Con and Annie Kirby Memorial reaches quarter final stage in Limerick Greyhound Stadium

THE opening round heats of the 2022 Con & Annie Kirby produced the most incredible action last weekend at Limerick Greyhound Stadium but it was cranked up a notch on Saturday night as Swords Rex headed a string of phenomenal performances.

Garry Hannon and Karol Ramsbottom are no strangers to producing fantastic greyhounds and their latest is Deadly Showtime who followed up a sensational first round display with another stunning performance.

Running in heat three for the Laois kennel of Karol Ramsbottom, Deadly Showtime delivered another magnificent performance. 

Setting a blistering gallop down the back, the son of Droopys Sydney and Ruby Valley doubled his lead from two to four lengths approaching the penultimate turn and he showed no signs of fatigue thereafter as he maintained a relentless gallop on the run for home. A really impressive performance from Deadly Showtime, he was five and a half lengths clear of Ballymac Leon crossing the line, with Storys Archie a further two and a half lengths back in third. The time was a sparkling 28.29. 

Droopys Nice One was one of the main eye-catchers from last weekend’s opening round and although the classy bitch faced some stiff opposition in the final heat, John Coleman’s charge made light work of her rivals.

Trained in Kilkenny by Murt Leahy, there was no catching Droopys Nice One on the run for home and she stormed across the line to finish five lengths clear of Crafty Kokoro, who once again displayed massive pace despite being hampered on more than one occasion, to finish second. The final qualification spot went to Townview Syd and the time was a rapid 28.33. 

Trained in New Inn by Owen McKenna for Una O’Sullivan, Ballymore Border has that fantastic 28.11 clock to his name at Shelbourne Park and after running a big race in the opening round of the Kirby, he was to produce a masterclass in heat six to win comfortably. In total control, this was a very taking performance from Owen McKenna’s charge and he flew home seven lengths better off than Disco Pants in second. The remaining qualification spot went to National Puppy winner Scooby Prince, who was just a neck further back in third, as the time read a hot 28.35. 

While Pat Guilfoyle was guiding Explosive Boy to yet another sensational performance down in Waterford, his newest charge, Magical Kuba (Magical Bale - Impact Miami), notched his first career win in brilliant style in heat one. It was the strong-running Magical Kuba, owned by the Westwell-Racing-Syndicate, who bound clear on the run for home and the 9/2 shot was three and a half lengths better off than Ballinabola Ed crossing the line. The final qualification spot went to The Other Kobe in third as the unlucky in running, Kilgraney Sydney, made his exit from the event. The time for Magical Kuba was 28.63.

Lenson On Ice has shown brilliant early gears thus far in his career and the Pat Buckley-trained charge was on point in heat two as he made every yard of the running. Three quarters of a length clear of Carrauntoohil crossing the line, Lenson On Ice stopped the clock in 28.66 as Ballymac Ben produced another eye-catching performance to finish just three parts of a length worse off in third. 

Heat four looked like another red-hot contest on paper but it was Tommy Too Many who led from the outset to make it back-to-back Kirby wins for the Moydrum-Massive-Syndicate.  Maintaining a strong gallop in the closing stages, Tommy Too Many, a 3/1 chance, crossed the line two lengths to spare over Glengar Scholar, while Da Bold Freddie just about hung on to secure the final qualification spot in third. The time was a swift 28.54.

Golden trainer Graham Holland recorded a fine double on the night. Swords Rex, a 7/4 market chance, powered clear up the home straight and it was son of Droopys Sydney and Starry Display who crossed the line a comfortable leader in the end. Four and a half lengths better off than Droopys Edison in second, the time was an exceptional 28.20 as Emilys Jet also ran a huge race to finish just a length and a half further back in third. 

Cryptopunk followed up on his excellent debut to make-all in heat seven. The Graham Holland trained runner never looked like getting caught and the son of Dorotas Woo Hoo and Bogger Bonnie was still two lengths clear crossing the line. The time was 28.61 as Kildare ran another big race to land the final qualifying position in third.