FINAL: The Story So Far

2017 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Puppy Stake…………The story so far!

Having now reached final stage in the 2017 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Puppy Stake we can reflect on what has been a wonderful month of intense competition in Limerick’s newest feature event which has become so influential within the greyhound racing industry in just a five year history.

Only surpassed in monetary terms by the Derby itself, the €160,000 prize fund means that “the Kirby” is the richest of it’s kind on the planet and as such draws attention from the entire greyhound community. That level of prospective reward of course means that the event attracts the very best of young racing talent which have illuminated the Greenpark circuit in 2017, just as in our previous renewals.

All enthusiasts, form students and participants must now forensically examine the happenings in every night of Kirby action for as we have learned over past seasons, this event has and will continue to have far reaching influence. 

Every renewal contains future classic winners, stud dogs, award winners and many more who will feature highly in upcoming major events of the sport. Among those who ultimately failed to achieve victory in the Kirby are 2013 Irish Derby winner Slippery Robert, 2016 Derby winner Rural Hawaii and English Derby third Crokers Champ along with many more classic finalists and major event winners.

2016 Champ, Droopys Roddick.

Indeed just from our final showdown last year which was claimed by Droopys Roddick, he would go on to secure victory in the Dundalk International after coming agonising close to English Derby success when second in a photo-finish. Fifth placed Clares Rocket would claim Produce Stakes and Gold Cup victory while runner-up Riverside Oscar scored on the Night of Stars. 

The introduction of a €5000 bonus prize for the last standing bitch in 2017 has added extra spice to the event and if that incentive can produced a lady as talented as our third place finisher twelve months ago, it will have been money well spent for the wonderful Witches Belle could hardly have advertised this event in better light than when going on to claim victory in the 2016 Irish Oaks having competed so well against the boys.

The best sponsors in the world?

Of course all this is made possible by our most generous sponsors and there almost seems no ample way to fully convey our gratitude only to continually express our thanks for making this wonderful event a reality. Named in honour of Noreen McManus’s parents, her sponsorship with husband JP has created a unique sporting event with their brilliant initiative to include the GAA Clubs of Limerick offering a further €20,000 should their representative greyhound reach the final, with €10,000 for the outright winner. This wonderful addition bridges the generation gap in the unique confines of the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Puppy Stake and brings together young and old from their respective sporting backgrounds in a colourful and wonderfully inclusive social occasion to compliment the intense and supreme competition action for the richest puppy race in the world.

Shea Sizzles on night one!

Vancouver Shea!

That expected intensity was evident from our opening round heats and first to grab the headlines in the event was Fraser Black’s Vancouver Shea. Pacing up well on the run to the opening bend in Heat 6, he would challenge for the lead on the outside of Jaytee President at the second bend before powering along the back-straight. Staying strongly, he held three and a half lengths over an impressive runner-up and a time of 28.35 put him atop the 2017 Kirby ladder ahead of Round Two.

The opening night saw established classic trainers dominate and Liam Dowling began his campaign with the victory of Borsalino in Heat 3 when leading home Ivy Hill Blitz in 28.92 which would be followed by three further impressive Round One successes for the Kingdom trainer. Toocoolforschool led throughout when claiming Heat 5 in 28.80 before the brilliant Coolavanny Pet established herself as the fastest bitch of the round with a gutsy effort to overhaul the lead at the closing bends in Heat 7. She looked imperious when posting 28.51 while containing the powerful Jaytee Barracuda. Completing the quartet, Ballymac Laughil dominated Heat 9 in impressive fashion when repelling Leger runner-up Native Chimes.

The prolific kennels of Graham Holland and Pat Buckley claimed doubles on the night and the former would register the first leg in Heat 2 as Rackethall Jess gamely kept her unbeaten record intact, mowing down Clobrien Hero in 28.71. The double would come in Heat 10 when his well fancied Drive On Tipp justified his place in the market when comfortably leading home Nitro Notorious in another forecast for the kennels, posting 28.64.

