GREYHOUNDS: Brandywell ​​Gala qualifying heats set for Monday

All qualifying heats will be run at the track over the next few weeks where the main competitions will be the ‘Benny Barrett Memorial Sprint’ over 300 yards, the ‘Bill McKinney Memorial’ (500 yards) and the ‘Billy and Sheila Quigley Memorial (500 yards) while there will also be a Manager's Select sprint competition and a Bookmakers sponsored 500 competition.

Also on the gala night there will be an ‘Open Sprint’ and an ‘Open 500’ with a 700 yards race to top off the card so it's going to be three weeks of top class racing at the track. Entries can still be made for all competitions by contacting the racing manager.

Astro Blaze wins

Lifford Sprint Final

Meanwhile, there was racing last Friday and Sunday at Lifford where the final of the ‘Track Bookmakers Sprint’ was the main race on Friday. After the previous week's semi-finals, ‘Osage’ from trap six was the evens favourite with the other semi final winner, ‘Sniper Roro’ from trap two second favourite at 2/1. As always in sprints the start was crucial and both ‘Osage’ and ‘Sniper Roro’ missed the break but it was a different story for ‘Promises to Keep’ from trap five and ‘Astro Blaze’ from four.

‘Promises to Keep’ just led but approaching the first bend ‘Astro Blaze’ went a couple of lengths clear. ‘Promises to Keep’ started to close on the run to the line but ‘Astro Blaze’ held on well to win by three quarters of a length in 17.53 for the Strabane based ‘The-Sporting-Chance Syndicate and Strabane trainer, Paul Magee.

There was also a good card on Sunday where, in the first race, I believe we saw a very special pup winning. ‘Easy OJO’, a December ’22 pup, looked very unlucky in his first race at Lifford when he missed the break and was badly baulked but he was a red hot 1/2 to amend that and did so in style. Once again he was not to well away from trap five but he showed massive pace to slice through the field and go clear, coming home to win by just under six lengths in 17.54 for his Magherafelt owner Barry Rocks.

The in-form team of owner, Georgia Gibbons, and her father, Declan Crossan again had a good winner in the fourth race over the sprint distance. ‘Mohane Dolly’ showed great early pace in her race, the 5/4 favourite going clear on the run to the bend and galloping on strongly to win by five lengths in 17.67 for her Artigarvan based connections.

In the fifth race the in-form Sniper Kennel provided the winner. ‘Sniper Big Tom’ was beaten in his last two races at Dundalk but the switch back to Lifford was just what was needed. ‘Sniper Big Tom’ (3/1) flew from trap three and never looked in any danger, coming home over six lengths clear in 17.64 for local owner, Kevin O'Kane.

In the seventh race ‘Izzy's Jimmy’ returned to form. The March ’21 dog was well supported at 5/2 into 2/1 and it would be fair to say he turned this race into a procession, running out a very easy winner by over four lengths in 17.45 for Fermanagh owner, Ann Breslin.

In the last race, ‘Brassneck Brock’ from trap five was well supported into 7/4 to win against the 5/4 favourite, ‘Run On Then’ from trap two. ‘Brassneck Brock’ led around the opening bends and looked home and hosed but around the final bends ‘Run On Then’ came with a strong run to hit the front. However, ‘Brassneck Brock’ battled back gamely and just got the up near the line to win by a neck in 29.11 for Derry owners Martin Healy and Conor Colby.

As normal first race at Lifford tonight (Friday) is at 7.45pm with Sunday starting at 6pm. Racing back as normal at Brandywell on Monday at 8pm.