Gala night of greyhound racing at Brandywell on Monday

'Pavilion News', winner of the Just Vape A4/A5 525 at Lifford last Friday. Amongst those celebrating at the podium are sponsor Paul Ryan (back row, middle), trainer Aidan McVeigh (middle, holding the winner) and owner Richard Irwin to Adrian's right. (Photo: Morgan Stevenson).

The main race meeting of the year, the Gala Memorial evening, will take place at Brandywell Stadium on Monday when the main races will be the memorial finals.

The semi finals of each competition took place last week at the track where the first set races were the ‘Benny Barrett Memorial Sprint’. In the first semi-final ‘Riada Jean’ was favourite but the race was won by ‘Olwinn Cronies’. The July ’21 dog broke well from traps and the 3/1 shot never looked in danger, winning by three lengths in a time of 16.90 for Tyrone owner, Oliver Canavan.

‘Riada Jean’ was second with ‘Hey Blast’ in third also qualifying for the final.

The second semi-final went to the well punted ‘Wasn't Two Be’, in from 6/4 to 4/6 before the off, but he had to battle. ‘Mayah’s News’ led by a few lengths and looked a likely winner but ‘Wasn't Two Be’ came with a strong finish and just got up to win by a head in a time of 16.86 for owner Brendan McLaughlin.

'Mineolasuperstar' who won the first semi-final of the Bill McKinney Memorial 500 with (from left) Shane McColgan, Sean and Stephen Radcliffe and Mairead Miller and Ellie McClelland

‘Mayahs News finished second with ‘Townsend Jordan’ also qualifying for the final.

The first semi-final of the ‘Bill McKinney Memorial’ over 500 yards went to the favourite once again. ‘Chasing Williebe’ from trap two led around the opening bends but ‘Mineolasuperstar’, the 2/1 favourite, just missed first bend trouble to go into second and closed the gap on the pacesetter. Indeed he took the lead in the home straight and won by over two lengths in 28.21 for Tyrone owner Oliver Canavan.

‘Chasing Williebe’ finished second with ‘Drumcrow Anton’ back in third also qualifying for the final.

In the second semi final ‘Derrinasafa Jet was a trap to line winner. Well away, the 3/1 shot was never headed and won by over three lengths in 28.28 for Kevin O'Kane. ‘Unreliable’ finished second with ‘Blackstone Range’ back in third also qualifying.

'Footfield Cookie' who won the first semi-final of the Billy & Sheila Quigley Memorial 525 with father and son team, Eamon and Martin Hagan.

The Billy and Sheila Quigley Memorial over 525 yards was the last of the semi finals. In the first, ‘Footfield Cookie’ who a very easy winner of her last two races, was a generous looking evens favourite at one point but ended up 1/2 and her supporters never had a moment's worry. Breaking well from trap three, she was soon clear and had over nine lengths in hand at the winning line for her Tyrone owner Martin Hagan. ‘Owen Caramel’ finished second with ‘Chupacabra’ back in third also qualifying for the final on Monday night.

Don't forget, the annual Brandywell Gala Memorial night is on Monday when the first race will be at 8.00pm.

‘Pavilion News’ wins final at Lifford

The final of the ‘Just Vape 525’ was the main race last Friday at Lifford where the 1/2 favourite was ‘Really had to Battle’. As expected ‘Ellabbie’ from trap two led around the opening bends and ‘Pavilion News’ looked in trouble going along the back straight. ‘Ellabbie’ kept up the gallop but ‘Pavilion News’ had moved into second and was starting to close.

'Olwinn Cronies' who won the first semi-final of the Benny Barrett Memorial Sprint with Oliver Canavan,

‘Ellabbie’ still led into the home straight and although she was very game, she could not hold off the strong finish of ‘Pavilion News’ who went on to win by just under two lengths in 28.77 to win the 1,000 euro pot for Armagh owner, Richard Irwin, and trainer, Aidan McVeigh.

On tonight's card at Lifford the final of the ‘Finn Valley Sprint’ and the final of the ‘Finn Valley 575’ will be the main races on the card. In the sprint final ‘Astro Blaze’ is the selection to win with ‘Bogger Swift’ just getting the nod in a very open 575 final.

As normal at Lifford tonight, the first race is at 7.45pm with Sunday night’s racing starting at the slightly earlier time of 6pm.