GREYHOUNDS | Local winners at Dundalk Stadium on Good Friday

A little piece of history was created in Dundalk when greyhound racing took place for the first time on Good Friday.

The crowd, slightly bigger than normal, saw a local win in the Ever Kleen Contract Cleaners A3 525 final.

Monleek Express scooped the €2,150 first prize for Rita and John Downey, Tullyallen. The 2/1 favourite beat Kilrues Roger by two-and-a-half lengths in 28.90.

In the opener, the appropriately-named Out The Rock made a successful debut for Colm Lawrence of Blackrock.

He got the better of Knockbridge bitch Rickie Dickie by a head in 21.95, after Longrange Sam threw away what appeared a race-winning lead.

Michael Kelly’s Clogherhead kennel struck with Devor Brae in 29.28.

The Bed To Work Syndicate, made up of Dundalk’s Pat and Matthew Loftus and Drogheda man Michael Tiernan, enjoyed another success.

On this occasion, it was Fane Orayen on the mark. He got up late to prevail by a half-length in 29.51.

Speed Chime earned winning brackets for the first time for brothers Laurence and Blackrock vet Brian Jones. She hacked up by nine lengths in 28.94.

On Saturday, Valeries Master obliged in 30.52 over 550 yards for Togher’s Michael Doyle and Thomas Butterly.

South Louth had another winner in the shape of Boyne Bullet, the property of Drogheda’s Henry Holcroft. Sprinting for the first time, he clocked 21.70.

Elsa Blue gained an exciting photo finish victory for Dromiskin-based Martina McCann and Ambrose Quinn, pipping Stringer Bell by a short-head in 29.11.

Meanwhile, the semi-finals of the Paddy & Eamon Carroll Memorial A1 620 produced wins for Flying Flyer (33.99) and Townspark Gem (34.17).

The trap draw for this Saturday night’s final is as follows — 1: Dunham Roxy (I), 2: Quandrum (I), 3: Flying Flyer (I), 4: Jaytee Angel (I), 5: Peregrine Cola (M), 6: Townspark Gem (W).

Greyhound Results

Friday, April 14th

Race 1: Out The Rock won in 21.95 for Colm Lawrence (Blackrock); Race 2: Go Rae won in 21.75 for owner/trainer Brian Robinson (Coalisland); Race 3: Borna Messi won in 21.66 for Gary Loughnane (Kill); Race 4: Devor Brae won in 29.28 for Brian Douglas and Clogherhead trainer Michael Kelly; Race 5: Lively Champion won in 29.52 for Joseph Ivory (Delvin); Race 6: Abbylea Rocket won in 29.31 for Arthur Ryan and Maureen Finnegan and Swords trainer Maureen Finnegan; Race 7: Monleek Express won in 28.90 for Rita Downey and Tullyallen trainer John Downey; Race 8: Fane Orayen won in 29.51 for Bed-To-Work-Syndicate c/o Pat Loftus (Dundalk); Race 9: Maggies Chips won in 29.04 for Desmond Gilbert and Skerries trainer Marie Gilbert; Race 10: Speed Chime won in 28.94 for Laurence and Brian Jones and Carrickmacross trainer Laurence Jones; Race 11: Deanmill Annie won in 28.76 for owner/trainer Bobby Scullion (Craigavon); Race 12: Milldean Skip won in 28.77 for M-and-H-Racing-Syndicate and Skerries trainer Marie Gilbert.

Saturday, April 15th

Race 1: Otherdetails win in 21.59 for Oliver Shields (Newry); Race 2: Matts McGregor won in 21.64 for Master Darragh Nugent (Darkley); Race 3: Valeries Master won in 30.52 for Michael Doyle and Thomas Butterly (Drogheda); Race 4: Fridays Artist won in 29.33 for owner/trainer Paul Whyte (Lifford); Race 5: Boyne Bullet won in 21.70 for Henry Holcroft (Drogheda); Race 6: Milldean Marie won in 29.17 for M-and-H-Racing-Syndicate and Skerries trainer Marie Gilbert; Race 7: Flying Flyer won in 33.99 for George Dailly and Cappawhite trainer Pat Buckley; Race 8: Townspark Gem won in 34.17 for Patrick Geraghty (Athboy); Race 9: Fridays Gerry won in 21.75 for owner/trainer Paul Whyte (Lifford); Race 10: Elsa Blue won in 29.11 for Martina McCann and Ambrose Quinn and Craigavon trainer Ambrose Quinn; Race 11: Young Boss won in 30.31 for James Carey and Pat Norton (Dublin).