Maries Wedding Goes Quickest In Semi Finals Of The Cork Oak

Barry Drake

Tamara Butler's Maries Wedding made it back-to-back wins in the Apex Global Resources Ltd Cork Oaks at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.

Sent off the short priced 1-2 favourite, after a good start along the inside, Maries Wedding flew into the opening corners in front. Moving nicely down the back straight, she quickly pulled a couple of lengths clear.

Crafty Jayko was showing a lot of pace in second and she ran a massive race in defeat, closing the winner down in the second half of the race. Maries Wedding recorded two straight wins in the event, scoring by a length and a half, in 28.49. Four lengths back to Fire Height Gem in third.

ANOTHER CLASSY PERFORMANCE
Liosgarbh Lila, for the McLoughney-Family-Syndicate, followed up on her opening round success with another fine display in the second semi final.

Burgess Rapid came away racing from the inside of the track and she set strong early fractions. The 6-4 winner was always handy and she came alongside midway down the back straight. Once hitting the front, she then pulled away to beat the running on Millride Dolly, by two and a half lengths, in 28.66. A short head back to Burgess Rapid in third place.

DRAW FOR THE APEX GLOBAL RESOURCES LTD CORK OAKS FINAL
1 FIRE HEIGHT GEM
2 CRAFTY JAYKO
3 LIOSGARBH LILA
4 BURGESS RAPID
5 MARIES WEDDING
6 MILLRIDGE DOLLY (W)

IN OTHER RACES
Greyhound of the year at Curraheen Park last year, Coosey Hall notched up an 11th career success in race number 11, an A1 550.

Trained by James Kelleher for the Castlegrounds-Syndicate, the 5-2 shot showed his usual early pace to lead early, strong up front, the classy performer ran out a most impressive winner, clocking 29.88 and beating Ballyhimikin Rex, by two lengths.

ALL ABOUT BROGAN
In the closing race on the card, an A0, it was all about Brogan Defender for John and Marguerite O'Donoghue.

Winning the all-important early lead, the 3-1 winner made all the running to score, in 28.87.

CURRAHEEN PARK SUPPORTERS CLUB
In association with the Curraheen Park Supporters Club, Rosstemple Mick landed the €500 to the winner Paddy O'Brien Memorial 550.

In the ownership of Noel and Michelle Barron, the 3-1 shot was returning to winning ways with an impressive front running winning performance. A 30.68 winning run, five and a half lengths clear of his nearest rival.