Double delight for Wexford trainer Anton Butler at Enniscorthy Greyhound Stadium
The first race saw his charge, Mayflower Storm, going up well from his trap two draw. And with a wall of runners neck and neck into the first bend, he had the inside line.
Storm made good use of it to lead into the back straight and it was a lead he was never going to give up, running out a comfortable three-length winner from trap five runner Cushie Rustic in a fast 28.81.
Butler's other winner came in race nine, the last of the night, when De Bono Lad was sent off the 6/4 favourite and gave his followers few anxious moments.
He showed far too much early pace for the field, racing into a clear lead into the opening bends, and ran out a very clear six lengths winner in a good time of 32.84.
Enniscorthy trainer Thomas Codd continued his good run when also recording a nice double.
His Cushie Robyn flew from traps to open up a big lead down the back and looked home for all money.
However, his backers got a little fright close to home as his stride shortened dramatically and trap two runner Trump Time was coming fast, but Cushie had done enough to hold on by half a length.
Then in race four, Cushie Mick ran a game race and was not for losing. He showed the better early pace to grab the lead into the opening bend and go a few lengths clear down the back.
However, trap six runner Dark Fairy came with a strong challenge between the lower bends to just take the lead into the home straight, but Cushie battled back near the line to get the verdict by a neck in a time of 29.25.
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The Monday night card featured the semi-finals of the Wexford Greyhound Owners and Breeders Unraced Stake.
And both were won by Tipperary trainer Pat Buckley as Sallagh Larry and Sallagh Curly prevailed.
The first semi saw a bit of a shock as red-hot favourite Untold Story failed to qualify. Trap two runner Sallagh Larry led and ran out an easy winner in a fast time of 28.77.
Not to be outdone, his full brother Sallagh Curly was sent off the red-hot 2/5 favourite in the second semi.
And while he was slow away from his trap two draw, he tracked beautifully on the rail around the opening bends to race to the lead by the second bend and went right away to score an impressive eight and a half lengths victory in a fast 28.78.
The brothers look like they will be hard to stop, but as we all know anything can happen in finals.
JUNE 30 RESULTS
Race one, first semi-final of the Wexford Greyhound Owners and Breeders Unraced Stake: 1, Sallagh Larry (owner, Nuala Lynch; trainer, Pat Buckley, Co. Tipperary), 28.77; 2, Bounceback Luna, six lengths; 3, Kiltrea Cliff, eight and a half lengths.
Race two, second semi-final: 1, Sallagh Curly (owner, Michael Lynch; trainer, Pat Buckley, Co. Tipperary), 28.78; 2, Stripe Jimboy, eight and a half lengths; 3, Badminton Chopin, one and a half lengths.
Race three: 1, Milltownsherlock (owner, James Nolan, Enniscorthy), 29.49; 2, Clovass Len, two lengths.
Race four: 1, Kiltrea Amy (owner, John Doyle, Enniscorthy), 30.00; 2, Monbeg Snowy, one length.
Race five: 1, Lord Rocky (owner, Tommy Woods, Enniscorthy), 29.72; 2, Twilight Climate, five and a half lengths.
Race six: 1, Hillbilly Dixie (owner, Joseph Keeling, Wexford town), 29.60; 2, Tagalong Bailout, half a length.
Race seven: 1, Ellie's Gem (owner, Mark Sullivan, Wexford), 29.24; 2, Tachenko, one length.
Race eight: 1, Killoughrim Jet (owner, Damien Fitzgerald; trainer, Davy Morris, Enniscorthy), 29.18; 2, Marfield Eric, two lengths.
JULY 3 RESULTS
Race one: 1, Mayflower Storm (owners, The Mayflower-Syndicate; trainer, Anton Butler, Rathaspeck), 28.81; 2, Cushie Rustic, three lengths.
Race two: 1, Cushie Robyn (owner, Thomas Codd, Enniscorthy), 29.83; 2, Trump Time, half a length.
Race three: 1, Bonnie Seal (owners, Patrick Whelan and Laura Earle, Enniscorthy; trainer, Patrick Whelan), 29.20; 2, Ballybreen Luna, a head.
Race four: 1, Cushie Mick (owner, Thomas Codd, Enniscorthy), 29.25; 2, Dark Fairy, a neck.
Race five: 1, Marion's Bingo (owner, Thomas Joseph O'Rourke, Enniscorthy), 29.51; 2, Croia Agus Gwen, three-quarters of a length.
Race six: 1, Seamount Blue (owner, Eoin Mullins, Gorey), 29.03; 2, Almost Bonnie, there lengths.
Race seven: 1, Beechwood Moss (owners, The GDG Syndicate, Enniscorthy), 28.93; 2, Tapa Tilly, one and a half lengths.
Race eight: 1, Toker Pablo (owner, Philip Lynch, New Ross), 28.93; 2, Gymstar Fabiola, half a length.
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