Selra Mike passes test in Medical Centre

Thursday February 5th meeting at Mullingar featured the final of the 525 yds Moate Medical Centre Sweepstake with a winners prize of £1,015.Dunboyne trainer Michael Connaughton recorded the second leg of a treble in the final with Selra Mike which he trains for the Dublin Head on Syndicate. This five to two winner broke in front and held off the challenge of Duncan"s Magpie to win by one and a half lengths in 30.20.Sprint to Gold opened her winning account on her twelfth outing in the 525 yds first race and recorded the first leg of the treble for the Connaughton and Head on Syndicate combinations. After taking the lead in the early stages she resisted the challenge of the even money favourite T10 Rambo all the way to win by two lengths in 30.41.Raharney owner Ambrose Connolly supplied the winner of the 525 yds second race with Bellinter Kate. Having been in arrears for most of the trip she came with a smashing late run to win by the shortest of margins from the longtime leaders Sherco Gold and Graiguenoe Tiny in 30.58.From a level break in the 400 yds third race Furious Fred won the dash to the bend and held on under pressure from Kilkea Max to win by two lengths in 22.56 for his Granard owner Richard Dempsey.Dysart owner Miss Joan Byrne supplied the winner of the 525 yds fourth race with To Far Out. Having been led to the last bend by Gambling John she found top gear into the home straight to win by half a length in 30.30 from fast finishing Weather its Good.Keen Sutton broke in front in the 400 yds fifth race and led into the home straight where Ballydaniel Og came from off the pace in the late stages to win by one and a half lengths in 22.55 for his Kilkenny owner Brian Mullan.Michael Connaughton and the Head on Syndicate completed the treble in the 400 yds seventh race with Head on Fantasy. After taking control in the early stages he made all the running to win by one length from T10 Woods in 22.21 and record his third victory from eight starts.Rhode owner Paul Kearney supplied the winner of the 400 yds eighth race with Sulky Cindy. This two to one favourite broke in front and gave a smashing front running display to score by five lengths from Pardini in 22.23.On the Button broke in front in the 525 yds ninth race and held pole position into the home straight where the chasing Toll Prince came with a late run to snatch victory by half a length in the best return of the session of 30.04. The winner is trained in Finea by James Devlin for Dublin owner Kieran Boles.In the 400 yds tenth race In a Jam broke in front and held on under pressure from Ardilaun Ace all the way to win by a neck in 22.15. This well supported favourite is trained in Tullamore by Tommy Bolton for Down owner Aidan Fearon. Oldcastle trainer Oliver Fitzpatrick supplied the winner of the 525 yds eleventh race with Nota Scooby Doo which he trains for the Ballyjamesduff B.J.D. Syndicate. After breaking in front she made all the running to hold off the late challenge of fast finishing Rentman by one length in 30.34.Glenbryan best on nightArtic condition threw many sporting fixtures into disarray over the weekend, however racing at Mullingar Greyhound Stadium on Saturday February 7th was not affected by the severe frost, thanks to trojan work by the ground-staff the racing circuit was in excellent condition. The best display of the night was in the eighth race, the St. Joseph the Worker A2 525 semi-final, where the Tommy Bolton (Offaly) trained Glenbryan gave a brilliant display of tracking to score by seven lengths from the Tommy Kerrigan (Moate) trained Caulry Bert. The winner owned by the trainer"s wife Sheila broke well and recorded the excellent time of 29.82.The first race over the 600 yds course went to the Frank Little, Co. Fermanagh owned Trasna Control. Trasna took control early in the race and ran out an easy winner by seven lengths from the Birr owned Wickey Blue recording 34.31.Fresh from his win on the previous Saturday night, Joe Handibode once again done the honours for owners Mount-View-Syndicate from Clara. The winner was always prominent and being a strong