High Miss shines again at Michael O'Mahony Memorial Senior Draghunt
Picture: David Creedon
High Miss produced another sterling display of running to win the Michael O’Mahony Memorial Senior Draghunt at Bottle Hill on Monday.
The Griffin United hound has some pace as it did a circle or two at the start before deciding to chase the hounds, but such is the class of this hound once it got among the pack it was lights out once they showed on the finish.
Credit to Fair Hill member Pat O’Mahony who put in savage work with getting a course at this venue and also to the farming community who consistently allow the hounds run on their land.
Reports from various vantage points suggested the hounds were going well on terrain they have become accustomed to over the years especially for the elder lemons.
In the case of High Miss, she gradually worked her way through the pack and when they showed on the finish, she was in pole position.
When the call went up the All-Ireland Senior Champion showed her class on the run to the tape and the result was never in doubt.
High Miss crossed the tape ahead of the Gary and Nicole Freyne-trained Not Now Al with Senior Champion Sean T an eye-catching third for the father and son Griffin United training partnership of John and Sean O’Sullivan. In a draghunt that was run at high tempo, the remaining tickets went to Not Now May, Hannah Bawn and Applause.
Griffin United trainer Donal O’Donovan is certainly enjoying the successes of High Miss and he was rather philosophical after witnessing her third win of the season.
“Once High Miss has her mind on the job, she can be very good and look as I said before I am one of the lucky trainers to be blessed with a very good hound,” Donal said.
In the Senior Maiden draghunt there was joy for Clogheen trainers Gary and Nicole Freyne when their charge Not now Betty crossed the tape ahead of clubmate Slievemish Duchess trained by Damien Wade.
James and Joy Green will be happy with their charge Starman’s Son who took third place.
For the winning trainer Gary Freyne who has finished runner-up in the senior race this was a welcome win.
“Our hounds have started the season well and its always great to get a win no matter what grade you are competing in,” said Gary Freyne.
In the Puppy grade there was a blanket finish with the honours going to the aptly named Anyone on the Phone trained by Denis Dowling and Denis Wall.
The winner showed good pace to win a nose from Slievemish Queen with Wolfe Tone Boy dead-heating for second place for Mayfield trainer Martin Wall.
Mossy’s Diamond, Blue Lilly and Charlotte’s Lass all ran cracking races to complete the ticketing hounds.
The draghunting bandwagon will roll on to the Yellow Lough on Friday (7pm) when Griffin United host their annual Puppy Draghunt.
On Sunday it will be off to Whitechurch when the Senior meeting will take place with a scheduled 4pm slip.
1. High Miss (Griffin United); 2. Not Now Al (Clogheen); 3. Sean T (Griffin United); 4. Not Now May (Clogheen); 5. Hannah Bawn (Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers); 6. Applause (Northern Hunt).
1. Not now Betty (Clogheen); 2. Slievemish Duchess (Clogheen); 3. Starman’s Son (Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers); 4. Border Mystery (Shanakiel Harriers); 5. Slievemish Lord (Clogheen); 6. Midday Authority (Mayfield).
1. Anyone on the Phone (Mayfield); 2. Slievemish Queen (Clogheen); Wolfe Tone Boy (Mayfield), dead heat; 4. Mossy’s Diamond (Mayfield); 5. Blue Lilly (Southern/Carrigaline Harriers); 6. Charlotte’s Lass (Shanakiel Harriers).
App?
