to-back wins and she made no mistakes as she took control early before holding off Lissatouk Gene by half a length in 28.86 .10s, a smashing effort.
OGIE VERY IMPRESSIVE IN BRUSSELS SEMIS
Owned by Larry Enright, Move Over Ogie caught my eye on his first career start when finishing hard at Clonmel and his progress has been followed with great interest ever since. Last night however; he produced a sublime performance to build on his opening round victory. Sent to traps as the 5/4 favourite, ‘Ogie’ didn’t come away too fluently but cut through the field impressively to draw clear in the second half of the contest. Drawing clear to win by five lengths, the son of Gaytime Hawk and Palace Queen stopped the clock in 28.88 .10s.
In the second semi, Heathlawn Alice justified her even money standing as she made virtually every yard. Owned by Rose Kelly, ‘Alice’ ran a fine race last weekend only to be collared late but she set off in similar fashion this time around in the hope of going one better. Fast away from two, the daughter of Good News and Burgess Sarah made every post a winner as she crossed the line with two and a half lengths to spare. The time was 29.47 .10s.
O’GORMAN ROUND-UP
While the aforementioned Grangeview Lolo went very quick in the opening round of the Paddy O’Gorman stake, she was matched on the clock by Lissatouk Dave in heat three.
Owned by James McMahon, Lissatouk Dave was a 2/1 chance at the off and in truth, once he led, he was destined to prevail after clocking a rapid 28.91 on his last Galway start. Setting a blistering gallop around the opening two bends, the son of Laughil Blake and Lissatouk Dolly wasn’t for catching as he romped to a five and a half lengths success, in 28.86 .10s.
In heat one, there was a knockout provided by Cloonturk Bruno as he took control in the second half of the contest to draw clear. A 3/1 chance, owned by the Tigue-Family-Syndicate, ‘Bruno’ turned in behind Hillstreet Puma but was to quickly assert thereafter. Taking charge at the penultimate, the son of Belles Direction and Jaytee Jade stormed clear to win by five lengths, in a time of 29.10 .10s.
DROMBEG DOUBLE
Fergal and Evan McAuliffe are never too far away at Galway and they recorded a nice double, the first of which coming in heat three with the brilliant, Drombeg Ten.
A former Irish St. Leger semi finalist, Drombeg Ten (Grangeview Ten - Blastoff Khalesi) was the understandable 4/6 jolly at the off and the fawn justified those odds with a decent performance, sealing a half length victory over Portumna Saphire in second. The time was 29.34 .10s.
The double was secured in the concluding race on the card as Drombeg Apollo dipped well under the 29-second mark. Another son of the brilliant Grangeview Ten, this heavyweight tracker was on his game from the outset as he drew further and further clear of his rivals to win by a brilliant, ten and three parts of a length. The time was 28.92 .10s.