SPARKLING DISPLAY BY DROOPYS FREDA TO LAND DUAL DISTANCE FEATURE

Peter Farrell

The final of the GoGreyhoundRacing.ie A4/A5 Dual Distance served as the highlight on Friday night’s Galway card and there was a spectacular winner in the form of the very talented, Droopys Freda.

Trained by Donal Duggan for Patrick Kelly, Droopys Freda had landed her 550-yard leg in very comfortable fashion and on that occasion the extra yardage certainly looked right up her street given her off-the-pace exploits. This proved accurate last night at the Connacht venue as the talented brindle and white ran to a comprehensive victory and, in doing so, clocked a rapid time of 31.36 .10s.

With €700 up for grabs to the winner, Droopys Freda donned the white jacket and was smartly into stride to lead Millrose Brandy on the long run to the opening turn. Taking a slender lead of around three parts of a length into the back, the daughter of Pestana and Droopys Pizazz quickly manufactured a healthy advantage entering the penultimate turn and it was here where Duggan’s charge began to draw clear. Opening a sizable advantage around the bottom two bends, the long run home proved no issue to Droopys Freda as she relished every yard on the 575-yard trip to cross the line with a near ten length advantage over Annadown Ted in second. The time was a hugely fast 31.36 .10s, which is the third quickest time seen at Galway in behind Line Of Fire and Broadacres Turbo, a fabulous effort.

FIVE ALLEY DOUBLE

In other races, Paul Hogan enjoyed a fruitful night as his ‘Five Alley’ greyhounds passed the post in front in two of the nine races on offer.

The first to crossover in front was Five Alley Star as she justified her even money price tag in this A5 contest. Quickly into stride from trap one, she used her rails berth to good effect early doors to turn in front of the advancing Drumgeely Jim. Taking full control down the back, the daughter of Kinloch Brae and Vinnys Beauty proved a tough nut to crack thereafter as she stayed on stoutly to record a three and a half length victory over Drumgeely Jim in second. The time was a decent 29.23 .10s.

The double was completed in race three as Five Alley Din secured a fifth career win for Paul Hogan and joint owner Denis O’Brien. A very accomplished tracker, the son of Ballymac Best and Annual Tears broke level with Drombeg Tess at traprise but showed the superior early gears from trap five to lead. Sweeping the opening turn, ‘Din’ excelled around the bottom two bends to extend his advantage and seal a four and a half length victory over Springwell Denny in second. The time was 19.16 .5s.