Greenville Black takes Cahersiveen rowing club sweepstake
Wednesday March 10 2010
IT was all about a sweepstake carrying the name of Cahersiveen Rowing Club at Tralee Track last Saturday night and a handsome purse of € 1,600 was claimed by Mary McNamara, of Crecora, Co Limerick, who saw her bitch, Christys Diamond (Crash Christys Girl), stride to a particularly impressive victory.
The sweepstake in question was for A2 class over the standard trip and the general expectation was that Greenville Black would justify even-money favouritism, even if the box he occupied, trap 6, is not viewed as being a lucky one at the Oakview venue.
Morever, Greenville Black had beaten Christys Diamond by four and a half lengths at the semifinal stage.
However, it was to be a very different story when it counted most. Christys Diamond, which is trained in Limerick by Neilus O'Connell, simply blew out of trap 3 and, even though Greenville Black ran second to her at the first bend, he was never going to catch her and she actually won going away from Greenville Black in the superb time of 28.97, with a length back to Bridge Audio.
Earlier, trainer O'Connell initiated a splendid double over the 570yds trip (A1 class) with Razldazl Denys (Sonic Flight – Kilquane Lass), owned by William Butler, of Clarina, Co Limerick.
Just like Christys Lass, this fellow showed excellent starting ability and he built up a lead which his only real challenger, Ballymac Lefanta, could not pull back. It was tight at the line, but a neck was as good as a few lengths to the winning connections. The time was 31.51 sec.
An excellent 11-race programme produced other outstanding winners and chief amongst them was Pencray Lass (Ace Hi Rumble – Berts Baby), owned by Carol Humphreys, of Duagh (agent, M Burrell). She was taking on some very hot opposition in the tenth race, for open class over 550yds, and she made it a very impressive16 wins from 33 starts when beating Burnpark Champ by two and a half lengths in 30.04.
Drawn in trap 4, Pencray Lass simply flew to the first bend and she was always in total control of the race thereafter. Burnpark Champ didn't enjoy the clearest of runs behind her rounding the first bend and he lost little in defeat, but a winning margin of two and a half lengths for Pencray Lass left little room for argument about the worthiness of her victory. Neither did a brilliant time of 30.04.
Over the 325yds trip, a sizzling time of 17.73 was produced by Cruel Sea (Crash – Killiney Pride), owned by Brendan Nolan, of Tralee, and trained by Edward O'Sullivan.
He flew to the first from a trap 2 draw and he beat Kahara Stream by five and a half lengths, significantly bettering a winning time of 18.20 on February 23.
Other winners on the night were: Gara Caol, 29.77; Portmagee Cheetah, 29.90; Knight Legend, 29.45; Dons Fantasy, 29.13; Bullman, 31.58; Clongeel Volume, 29.14; Fermoyle Savings, 29.14.
