Kerry dogs Bobsleigh Dream and Beepers Lariat still in strong contention to win Irish St Leger

We keep on acknowledging the greatness of Bobsleigh Dream and there she was at Limerick Track on Saturday winning her quarter-final heat of the Willwego.com Irish St Leger (winner, €30,000) in quite stirring fashion for Gneeveguilla owner, Willie Joe Murphy, and Cappawhite trainer, Pat Buckley.

It was quite something the way she raced to victory by a length and a half over Trinity Junior in 29.64 and it was nice, too, to see Music Glideaway finish a close third behind her for Limerick-based Castleisland man, Bob Shanahan.

Also through to the semi-finals this Saturday night is the Jack Kennelly-trained Beepers Lariat, which ran a blinder in the second quarter-final to be second to Swords Rex (29.35).

Great to see hopes of another Kerry classic victory so much alive.

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FIRE Height Kane might have been eliminated at the semi-final stage of the Kerry GOBA A3 570 Sweepstake on October 27, behind the outright winner, Muckross Jake, but, eased in grade to A4, Brendan Maunsell’s charge produced a terrific performance over 525 yards to be a runaway winner in 28.69 at last week’s Tuesday SIS meeting.

There was also a run of 28.80 by the Edward O’Sullivan-trained Boherbee Charlie, while the 2021 Rose of Tralee sweepstake winner, Millridge Willow, won the opening A3 525 by a short head in 28.90 at the generous odds of 10/1.

Other winners: Lahore Prince, 29.14; Nocturnal Mo, 29.22; Mexican Blake, 28.91; Millridge Tilly, 29.27; Finerange, 29.54; Tommys Lad, 29.46; Tanvalley Rose, 28.91.

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THERE was a lot of gloom at Tralee Track last week when news filtered through that James Kelly, who manned the entrance through which owners and trainers brought their greyhounds, had died.

James had been on duty the previous Friday night, so the sense of shock was very palpable. He was always most helpful and, indeed, he always had a race programme in his hand for yours truly on admission to the stadium, with a friendly few words to go with it.

A man like that leaves a mark on you and all who frequent Tralee Track in any capacity will join in extending deepest sympathy to his bereaved family. There was a minute’s silence for him at the track last Friday night.

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THE big pre-Christmas event at Tralee Track, the Eric Browne Memorial Kingdom Derby, starts on Friday, December 8. The late Eric was a remarkable man and it is so appropriate to have an important open 525 sweepstake honouring his memory at a place where he was such a central figure for so long.