Back on Course in Ballycommon
Having had the opportunity to stage their annual meeting denied to them twelve months ago, a resilient Nenagh Coursing Club will host their 2021 meeting over three days this weekend with four precious tickets to the National Meeting up for grabs on the coursing stretch in Carhue, Ballycommon.
Outstanding from last season, the 2021 classics for a generation of pups are being incorporated into a complex campaign but unwavering in their work ethic, the coursing community are determinedly ensuring a Derby and Oaks opportunity for all in the busiest of years for working members around the country.
Never found wanting, the grounds in Carhue are in pristine order ahead of commencement this Friday with hare stocks in rude health and renowned for excellence in all aspects, the committee look forward to welcoming handlers and hounds for the first time in two years!
Misty set for Magical return?!
Again, the feature event of the meeting will be the Six To Five All-Age Cup which is a mixed event for dogs and bitches this year and harbouring the strongest hopes for a home win can be Sandra Guilfoyle’s Magical Misty (Adios Alonso-Chubbys Ruby).
One of the outstanding bitch talents of her generation, she may well have captured the 2020 Oaks at Clonmel if not narrowly denied following a slow start in her second course of the classic but having scored at All-Age level before the suspension of coursing last season, she makes her return as only a slightly biased selection for victory this weekend.
The Moneygall charge is expected to emerge from the bottom half of the draw for a possible final date with Foxhollow Adios (Adios Alonso-Somelittlething) from the kennels of Brendan Matthews. Choicely bred, the Newry raider impressed before withdrawn from the third round of the 2020 Derby and makes his seasonal bow in an interesting half which includes festival qualifiers Sure Wonder and Blakemount Posh.
A host of local kennels will contest the 32-runner Trials Stakes for the older generation of 2019 whelps, and the 16-runner events for pups from the 2020 crop. With some choice local breeding already successful around the country this season, hopes will be high that at least one ticket can remain within the club fold.
Bruce set for Messi members match-up
The Bawn Stakes for working members is a fiercely contested event every season and this weekend will be no exception with eye-catching coursing breeding meeting choice track exponents.
From the very first course, Stephen Noonan’s Buggies De Bruce (Bexhill Eoin-Buggies Rose) jumps off the page being a son of the brilliant 2020 Kitty Butler winner and he will be a likely warm favourite to cut through the top half of the draw. One dog sneaks-in to contest the bottom half of the draw with the bitches and the girls will have a tough task to contain Paul Hogan’s Five Alley Messi (Ballymac Vic-Donals Tank) having sparked back to form in his latest A1 track victory at Galway. Such an exciting prospect when claiming the Sporting Press A1 550 at Clonmel with 29.74 as a pup back in January of 2019, he appears to have finally put an extended run of ill fortune behind him and he will take some stopping in the bottom half with possibly Bucks Squeak offering strongest resistance.
Details: Friday 5th, Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th November commencing at 11.30am on all three days.
Friday: Twice through Derby TS 2021 and Bawn Stakes. Once through Derby TS 2022
Saturday: Twice through Oaks TS 2021. Once through Oaks TS 2022 and once through Six To Five All Age Cup. All Stakes run to completion on Sunday.
Before you go coursing this weekend, print off the ICC Health Declaration Form from www.irishcoursingclub.ie. See link to form at bottom of main Covid 19 Notice. Complete the form and have it ready to hand over at the entrance gate of the coursing field to speed up the entry process. Having the exact admission fee will also assist greatly in this area.