Terry and Frank claim Faithful Thurles Greyhound Stadium brace

Saturday’s programme at Thurles Greyhound Stadium again delivered an evening of hugely competitive action on a twelve-race card and having commenced with victory in the opening contest, the Doon kennels of Finola Richardson completed a litter double as Faithful Terry (Laughil Blake-Faithful Linda) went back-to-back in his smart career start.

Bred in the Richardson kennels, the October 2019 pup impressed when claiming A6 525 victory on the previous weekend but clearly progressive, he would ably cope with a rise to A3 this time despite what should have been a losing break when very slow to stride from trap 6.

With clear space behind the fifth placed runner throughout the early strides, Faithful Terry had closed only marginally to the opening bend but ducking toward the rail behind crowding rivals, he would advance to a share of second place with track-craft beyond his experience.

Impressed on the back straight
Still with over four lengths to recover on pacesetter Demon Rebel off the second turn, the Richardson pup impressed along the back-straight and ranging up on the outside, forcefully claimed the lead when tackling the third bend. Bounding clear thereafter, Faithful Terry held six and a half lengths over that same rival in 29.35 (-20) while leaving much scope for imminent improvement.

The opening race of the evening over 525 yards for novices saw litter comrade Faithful Frankie (Laughil Blake-Faithful Linda) achieve what his brother did not, a win on debut and he announced himself as a pup to follow when leading throughout an impressive ON2 victory. In command to the opening bend following an adept break from trap 5, he sparked the Richardson double with five and a half lengths to spare over Sarahs Rose in a very smart debut time of 29.36 (-20).

Luna doubles up
Having found an impressive streak of consistency over recent months, Paddy Scally’s Cabra Luna (Good News-Cabra Ebony) remained in A1 grade following her latest victory at that level but undaunted by her Saturday task in the A0 525, duly set up a hattrick bid when accounting for talented rivals in another fastest of the night performance.

Well-away from trap 4, the September 2018 whelp displayed sharp pace when crucially reaching the opening bend with a tight one-length lead over Magical Jasper to her inside. In command to the second bend, Bogger Benny would give pursuit while rounding crowding rivals and loomed large as a menacing threat when just half a length adrift approaching halfway.
Impressing to the closing bends however, Cabra Luna edged clear once more and seeing out the trip stoutly, she scored a cosy three and a half length victory over Bogger Benny who was just a shorthead in advance of Knockalton Conor in third.

Brace of 570's
There was a brace of 570-yard contests this week with the A1 event returning a most impressive winner as Sean Kenny’s Gunboat Premier (Droopys Jet-Dynamic Trend) backed-up his latest Clonmel 550 score with a dominant third career win and he looks a youngster to follow over the extended four-bend distances after just seven career outings.

Breaking well from trap 2, the April 2019 whelp edged clear to an early one length lead when dictating matters on the inside and he would extend readily clear of a tightly packed field on the run to the back-straight. Six lengths to the good with the race in safe keeping at halfway, Blackstone Balad caught the eye when reducing the winning margin to three and a half at the line, but Gunboat Premier was never seriously threatened while posting 31.64 (-20).

Thrilling affair
The later A4 570 was a thrilling affair and saw Roger Brereton’s Aghadown Aliysa (Droopys Roddick-Ardrath Scarlett) claim her fifth career win when clinging to victory in the dying strides. Impressing while battling her way to the lead at halfway following some early crowding, she repelled the fast finish of On Stage Poppy by a head in 32.04 (-20).

Next best on the night over 525-yards, the early A4 contest saw Thomas Jordan’s Oakfield Jake (Kinloch Brae-Redzer Ruby) bounce back to winning ways in emphatic fashion while claiming his third career success. Moderately to stride from trap 4, the strong running March 2019 whelp overhauled pacesetter Busy Busy before bounding clear to an eight and a half length verdict over the staying-on Four For Johnny in 29.35 (-20).

