DROMBEG SPARKLES IN JIMMY FLAHERTY MEMORIAL SEMIS

Peter Farrell

The semi finals of the Jimmy Flaherty Memorial 525 served as the highlight at Galway Greyhound Stadium on Friday night and Drombeg Spark bounced back to winning ways with a dominant performance to set the standard.

Owned by Evan McAuliffe, Drombeg Spark was forced to settle for third in the opening round and looked to have plenty on her plate in the second semi when drawn against fastest first round winner, Brickhill Sky. However, the experienced daughter of Broadstrand Bono and Gentre Trend sealed a ninth career victory as she broke well from five, before shooting clear off the second bend. In contrast, while Brickhill Sky trapped expertly from three, she came together in the opening strides with Cloonturk Bruno in four and was subsequently forced to play second fiddle thereafter. Holding a four length lead down the back, Drombeg Spark never relented thereafter as McAuliffe’s bitch stayed on stoutly to cross the line four and a half lengths clear of Brickhill Sky in second. The remaining qualifier was Stonepark Sam, while the time was a rapid 28.95 .10s.

In the opening semi, Heathlawn Best made it back-to-back wins in the stake for Thomas O’Connor. An early paced son of Ballymac Best and Blackstone May, the 7/4 chance was hoping to bring up a dozen career wins and he started well from trap one in his quest to do so. Showing all of his sprinting abilities early on, ‘Best’ held a four length advantage down the back as Weekend Drinking gave chase in second. While the petrol gauge on Heathlawn Best was now flickering as he rounded the bottom two bends, his early pace did the damage as he just held off the late advances of the strong-finishing Derrymoyle Bono in second. The time was 29.60 .10s as Weekend Drinking claimed the final qualifying spot in third.

The draw for the final of the Jimmy Flaherty Memorial was made shortly after and is as follows :

T1 - WEEKEND DRINKING

T2 - HEATHLAWN BEST

T3 - STONEPARK SAM

T4 - DERRYMOYLE BONO

T5 - BRICKHILL SKY

T6 - DROMBEG SPARK