stayer went on to win by four lengths from the Barney Cannon trained Affane Legend in a time of 30.50.The third race over 400 yds produced an overdue success for local owners Paul McGann and Robert Lynch when their Darragh Lynch trained Sail on Jack produced his usual burst of early pace and held on gamely to win by three quarters of a length from the Patrick Coss (Laois) owned Complete Black recording 22.18.Trainer Tony Fallon from Kilbeggan took the fourth race over 525 yds with his Pat McMahon owned Timely Dream. The winner took the lead at the second bend and was followed home by Mooreville Pride in 30.35. The winning margin was three and a half lengths.In the fifth race over 400 yds, the Carmel Finnegan (Enfield) trained Spoiled Brother took the early lead. The well supported Eye Pod, owned by Edmund Garry from Geashill and trained by Marie Garry was always close in contention and on the finishing straight produced a strong burst to take the spoils by two lengths in 22.20.The sixth race was a semi-final of St. Joseph The Worker A2 525. Hi Ho Silver trained by Tommy Bolton cut out an early lead, followed by Steak for Two, trained by Tommy Kerrigan (Moate) for the Fa-Ke Syndicate. Into the third bend,Steak for Two took the initiative and went on to win by two and a half lengths from the fast finishing Ardilaun Gale, owned by John Dooley (Kilcock). The winner recorded 30.19.Laughill Lad owned by Mary Jennings from Birr gave an excellent display when taking the seventh race over the 550 yds course. This was an open class event, where Tickarm took the early lead. Laughill Lad showed fine pace on the back straight to take the lead at the third bend. Springwell Fifty, owned in Athlone by Denis Hannon made a strong challenge rounding the final bend but failed by one and three quarter lengths to overtake the winner in the good time of 31.10.In the ninth race over 400yds, Denis Hannon had compensation for defeat in the previous race when his charge Springwell Hot ran on extremely well to overtake the early leader Carnageehy Lass and score by one and a half lengths in the useful time of 21.80.The tenth race over 600 yds saw the Tommy Bolton (Offaly) trained Cyberos take an early lead and ran on relentlessly to win by a receding one and three quarter lengths from the Frank Seery trained Strand Reta. The winner is owned by the Thirteen-Angry-Men-Syndicate and Kerry and the winning time was 34.24.A regular at the Mullingar venue, Tahina Sonic took the final race on the card over the 500 yds course. Pony Maiden trained by Michael Powell in Longford had command on the back straight but Tahina Sonic owned in Fermanagh by Jason Croarkin and trained by his wife Vera, tracked extremely well at the last bend to take the lead on the inside and ran on to win comfortably by three and a half lengths in 31.52.ResultsThursday February 5th525 1st: Sprint to Gold 3/1 Head on Syndicate, Dublin 30.41.525 1st: Bellinter Kate 2/1 Ambrose Connolly, Raharney 30.58.400 1st: Furious Fred 4/1 Richard Dempsey, Granard 22.56.525 1st: To Far Out 2/1 Miss Joan Byrne, Dysart 30.30.400 1st: Ballydaniel Og 6/4 Brian Mullan, Kilkenny 22.55.525 1st: Selra Mike 5/2 Head on Syndicate, Dublin 30.20.400 1st: Head on Fantasy 2/1 Head on Syndicate, Dublin 22.21.400 1st: Sulky Cindy 2/1 Paul Kearney, Rhode 22.23.525 1st: Toll Prince 5/2 Kieran Boles, Dublin 30.04.400 1st: In a Jam 5/4 Aidan Foran, Down 22.15.525 1st: Nota Sooby Doo 5/2 B.J.D. Syndicate, Ballyjamesduff 30.34.Saturday February 7th600 1st: Trasna Control 4/1 Frank Little, Fermanagh 34.31.525 1st: Joe Handibode 4/1 Mountview Syndicate, Clara 30.50.400 1st: Sail on Jack 2/1 Paul McGann and Robert Lynch, Mullingar 22.18.525 1st: Timely Dream 6/4 Pat McMahon, Kilbeggan 30.25.400 1st: Eye Pod 3/1 Edmond Garry, Geashill 22.20.525 1st: Steak for Two 2/1 Fa Ka Syndicate, Mount Temple 30.90.550 1st: Laughil Lad 2/1 Miss Mary Jennings, Birr 31.10.525 1st: Glenbryan 3/1 Mrs Sheila Bolton, Tullamore 29.82.400 1st: Springwell Hot 3/1 Denis Hannon, Athlone 21.80.600 1st: Cyberos 3/1 Thirteen Men Syndicate, Kerry 34.24.550 1st: Tahina Sonic 4/1 Jason Croarkin, Fermanagh 31.52.