The preceding A7 525 also returned a dominant winner when Rory Hickey’s Avongate Sabby (Pat C Sabbath-Avongate Hazel) shed her maiden tag with a marked upturn in form!
Outside the trio places in seven previous starts, the penny dropped at traps this time and ideally suited to her trap 6 berth, the July 2019 youngster took a narrow lead to the opening bend before readily streaking clear of bumping rivals. Never under pressure thereafter, Avongate Sabby registered a first win when six and a half lengths clear of the running-on Rahyvira Spice in 29.49 (-20).

No separating Dettori and Shannon
In stark contrast to those previous events, the A2 525 proved hugely competitive, so much so that Geoff Parnaby’s Tarsna Dettori (Skywalker Rory-Running Sweet) and Abigail Morrissey’s Toolate Shannon (Toolatetosell-Security) could not be separated in a thrilling dead-heat share of the spoils.

With neither quickest to stride while in pursuit of fast starting Lingrawn Tara, the eventual winners reached the second bend in third and fifth place respectively as the Parnaby charge got first crack at the leaders approaching halfway. Advancing to second, Tarsna Dettori raced just a length behind the leader at the third turn with Toolate Shannon a further two lengths back in fourth.

Switching to the outside, Tarsna Dettori drew alongside Lingrawn Tara entering the home stretch, but all the while Toolate Shannon closed while attempting a daring run between that duo off the final bend. Lingrawn Tara would eventually succumb to the advancing winners who raced in unison to the line before a dead-heat fittingly saw them share victory. With a length back to Lingrawn Tara in 29.59 (-20), three and a half lengths covered the field in an absolute cracker!

At the close
Closing the Saturday programme, Peter Barry’s Marks Pearl (Droopys Cain-Glideaway Pearl) impressed with slick early dash when securing a first bend lead despite just a moderate break from trap 5 in the A4 525. The March 2019 whelp doubled his win tally when skipping clear around the opening turns for a three and a half-length winning verdict over Daithis Main Man in 29.67 (-20).

Also securing a second race win when claiming the S5 330, the Rainbow-Colours-Syndicate’s Crock Of Gold (Droopys Jet-Burgess Dancer) battled bravely to wrestle the lead from Diegos Duchess when wide around the opening bends while securing a one-length verdict in 18.28 (-10) before Sue O’Neill’s Heavens Kye (Droopys Cain-Heavens Lilly) claimed her third career win when recovering from early bumping to nail Vics Vicky on the line for a most game head verdict in the A3 525, posting 29.83 (-20).

The remaining A5 525 saw in-form Errill Cindy (Belles Direction-Geelo Lu Lu) go back-to-back for Tommy Morrissey when early pace had the August 2019 pup in command to halfway before repelling the late effort of Private Jet by a length in 29.97 (-20).

Top Dog
On a hattrick following Saturday’s smart victory in the A1 570, Gunboat Premier (Droopys Jet-Dynamic Trend) is not over-raced as an April 2019 whelp and steadily maturing at over 80 lbs, remains a promising prospect following his 31.64 (-20) performance.

Best Bitch
Not for the first and likely not for the last time, Cabra Luna (Good News-Cabra Ebony) led the charge for the girls when fastest once again on Saturday and a model of consistency at present, will continue to be a daunting opponent for all while still ominously graded A1!

Most Impressive Debut
There was just a solitary novice race this week but a debut time of 29.36 (-20) always merits huge respect at Thurles and Faithful Frankie (Laughil Blake-Faithful Linda) looked every inch a promising prospect, especially when considering the progressive profile of his winning comrade Faithful Terry on the same card.

One To Watch
All about the Richardson kennel this week and although obvious as a Saturday winner, the 29.35 performance of Faithful Terry (Laughil Blake-Faithful Linda) can be marked up more than a touch following a first bend bump off a very poor start and already impressing, he is certainly one to keep on the right side of as the October 2019 pup sharpens his racing skills.