A Titanic double for James Campbell at Brandywell Greyhound track

Titanic Socks won the feature race of the evening, the Greyhound Trader 500 in a very fast 27.69. The cheers went up from the crowd when they saw Socks trap well from the six box and take up an early led. He won unchallenged, by 4.75 lengths justifying favouritism and showing he was in better form than ever.

It was a tougher assignment for Titanic Jay in the fifth race over the 500 yards. Moderately away from trap three, he had to come from fourth place and overcome some crowding at the third bend to land the double in 28.80 for James. But he had plenty in the tank and got to the front near the winning line to the exuberant cheers of his connections.

The seven race programme on Monday also featured two of the first round heats of the generously sponsored Pauls Butchers & Track Lotto Sprint with the final scheduled for December 19th.

Clonalis Farloe won the first heat from the one box in 17.01 for Pat Barrett. He was the 7/4 second favourite at the off, but he got first run on the 6/4 favourite,

Budges Girls, who was slow away and found trouble at the first bend. Budges claimed the third qualifying place 2.5 lengths behind second placed Alakazam who ran wide off the second bend and forfeited her chance of winning as she finished only one length behind the winner.

Whiteys Sirjack started the 5/4 favourite to land the second heat of the Paul’s Butchers & Track Lotto Sprint but he had to play second fiddle to Seamus McCloskey’s 5/2 shot Mineolasuperstar who made it two wins a row. Sirjack was only 0.5 lengths behind the winner.

Do It Laylah was a neck away in third place and also qualified from this heat.

The supporting race programme included an eye-catching win for 7/4 shot Knockbann Flash in the first race. Smoked Out started the 6/4 favourite but was no match on the night for Flash who took advantage of some crowding at the first bend to sweep around the outside of the field and record a flying 16.68 over the 300 yards. He did his best work on the home straight pulling 6.25 lengths clear of his nearest rival and is a pup that looks to have a very bright future for Paul Orr.

Harriestown Kid was one of three 2/1 co favourites at the off but it proved to be an easy victory for Juliet Aldridge and Vincent McGuinness’s charge as he trapped

smartly from the 4 box and made all to win by 2 lengths in 28.41.

The last race was won by Seamus Boyce’s Ballyea Rogue who was 2/1 co favourite at the off. Fifebouy Shandy was one of the 3/1 outsiders in the field and he looked like he might land the spoils at the first bend after taking up a few lengths advantage, but Rogue ran on well to win by 0.75 lengths in 16.93.

Aside from the Brandywell action, the prestigious Irish Greyhound Owners & Breeder Federation National Puppy Final takes place in Shelbourne on Saturday, December 3rd. Some Ginger who is now retired and owned by Cormac O’Prey, recorded 16.85 when she won on her first appearance at the Brandywell circuit back in 2019. Her pups have been performing well including Twentyoneten who won the Benny Barrett Memorial Final at Brandywell in June and her connections will be excited to see how her daughter Rathdown Molly performs from trap five in the big decider this Saturday.