DA BUZYBEE ROLLS BACK THE YEARS IN TIME CLUB FINAL

Peter Farrell

The feature event on Friday night’s Clonmel card was the final of the Join The TIME Club A3/A4 525, and the €1,000 winner’s prize went the way of the evergreen Da Buzybee, who produced a stunning late surge to land the spoils.

Now a five-year-old, the brilliant veteran proved she still has plenty of sting in her stride with a performance full of heart and determination. Chasing a twelfth career victory, Denis Dwyer and Suzanne O’Neill’s charge missed the kick from trap three and found herself at the tail of the field on the opening bend. However, the daughter of Droopys Sydney – Absolutely Ace began to motor down the back straight, moving stylishly into third approaching the penultimate corner. Gathering momentum, ‘Buzybee’ powered into full flight as she set her sights on long-time leader Chaotic Pershing. As the pair flashed across the line almost as one, which prompted a judge’s call, it was Da Buzybee who got the verdict by a short head in 28.81. It was a thrilling finish and a fitting conclusion to a stake kindly sponsored by Willie Rigney of TIME.

LARRY A PROSPECT

While the TIME final provided the main attraction at Clonmel on Friday night, there was a stunning performance on the undercard as Chasing Larry announced himself as a greyhound to follow with a brilliant display in the A4 contest.

Owned by Sean O’Halloran, ‘Larry’ had shown plenty of promise in qualifying trials but met with trouble in running on his first couple of competitive starts. That all changed last night as the March 2024 whelp produced a faultless display to record a virtual solo victory for connections. Breaking smartly from trap one, the son of Grangeview Ten – Wise Eruption drove the rails to establish a two-length lead over Emers Marnie into the back straight. To her credit, the runner-up stuck with him until the three-quarter mark, but it was there that ‘Larry’ shifted gears. Displaying all the hallmarks of a greyhound destined to stay further, O’Halloran’s charge powered clear around the final bend, opening up an emphatic eleven-length advantage over Emers Marnie at the line. Clocking a slick 16.29 to the third bend and stopping the clock in 28.57, the 4/6 favourite was finishing full of running, clear evidence that Chasing Larry is a prospect with a bright future.