Irish miss out at Towcester but busy Classic month at home
A monthly video record of the major SIS UK and Irish races run during 2025 with accompanying reporting.
01/06 - Clonmel: National Produce Stakes - Lemon Joey
LEMON JOEY got it right on the big night to claim the €20,000 Carrick Aldo @ Stud National Produce Stakes final over 525 yards at Clonmel.
Trained by Murt Leahy for the Short-Back-And-Side-Syndicate, the winner was sent off 9/4 and tasted big-race glory having been a beaten favourite in last year's National Puppy Stake at Shelbourne Park then a semi-finalist this time around in the Tote Gold Cup there and Kirby Memorial at Limerick.
As expected, Flashing Saffron (2/1F) got to the front fairly early but she never looked in control and always prominent Lemon Joey duly pounced on the run-in to power past for a two lengths success in 28.60sec with outsider Tetra Destiny half a length back in third.
It was a second victory in the Classic for Leahy who had previously landed the Produce Stakes with Ballybough Mondo fully ten years ago in 2015.
And to cap a superb night, Leahy also took the Produce consolation with Sawdust Chaps (28.57sec).
13/06 - Tralee: Race Of Champions - Seven Beach
SEVEN BEACH broke his own seven-day-old track record as he landed his third major event of the year in winning the Callaway Pro Am @Stud Race Of Champions final over 550 yards at Tralee's Kingdom Stadium.
Jennifer O'Donnell's star had the race won in a matter of strides after pinging out of trap six and was quickly lengths clear of his rivals.
Indeed, the only race was really against the clock with there being little doubt that the €15,000 first prize was heading the way of his owners, the Beach Boys Trio Syndicate in the week of the passing of Brian Wilson the co-founder of the iconic 60s group bearing their name.
At the line, Seven Beach was four lengths to the good of strong-finishing Callaway Knegere in posting 29.09sec, six spots faster than he mark he had set in the heats.
He duly added the Race Of Champions to the Shelbourne Gold Cup and Waterford Select Stakes titles already on his cv in 2025.
14/06 - Shelbourne Park: Irish Oaks - Carrigmore Freya
CARRIGMORE FREYA took early control to land the €25,000 Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks final over 525 yards at Shelbourne Park.
Owned by Nora Coffey, she was already in front when only her and Sadies Lucy emerged from the first bend unscathed, going on to beat that rival by fully seven lengths in 28.17sec.
Trainer Graham Holland world suffer disappointment in the English Derby final at Towcester less than half an hour later but was landing the Irish bitches' Classic for the second time, ten years after Ballydoyle Honey's 2015 victory.
14/06 - Towcester: English Greyhound Derby - Droopys Plunge
DROOPYS PLUNGE saw off the massed Irish ranks to claim a thrilling victory for the 'home' side in the £175,000 final of the Star Sports/TRC English Derby over 500m at Towcester.
Jonathan Kay
28/06 - Shelbourne Park: Corn Cuchulainn - Braveheart Bambi
BRAVEHEART BAMBI powered to victory in the €10,500 final of the Donal Beatty Memorial Corn Cuchulainn over 750 yards at Shelbourne Park as Pat Buckley's bitch maintained her unbeaten record over six bends.
And it was very much a family affair as the daughter of Deerjet Sydney and Ambey Bamby was chased home by littermate Clona Ice in a Buckley 1-2.
Air Flyer set a searching gallop at the head of affairs but Braveheart Bambi turned in second and there always seemed an air of inevitability about the outcome.
Having held Clona Ice around bends three and four, the Darren McCoy-owned Braveheart Bambi flew down the back straight, hit the front at the penultimate turn and drew away to beat her rallying kannelmate by three lengths in 41.44sec.
Jaytee Craze, who just shaded Braveheart Bambi for favouritism, was never a factor after being unable to dominate then finding first bend trouble.
It was a third victory in the classic for Buckley after the successes of Droopys Ike in 2007 and Javielenko in 2018.