Unluckily seeing three of his eight entries housed in Heat 1, the Buckley kennels dismissed the danger of elimination when filling the trio positions. Benetekes Bocko posted fast early splits when leading home the strong staying Killinan Rosie and Droopys Cabaye in 28.61 and the 2017 Kirby had a real solid benchmark performance from which to gauge the remaining eleven heats. His opening night double came when Droopys Pogba led home Crossfield Jock in Heat 8, posting 28.67 by leading throughout and Peter Cronin too found a winner on the night when his Cometwopass scored in similar fashion with nine lengths to spare, posting 28.71 in Heat 4.

A trio of doubles in Round Two

Cometwopass

The first runner to claim a double in the event was Peter Cronin's Cometwopass as the early pacer again secured victory on the run to the bend from what proved an ideal Trap 1 berth in Heat 2. Hitting the front just before the turn, he would dominate thereafter in a smart 28.68 defeat of Coolavanny Pet. 

Next to claim a Kirby brace was the outright favourite Vancouver Shea when again forcing a Liam Dowling runner to settle for second position in Heat 4. Matching strides with Toocoolforschool on the run to the bend, he was forced to cede a one length advantage entering the back-straight before ranging alongside the leader at the closing bends. He claimed a half length victory when just out-staying the game runner-up in 28.75. 

The trio of back to back winners was completed in Heat 5 when Bentekes Bocko again returned a powerful early paced display after a smart break from Trap 2. Leading to the bend, he again enjoyed a solo passage around Limerick when never seriously threatened in 28.75.

Unlike the opening night, Round Two delivered eight winners from different kennels and fastest of all was Graham Holland’s Lughill Robbie in a two length defeat of strong staying Borsalino in 28.56 before Native Chimes gave notice of his outright aspirations when claiming Heat 3. Mowing down fast early pacer Ratnasnare Champ having been seven lengths adrift before halfway, the Leger runner-up was back on song when posting 28.63. The closing heats of the round went to the bitches when Paula Heffernan’s Higher Level showed her strong staying ability in defeat of Drive On Tipp in 28.81 before a similar staying victory for Shewhodareswins in the last, flying from halfway in 28.83.

Shea holds sway in quarters

Bocko!

Having risen to the top of the market, Vancouver Shea justified his billing in the first quarter-final when breaking well from his now familiar Trap 6. He turned the bend in front before completing a facile five length victory over Native Chimes who battled brilliantly through early crowding to fill second in 28.40 ahead of another brave qualifying effort by Ivy Hill Blitz. 

This treble for the favourite was matched by two further quarter-final winners as Benetekes Bocko again dominated with his early pace when leading home the eye-catching Jaytee Barracuda who stayed very strongly when beaten just a half length in 28.65 as Borsalino filled third.

Also registering a Kirby treble in similar early paced fashion was Peter Cronin’s Cometwopass as he claimed Heat 4 by leading throughout in 28.75 but was all out to repel the powerful Higher Level close home by a half a length with Drive On Tipp battling well to fill third. There was a victory for the bitches on the night when Coolavanny Pet got back to winning ways in Heat 3 as she forced early pacer Rathnasnare Champ to settle for second again. Mugging him on the line for a short-head verdict, she posted 28.68 in a thriller with Shewhodareswins almost joining the photo-finish with her strong staying third.

Chimes & Bocko claim the semis

Native Chimes

Action packed semi-finals saw Native Chimes back to winning ways in the opener when again mowing down Rathnasnare Champ close home with a half length verdict in 28.76. The latter had led with his early pace dominating to the third turn as Native Chimes managed to overhaul Borsalino for second position before his telling final thrust. Crowding at the first bend ended the hopes of Cometwopass who had held a prominent position before hampered as Jaytee Barracuda could not avoid striking him from behind.

The second semi-final then brought a truly magnificent display from Bentekes Bocko who took a flyer from Trap 2 and would dominate throughout in a sizzling 28.37 which is likely to make him favourite for the final. He was chased home by Drive On Tipp who only just failed to reel back the winner in a powerful display from the second bend and his was a truly laudable display in defeat. Last to the opening bend where crowding put paid to the chances of her lady rivals, Coolavanny Pet found a pleasing run on the rails and with it the €5000 bonus for the last bitch standing and she retains the hopes of victory for the fairer sex in the 2017 Kirby final.