NIGHT OF DOUBLES AT GALWAY AS HOGAN AND NUGENT RUNNERS IMPRESS

NIGHT OF DOUBLES AT GALWAY AS HOGAN AND NUGENT RUNNERS IMPRESS

Peter Farrell

It was an all-graded affair at Galway Greyhound Stadium last night but this didn’t take away from a number of quality performances and none more so that than Michael Hogan-owned Grangeview Blade in race five.

Michael Hogan has been producing quality greyhounds for a number of years and Grangeview Blade put in a display straight from the top drawer last night as he dominated his rivals to double his career tally to two wins. Expectations were clearly high for the October son of Ballymac Best and Grangeview Vicie as he went to traps an even money chance and it was obvious from an early stage that he was a class above his opposition. From a level break in trap two, Grangeview Vicie showed tremendous early gears to outpace his rival’s early doors and he took a three length lead into the opener and this was to double midway down the back straight. Chased gallantly by Dennys Best in second, the classy brindle extended his lead entering the home straight and he crossed the line with eight lengths to spare in a fast 28.84 .10s.

Shortly after that victory, Grangeview Port also scored to give Michael Hogan a fine double on the night. Running in race seven which was a 350-yard sprint, the heavyweight 85-pounder was another hotshot in the market and he was installed the 4/6 favourite to land the spoils. Drawn in trap three, the son of Grangeview Ten and Blastoff Khalesi pinged the lids and he just got the better of Breaghmore Bob into the opener. Maintaining a strong gallop thereafter, Grangeview Port stuck to his task well and he was one and a half lengths better off than his opponent at the winning line. The time was 19.18 .5s.

NUGENT DOUBLE

Elsewhere on the card, there was also a nice double for the kennel of Kieran Nugent as both Dynamic Diva and Killerk Black came home in front.

Two litter brothers, it was Killerk Black who was the first to pass the post in front and this came in race three. Jointly owned by Aaron and Kieran Nugent, Killerk Black made no mistake at traprise and as he flew from five to course around runners early on a open a sizable advantage as a result. Holding a lead of seven lengths down the back, the son of Ballymac Best and Dynamic Cool Sky came home two lengths clear of the 1/2 favourite, Grangeview Gold, in a time of 29.62 .10s.

The litter double was completed shortly after as Dynamic Diva produced a strong finish to win a brilliant style. This time jointly owned by Kieran and Bridget Nugent, Dynamic Diva was a 5/2 shot at the off but her chances looked fairly slim early on as she entered the opening corner in fourth place. However, eating into the five length lead held by Grangeview Best in front, the talented bitch stormed to the front between the bottom two bends and she flew home to record a three length victory. A seventh win in total, the time was a good 28.98 .10s.

IN OTHER RACES

In race two, there was a lot to like about the performance of Heathlawn Logan for owner Rose Kelly. After not coming away too fluently from trap one, the son of Skywalker Logan and Heathlawn Molly took control entering the penultimate turn and he stayed on stoutly to cross the line with three and a half lengths to spare over Ferryforth Jess in second. The time was a smart 29.22 .10s.

There was an all-the-way success in race six as Cloonturk Bruno made it two wins from his last three starts for the Tigue-Family-Syndicate. Running from trap three, the 9/4 shot broke well and he displayed the superior early dash to lead by one length around the opening corner. Quickly excelling to open a four length gap on his rivals, the son of Belles Direction and Jaytee Jade wasn’t for catching and he was one and a half lengths clear of Mystical Josie crossing the winning line. The time was 30.19 .10s for the 550-yard trip.

The most impressive run over the two-bend trip came in race nine as Cascade Phantom justified his 4/5 price tag to break his duck in emphatic fashion. Running from trap three, John Browne’s runner didn’t hang around at traprise and he soon asserted to lead by three lengths into the opening corner from Feed Me Mcflurry in second. Drawing clear up the straight, the well-bred son of Droopys Sydney and Coolavanny Spice was six clear crossing the line as the clock returned a swift 19.05 .5s.