The best laid plans of mice and men gang all agley, as the man said. A hard overnight frost and fog combined to put paid to any chance of completing the 2015 National Coursing Meeting on schedule last Monday. Would the delay allow some dogs who had gone to Clonmel a little short of work, an opportunity to become match fit? The word on the street suggested that Oaks survivor Leigh Snowie for one might be the better for another gallop or two. Maybe the week’s respite might give some dogs who had come out of the third round of the classics tired or carrying a minor injury the chance to recuperate. How would the hare stock stand up to another week in the paddock, especially if the weather was inclement? All these questions and many more besides were discussed and debated time and again among coursing folk as they impatiently awaited the return to the field of dreams. As a result of his early exertions up Powerstown Park, the Michael O’Donovan trained Timber House would be returning to Clonmel as an unbackable and apparently unbeatable even money favourite. However yesterday all the talk was of a big gamble on his quarter final opponent Defacto, one of the surprise packages of the meeting thus far but still quoted at 14/1 by leading layer Berkie Browne. Could he spring another surprise or was all not well in the O’Donovan camp? Who knows? Maybe the bookies were just leaping at the chance to offset some of their major league liabilities on the teak tough Timber House.
The temperature in the shadow of Slievenamon had been 2oC overnight so the prospects for a successful conclusion of the meeting today looked good. However the very sporting patrons who had taken last week’s postponement in good heart and with good humour were more than somewhat dismayed to find Powerstown Park wreathed in fog this morning. With the slipper’s hut invisible from the Club Stand a delay in the start of proceedings was unavoidable. By noon however the mist had begun to lift and the first brace were ready to go upfield about an hour later. The early stages of the 90th National Meeting were memorable for the number of last minute withdrawals and the final day proved no exception, with Defacto announced as a non-runner shortly before proceedings resumed. His absence would give the favourite Timber House a bye into the semi-finals.
Manntan Maple and Windfarm Ivy were being called as 3/1 joint favourites for the Oaks before Leigh Snowie was early away to beat Gripwell Candy by around a length and book her place in the semi-finals. Next up Sequin showed great middle pace to put daylight between herself and Alva Lil. The first shock of the day came in the third quarter final with Vienna Calling just prevailing against Windfarm Ivy. Further turn ups for the books were to follow, with Innslips All In coming with a late run to deny Manntan Maple. After the interval Leigh Snowie fought off the challenge of the game Sequin in 12:62 secs to secure her place in the final of the Oaks. Her final opponent in that final was to be Vienna Calling who beat Innslips All In impressively in 12:42 secs. The first of the finals went upfield at 3;20 p.m. and in the Oaks it was the Michael Murphy trained Vienna calling who was victorious, beating Leigh Snowie comfortably at the last.
In the first quarter final of the Derby Blades of Hope was slowly away and was maybe lucky enough to defeat the game-as-ever Game Mikey by less than a length. In the next course Feel My Pulse was out and gone to beat Carrowkeale Gavin. By way of contrast Portane All In had to come from behind to edge out the well-backed Kyle Bruce before Timber House got plenty of work at the top of the field in his bye course to end the round. There was much jockeying for position in the first semi-final of the Derby with Portane All In at 5/2 ultimately prevailing by half a length against 3/1 chance Blades of Hope in 12:52 secs. The bookies must have been smiling as 6/1 shot Feel My Pulse lead early in the bottom semi-final, holding on to defeat 2/1 on favourite Timber House by a just up verdict in 12:44 secs. Once again defeat in a Clonmel classic was snatched from the jaws of victory by a ‘Curly’ O’Donovan-trained greyhound. Portane All In, jointly owned by Patrick Bowles and Joe Blair and trained in Athenry by Gerry Holian, was subsequently withdrawn, leaving the B-T-D syndicate’s Feel My Pulse, a January ’13 white and brindle son of Kyle James ex Madtogoagain, to be declared the winner. Trained in Abbeydorney. Co.Kerry by the legendary Dan Brassil, he had set put down a marker on the first morning of the meeting when he defeated long time ante post favourite Crusher’s Oak in the first round.
The focus at Clonmel tends always to be on the puppy events. For the record the winner of the Kevin Smith Champion Stakes for sixteen all-aged greyhounds was Blueview Charlie, owned and trained by Drogheda bookmaker “Maxie” Collins. Five-times Derby-winning trainer Brendan Matthews tends not to have many bitches in his Townview kennels but he trains Newry Marie, who led the reserve Floating Cove to win this year’s Grace Bruton Champion Bitch Stakes.
The race is not always to the swift, they say. The winner of the Oaks consolation event, the Kitty Butler Stakes, this year was the James Kelly-trained Blue Abella, while the T.A. Morris Stakes for dogs knocked out of the first round of the Derby was won by Ardmore Rusty owned by Noreen Hoban from Westport, Co.Mayo.
The annual meeting of Duleek Open Coursing Club scheduled to take place today has been put back until next Sunday, 15th February ’15, to avoid a clash with the National Meeting. Those who want to see some real coursing over open country should meet at Garballagh at 9:30 a.m. Go dtί sin, slán.
An Seanchaί
