CLONEDEN FLASH – THE QUIET ACHIEVER

Peter Farrell

With the dust now beginning to settle on the BOYLE sports Irish Greyhound Derby, another curtain was brought down at Lifford Stadium on Saturday night as Cloneden Flash hung up his jacket and muzzle.

Jointly owned by Enda Currie and Paul O’Donnell, Cloneden Flash may not be a household name recognizable to many greyhound racing enthusiasts across the country, but he epitomizes everything admirable in a racing greyhound: talent, tenacity, and remarkable longevity.

Now approaching his fifth birthday, the white and brindle star recently notched up back-to-back victories at Lifford, bringing his career tally to an impressive 17 wins from 48 starts. A well-bred son of Makeshift out of Madabout Bella, herself a proven Open-class performer, Cloneden Flash showed early promise from the start as he cruised through his qualifying campaign with a sharp 21.81 run around Dundalk, followed by a slick 28.83 four-bend trial in Limerick.

His first competitive outing came in the Enniscorthy Unraced Stake, where misfortune struck early. Despite being a strong 1/4 favourite, traffic trouble in the opening round saw him suffer a shock defeat. He bounced back stylishly in the second round with a blistering 28.66, a performance that saw him installed as outright favourite. Unfortunately, his hopes were dashed again in the final, as further traffic led to a rare last place finish. However, this was just the beginning of what would become a superb racing journey.

After breaking the 30-second barrier over 550 yards at Limerick, Cloneden Flash headed to Tralee for a crack at the Kingdom Derby. He opened his campaign in style, posting 28.67 in the first round, however, he met defeat in the subsequent rounds, chasing home none other than eventual Irish Derby runner-up Ballymac Finn in his next two outings.

His real breakthrough came at Lifford, where he truly made his mark. On the night of the track’s grand re-opening, Flash stormed home from off the pace in 28.93, before returning a week later to dominate the final in an eye-catching 28.62, a time only bettered on the night by Juvenile Classic winner Wi Can Dream.

A brief venture to the English Derby at Towcester followed. While that campaign ended prematurely, Cloneden Flash returned home undeterred and picked up right where he left off. He recorded a string of impressive victories, including wins at Lifford in 28.74 and 28.71, signaling a return to peak form.

Now in the twilight of his racing career, Cloneden Flash continues to rack up the wins. At the time of writing, he was on the cusp of a hat-trick of victories at Lifford, a track he clearly relishes. In the end, he just missed out on that treble but still signed off in style, winning two of his last three races before retirement.With wins at six different venues including Enniscorthy, Limerick, Shelbourne Park, Tralee, Lifford, and Drumbo Park, he proved himself versatile and durable, qualities that set him apart from the norm.

The partnership of Currie and O’Donnell enjoyed many memorable moments with their charge, and Cloneden Flash’s career will be remembered with great fondness, particularly in the Northwest. Incidentally,  Madabout Bella's next generation is already making waves. Cloneden Shadow and Cloneden Bono are her latest progeny, and early signs indicate that they are certainly above average as well. Now retired, Cloneden Flash remains the headline act, a shining example of grit, class, and consistency.