SINGALONG SALLY EARNS CHAMPION BITCH STATUS FOR 2022

Peter Farrell

While one super bitch in Susie Sapphire returned to her best at Shelbourne Park last night in the second round of the Bresbet Easter Cup, a familiar foe in Singalong Sally wasn’t to be outdone as she produced another flawless performance in the final of the Sean Byrne Painting & Decorating Champion Bitch Stake at Thurles Park.

You run out of superlatives for Singalong Sally given what she has produced in just twenty-eight career starts and after setting every round of the Champion Bitch Stake on fire at Thurles Park, she put the icing on the cake last night with a dominate display to take home the €3,000 first prize.

Trained by Pat Buckley for Gilbert Anderson, Singalong Sally may have been up against one of the hottest fields in recent memory at Thurles, however, the fact she went to traps a 1/4 chance is testament to the calibre of performance she has produced over the last couple of weeks. An extraordinary 28.35 .30s effort in round one was to set the tone for a brilliant stake going forward and she followed that up with a smart 28.72 .30s on what was a very bitterly night at the premier venue just seven days ago. Rewarded for that victory with a plumb draw in trap one for the showpiece event last night, Sinaglong Sally looked destined to race to victory and she certainly didn’t disappoint as she blew her rivals away in supreme style. As the hare approached, rarely has a greyhound broke as quickly as that of Singalong Sally and the daughter of Tullymurry Act and Droopys Smasher posted a serious 1.56 sectional to hold all the aces on the approach to the opening corner. Followed in second by Kilara Odessa, who incidentally also clocked a rapid 1.61 early sectional, she was to play second fiddle to Singalong Sally throughout the contest as despite her best efforts, there was no catching a bitch who was producing another special performance in front. Setting a sizzling gallop down the back, Singalong Sally was relentless in her display as she powered into the bottom two bends with plenty in hand and she stayed on very strongly in the closing stages to earn the tag of the Champion Bitch for 2022. Crossing the line three and a half lengths clear of Kilara Odessa, who ran an absolute cracker in second, the time was a super 28.43 .30s, another beautiful display from one of the Country’s finest.

Many thanks are extended to Sean Byrne Painting & Decorating for their generous sponsorship of this year’s Thurles Champion Bitch Stake.

DOUBLE CHANGE LANDS NOVICE STAKE

The chief supporting race on last night’s card at Thurles was the final of the Thurles Track Supporters ON3 525 and there were no shocks on the cards as Double Change justified his 4/6 starting price.

A winner of his debut outing in a decent 29.75 .30s, the August 20’ whelp was expected to take some beating in the decider but this went pretty much to script as the son of Droopys Sydney and Kilgowan Pippa led from trap to line. Breaking smartly from trap three, Double Change opened a sizable lead over Killenaulespirit and he had around five lengths in hand on the approach to the penultimate turn. Owned by the Ducking-And-Diving-Syndicate, Double Change wasn’t to be caught and although Killenaulespirit did make some inroads in the closing stages, he was still three and a half lengths adrift crossing the finishing line. A nice performance from the puppy who took home the €850 prize, the time was a good 29.43 .30s.

MORRISSEY’S SECURE ANOTHER DOUBLE

Both Abigail and Tommy Morrissey have started 2022 in brilliant form and they secured another double last night as Abigails Power and Errill Daithi posted impressive victories.

The first to cross the winning line in front was Errill Daithi as this hugely consistent greyhound brought his winning tally into double figures. After coming from the clouds last time out to claim victory, Errill Daithi was much better into stride on this occasion from trap two, however, he was outpaced in the early exchanges as Tarsna Soda took charge. Sitting a close second midway down the back, Errill Daithi was forced to check at the penultimate turn but in usual fashion, he came home like an express train to chin Tarsna Soda on the line. A short-head separating the duo, the time was 29.16 .30s.

The double was completed in race ten as Abigails Power justified his even money price tag in much more comfortable fashion. Hoping to seal a first victory in 2022, Abigails Power came away well from two and he disputed the early running with Rewind Honey in five. However, pulling clear entering the back straight, it was all one-way traffic for the son of Belles Direction and Geelos Gu Gu as he stormed clear to cross the line with five and a half lengths in hand over nearest rival, Bull Run Ripple, in second. The time was 29.28 .30s.