DIAMOND SPARKLES AGAIN AS PRODUCE STAKES HEATS THRILL AT CLONMEL

Peter Farrell

The four second round heats of the 2026 National Produce Stakes featured at Clonmel Greyhound Stadium on Friday night and Swords Diamond continued his assault on the classic with yet another brilliant performance.

After his sensational 28.14 first round success, Swords Diamond was to face his toughest test to date in the opening heat of the night, however, he showed another string to his bow, coming from off-the-pace to make it three wins on the spin for Barbara Lowndes and trainer Graham Holland. Drawn in four, ‘Diamond’ was sent to traps as the 8/13 favourite but he didn’t break too fluently and was forced to settle for third early on. With both Ardfert Sam and Scooby Marquess showing the best of the early foot, the former was forced to check, in turn allowing Jennifer O’Donnell’s runner to shoot clear ahead of the improving Swords Diamond. Setting a powerful gallop down the back, Scooby Marquess posted 15.92 to the third bend, however, there was an air of inevitability surrounding the result as Swords Diamond was screaming for racing room in second. With the home straight in sight, Holland’s charge made his move and the son of Swords Rex duly flew around the outside of Scooby Marquess to score by one and a half lengths in 28.42.

FIRST PAST THE POST

Firstpastthepost had no answer to Droopys Winsome in the opening round, however, he bounced back to winning ways in heat two as he made virtually every yard.

Trained by Paul Matthews for Josie Burns, Firstpastthepost went to traps as an 11/4 chance and emerged from a pretty level break to power up along the rails and take command early. Despite drifting slightly off the opening bend, the son of Good Cody and Portumna Marina soon found his rhythm and held a two-length advantage over both Powerhouse Major and Glengar Phantom down the back straight, with everything still to play for as the leader stopped the third-bend sectional clock in 16.02. Showing plenty of grit in the closing stages, Firstpastthepost proved a tough nut to crack when strongly challenged by Powerhouse Major on the run for home. Digging deep on the Clonmel hill, he displayed excellent determination to fend off his rival by three-parts of a length. Further back, Vivaro Warrior finished with a flourish to claim third, just a short-head behind the runner-up. The winning time was 28.50.

BATTLING BERLIN

Berlin Trilogy has been showing blistering early speed in his recent starts and, although luckless on those occasions, Michael and Mark O’Donovan’s runner got his just rewards in heat three, albeit in slightly different fashion.

Droopys Winsome was installed as the 6/5 favourite for the contest, however, it was the 9/2 chance Callaway Danny that showed best early, pinging from trap three to comfortably lead into the opening bend. In doing so, the Owen McKenna-trained runner opened up a two-length advantage down the back straight over the improving Berlin Trilogy, with another four lengths back to Droopys Winsome, who suffered early crowding. Posting a rapid 15.99 sectional to the third bend, Callaway Danny continued to dictate matters out front, but Berlin Trilogy had steadily begun to reel in the leader and was right alongside approaching the bottom two bends. Seizing control, the son of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac Petsy quickly asserted and set sail for home. Although beginning to feel the pinch close home, Berlin Trilogy always appeared to have enough in reserve and stayed on well to repel the staying-on Droopys Winsome by half a length, with the latter running a huge race in defeat after early trouble. The winning time was 28.58.

DETERMINED BARRY

In the final heat, Sawdust Barry came out on the right side of a judge’s call to go one better than his runner-up finish seven days earlier.

In what was just a four-dog contest, Sawdust Barry was sent to traps as a 9/4 chance and he was quickly into stride from trap six, breaking smartly to seize the early initiative. In contrast, the 11/8 favourite Hackney Dancer missed the kick and, despite showing plenty of early pace on the run to the bend, was forced to settle two lengths behind the leader entering the back straight. Trained by Murt Leahy for The-Chissel-Syndicate, Sawdust Barry was setting a strong gallop out front, though the race remained very much in the balance as Hackney Dancer closed rapidly to draw alongside between the bottom two bends. Oriental Prince was also finishing with purpose in behind, adding further intrigue approaching the home straight. However, Sawdust Barry showed tremendous determination when challenged and, rallying again close home, the son of Skywalker Barry and Sober Pearl battled back gamely to secure a short-head verdict over Hackney Dancer, with Oriental Prince not far away in third. The winning time was 28.60.

The draw for the semi finals of the 2026 National Produce Stakes took place shortly after and is as follows :

Semi Final 1

T1 - BERLIN TRILOGY

T2 - HACKNEY DANCER

T3 - DROOPYS WINSOME

T4 - POWERHOUSE MAJOR

T5 - FIRSTPASTTHEPOST

T6 - SAWDUST BARRY (w)

Semi Final 2

T1 - CALLAWAY DANNY

T2 - RIVERSIDE REX

T3 - SWORDS DIAMOND

T4 - SCOOBY MARQUESS

T5 - VIVARO WARRIOR

T6 - ORIENTAL PRINCE (m)