Barry Drake
TRIBAL SYD, trained by Murt Leahy for Martin Costigan, ran out a sensational winner of the €5,000 to the winner Jimmy Barry Murphy & Bar One Racing Open 525 at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.
A recent winner of the Tipperary Cup and a fine second-placed finish in the Dundalk International, the 3-1 shot delivered a superb front running winning performance, beating a strong field of runners which included last year's Derby Champion, The Other Kobe.
Exploding from traps and leading around from Droopys Carbine, the impressive winner was always in control up front. Galloping strongly throughout, it was a magnificent 28.07 winning run, three and a half lengths clear of Droopys Carbine. Surely now, it's the Laurels next for Tribal Syd.
Jimmy Barry Murphy (Representing Bar One Racing) making the presentation to Martin Costigan after the wonderful success of Tribal Syd in the €5,000 to the winner Bar One Racing in association with the Curraheen Park Supporters Club one off race.
Graham Holland enjoyed a great night - recording no fewer than four winners. The Champion trainer recorded a 1-2 in the €4,000 to the winner Galloping Kennels A2 Stake.
Silverhill Freya made the most of the inside draw to win for Eugene Buckley. The well-backed 4-5 favourite came away racing and she got first run on Bombay Pat. A superb 28.11 winning run, two lengths the margin.
Holland also landed the Michael Cahill Memorial Open, this time with Romeo Taylor for David Firmager. The 4-5 favourite put on a smart front-running winning performance to win, in 28.36.
A couple of races earlier, in race eight, Garfiney Blake landed the BarOneRacing Irish Greyhound Laurels Trial Stake. In the ownership of Michael Lynch, the 2-1 winnet stuck to his task well in the closing stages to win, in 28.63.
The first of the Graham Holland-trained runners came in the second, Ardera Sam bounced out in front to make all for the Telly-Tubby- Syndicate. The 4-5 favourite impressed with a stunning 28.04 winning run, two and a half lengths clear of Millridge Nadia.
In the opener, the Bar One Racing Irish Greyhound Laurels Trial Stake, Im An Exile made it back-to-back wins for Andy Lynch. The 4-6 favourite was in front early and the outcome was never in doubt as she won easily, in 28.50, at odds of 4-6.
In the €1,000 to the winner All Plast Engineering S3/S4, Broken Buttons came home in front for the in-form kennel of Eamonn Morton. Always in the mix up front, the 3-1 winner stayed on strongly to beat Ballycowen Phil, by a length, in 17.76.
Times Ticking landed the €1,000 to the winner All Plast Engineering A6-A7 Stake for Austin O'Neill and Maurice Sheahan. The 2-1 winner hit the front early and from there, the outcome was never in any doubt. A 29.24 winning run.
No stranger to big performances around Curraheen Park and further afield, Churchtown Syd ran out a popular winner of the fourth, the €1,000 to the winner Roaming Turbo @ Stud Open 525 for trainer Denis Fitzgerald and owner Mick Crotty. In front soon after the opening corner, the 5-4 favourite displayed plenty of pace to beat Butterbridge Roy, by two lengths, in 28.55.
In the following race, Stonepark Hoffa, trained by Michael O'Donovan for Michael Sean O'Dwyer, clocked a sensational 17.30 to win the €1,000 to the winner TIME Greyhound Nutrition Open 330.
Droopys Bookem made it two wins from as many starts in the closing race, winning for local trainer Johnny Linehan and owners the All Angels Syndicate. The November youngster, a 6-4 shot in the market, turned handy around the opening corners before proving too strong late on. A smashing 28.44 winning run.
A great crowd enjoyed a wonderful night of racing action at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.
It was great to welcome some of the brilliant ladies from that famous Cork Camogie All Ireland winning team as well and they got a fantastic reception on the night as they proudly showed off the O'Duffy Cup.
Also a special mention to the great Jimmy Barry Murphy who celebrated a big birthday with us on the night, Jimmy has done trojan work for Curraheen Park in recent years and as always, he was a big hit on the night.