Final Saturday June 1st
The reach of the Greyhound And Petworld extends right through the entire greyhound racing community from Dominic Magnone & Kathleen Murphy’s base in Abbeyfeale and nowhere more is their extensive support of racing more evident than at the final of their flagship event at Limerick Greyhound Stadium, the prestigious 550 yard Golden Muzzle.Attracting stars of the sport in recent seasons as a AA0 event, last year’s winner Crohane Ronnie thrilled patrons as the wonderful veteran repelled multiple classic winners Good News, who was then the defending Golden Muzzle champion, and Clonbrien Hero in thrilling fashion and although the 2019 event has seen the entry grade relaxed to A1, an exacting standard has been resoundingly upheld by a stellar cast of entries.
From the very outset, a host of runners would bid a swift farewell to the A1 grade as finalist Killaheen Queen set the standard in the opening heat of Round One when leading home Ballymartin Ron in a brilliant 29.81 for young owner Fintan McNamara. That winning time was matched in the very next heat when Mongys Hero defeated Moanteen Izzy by just three parts of a length but highlighting the competitiveness of the event, only the third qualifier from that hot contest, the Robert Malone owned Cabra Tango, has reached the final showdown!
Cheeky unbeaten brace on crest of a Wave
The remaining brace of winners from the first round will however enter the final with an unbeaten record in the event as both Cheeky Bob and Milesian Wave have been near flawless in their passage to the final.Trevor O’Connell’s Cheeky Bob has been an early paced sensation within the Golden Muzzle and having led from trap to line in his opening 29.89, he would repeat the dose in last week’s semi-final when flashing from Trap 5 to again lead throughout as Cabra Tango gave game chase when just one and a half lengths adrift in a slick 29.81. Chasing this duo home in third, Killaheen Queen backed-up her smart first round effort when overcoming bumping from a poor draw in Trap 4 and losing little in her battling defeat, the sole remaining bitch must remain a major player ahead of the final.
Dominant in his opening night victory while posting 30.11, Patrick Conlon’s Milesian Wave was made to work a great deal harder to remain unbeaten in last week’s semi-final following a slower start from his favoured Trap 6 draw but he displayed all the attributes that patrons have come to admire about the Limerick regular as he gamely paced up on the outside of the field around the opening turns.
Locked in battle with Denis Murphy’s Callaway Colgan along the back-straight, a forceful sweep into the third bend ultimately secured victory for Milesian Wave as he briefly but very crucially forced his closest rival to check his stride. The verdict was still not fully secured however as Colgan rallied on the run to the line when only giving best by a head in a 30.25 thriller. Filling third here was Donal Healy & Michael Daly’s Toast Of Cabra, who was chasing Milesian Wave home for the second week in succession but only two and a half lengths adrift following second bend crowding, his final chances will not be forlorn.
Bob the percentage call?!
Final Draw: 1) Killaheen Queen 2) Callaway Colgan 3) Cabra Tango 4) Toast Of Cabra 5) Cheeky Bob (w) 6) Milesian Wave (w)The obvious starting point ahead of final analysis is the unbeaten fastest semi winner Cheeky Bob and if reproducing the fast starts of previous rounds, he is going to prove extremely difficult to contain. A repeat draw in Trap 5 looks ideal for the likely favourite and he must remain the percentage call.
There is however plenty of viable opposition and he will firstly be required to repel the early attentions of Milesian Wave to his outer. Capable of a faster start than last week, the latter will need to at least match the favourite to the opening bend and although the clock says that Milesian Wave has time to find, a first bend lead would quickly negate any perceived deficit!
Having run Cheeky Bob so close a week ago, Cabra Tango has to retain realistic claims now and although the strong runner has pace to deal with to his inside, a pitch in behind any prospective leader to the back-straight would have all under pressure to contain his powerful late challenge. He may be required to contain Toast Of Cabra at trap rise as although tasting defeat in both rounds, the latter is another with the capability of leading and a minor shock would be very possible if turning first.
It would be easy to concentrate on the semi winners to the outside but the inner duo could well be ideally drawn in the context of the final. It was only a head that separated Callaway Colgan and Milesian Wave last time and Colgan of course has claims to dictate matters on the inside which would bring obvious chances of victory.
However, the most interesting draw of the final could well be Killaheen Queen and her 29.81 first round win must not be overlooked. Although an inside seed, she has not raced from Trap 1 since debut. Slower to stride last week, if indeed the red jacket sparks a return to her best breaking, she would hold every claim for victory. An intriguing final where Cheeky Bob gets this commentators narrow vote. Trio 5-1-6.
Magnone Memorial is Jet powered
The sponsorship stamp of the Greyhound & Pet World is also in evidence throughout the under-card to the 2019 Golden Muzzle final and highlights their generosity which extends across all grades of racing and to venues all over Ireland. Dearest to their hearts however in the annual Peter Magnone Memorial A3 525 Yard Stake which also reaches final stage now.
Named in memory of Dominic’s late nephew, it ranks among the most coveted of graded prizes at Limerick. Always competitive, Anna Carey’s Gower Jet has however been irresistible in the 2019 heats and is likely to start a short priced favourite to land the sponsor’s very special event following a blistering 28.57 semi-final display.An annual celebration of the wonderful association between the Greyhound & Petworld and Limerick Greyhound Stadium, Golden Muzzle final night offers the opportunity to thank Dominic, Kathleen, Liam and all their staff for continued and unrelenting support of racing in Limerick.
Saturday Racecard Here
