ANOTHER OAKS MASTERCLASS FROM MARTHA

    ANOTHER OAKS MASTERCLASS FROM MARTHA

    Ian Fortune

    Glengar Martha was again the star of proceedings at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night as she set the standard in the Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks for the third week running.

    It was a night of many fine displays with each of the four quarter finals of the Oaks won in style, while both Carrick Scholsey and Epic Ace justified favouritism in their respective semi-finals of the Shelbourne Summer Cup.   

    DANICA DOMINATES

    Ballymac Danica has been showing signs of a return to top form in recent weeks after returning from a seasonal rest but she put herself right into oaks contention in the opening quarter final, showing real alacrity at boxes to dominate for Liam Dowling.

    Incredibly, Dowling bred the first three home, trained first and third, although he was the handler of all three up to last week. Innfield Riddle, who is now under the ownership of Barry Clancy, chased Ballymac Danica throughout and pressed her into the third turn but Danica wasn’t for catching.

    Once cutting off Innfield Riddle at the third turn, Ballymac Danica powered on to return to winning ways. The daughter of Ballymac Cooper and Ballymac Arminta would hit the line four and a half lengths to the good in 28.52 with Innfield Riddle finishing two and a half lengths ahead of the fast-finishing Ballymac Marcia.

    ALICE TOO GOOD

    Anything Liam Dowling can do, Tom O’Neill can do too. He sent out the first and third in Heat 2. Breda and Cian Moloney’s Clonmore Alice was a warm favourite from an ideal draw on the fence and she quickly made her presence felt.

    Breaking on terms, the massive daughter of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Alice quickly asserted at the head of affairs. Bowadis Raven escaped the pack to give chase down the back straight but was never going to run down the pace-setter.

    Bheind the front two, Ballymac Mint was third but she was always under pressure when big finisher Lemon Orla moved fourth into the third turn. Clonmore Alice would maintain a powerful gallop throughout to emerge a comfortable two length scorer from the plucky Bowadis Raven in 28.36. Lemon orla overcame plenty of traffic at the opening and final turn to grab third, some three and a half lengths further back.

    FREYA FOLLOWS UP IN STYLE

    Carrigmore Freya again highlighted her Oaks credentials in Heat 3, showing fine pace into the third turn to take over from the early paced Brockagh Justine. It was a really purposeful move from the Graham Holland trained daughter of Droopys Sydney and Carrigmore Dizzy.

    She had actually gone up fast but Brockagh Justine used her inside line to take up the running but she had no answer to the evenmtual winner into the third turn. Youandme Babe did finish well to presss for second but carrigmore Freya would emerge a superb winner for the P & A Coffey Sdyndicate, hitting the line three lengths clear of Brockagh Justine in 28.44. Youandme Babe was a half lengths further adrift.

    MARTHA IMPRESSES AGAIN

    As good as the three other heat winners were, Glengar Martha again took the headlines with a near flawless display of front running for Bill Wood and Pat Buckley.

    Drawn in the stripes in the final heat, she came away on terms before again displayuiung huge early dash to assume control.

    Sadies Lucy and Blackeyed turbo would turn second and third and chase the leader hard throughout but Glengar Martha was to go on to record 28.17. In that sort of time there is little the chasers could do. Glengar Martha, a daughter of Droopys Sydney and Glengarbadminton, would proceed to see off Sadiesd Lucy by three lengths with Blackeyed Turbo just a half-length away in third.

    SCHOLSEY TOO HOT TO HANDLE

    Carrick Scholsey again gave a clear indication that he is going to be a star going forward when setting the standard in the semi-finals of the Shelbourne Summer Cup. Breaking smartly from an inside draw in the opening heat, Thomas Glynn’s hugely promising son of Droopys Scolari and Droopys Beaufort was prominent into the bend, just behind the early paced Surprise Reunion.

    The latter edged across to the fence and held a half length lead on the bend only for Carrick Scholsey to force his way through on the fence. Nudging the leader out of the way, Carrick Scholsey would take control before powering clear down the back straight.

    Innfield Destiny was only fifth into the turn but he flew down the back straight before finishing well to grab second. The Robert Gleeson Carrick Scholsey was different class to his rivals, however, eventually crossing the line five and a half lengths clear in 28.34. Surprise Reunion ran a fine race to finish just a short head away in third.

    ANOTHER ACE FROM EPIC

    Fifteen minutes later it was the turn of Epic Ace to justify odds-on favouritism in the second semi-final, bursting his way to the front on the opening bend. Sunshine Sioux, Gwan My Boy and Hazelhill Marty were all to the fore in the early yards but none could contain Epic Ace.

    Representing John Kennedy and Pat Guilfoyle, the son of Signet Ace and Fre From Desire would move on by just over a length into the back straight. Gwan My Boy took up the chase and pushed the leader throughout but Epic Ace was in no humour to hand away his advantage.

    Epic Ace ran a better third bend than his pursuer to increase his lead to three lengths and he then coasted home to win by a length and a half from the fast-finishing Clona Ice in 28.49. Gwan My Boy was another three lengths away in third.

    A DOUBLE FOR SHAUN

    Badly Behaving and Lotto Other News provided Shaun Conway with a tremendous double on the undercard. The former was anything but behaving badly, as she displayed superb early speed to dominate for Conway and the St Patricks Valencia Crew Syndicate in the third race.

    Showing fine early zip, the daughter of Ballymac Cashout and Ballymac Cams increased her lead into the bend after a fast start and she would proceed to draw right away. Costly Lesson came through for second but Badly Behaving would emerge a seven-length winner in a fast 28.58. 

    NEWS SHOWS HIS CLASS IN FINALE

    The wonderfully consistent Lotto Other News put a couple of rare luckless runs behind him to win the finale over 550yds, completing the Conway double.

    The son of Good News and Shes Made It broke on terms with Westway Rossa but displayed fine acceleration to hit the corner with daylight on his rivals.

    Westway Rossa was his nearest pursuer into the back straight but Clona Comet and Cloverfield Clan would both show great pace and determination to emerge from the pack. In a desperate finish, the Lotto Express Syndicate owned Lotto Other News would hold on from Clona Comet and Cloverfield Clan by a neck and a half-length in 29.99.

    MAINOO STRIKES

    Racing commenced with Bartlemy Mainoo making the most of the long run to the turn to win over 575yds for Graham Holland and owners Liam and Sheila Mannix.

    The son of Premier Fantasy and Oakview Brae powered his way to the front on the run up and proceeded to dominate to see off the staying on Glenlara Blue by a length in 31.32.

    MICK LEAVES IT LATE

    The second race on the card was also over 575yds and Singalong Mick relished the extra yards, reeling in long-time pace-setter Ballymac Kamala.

    Trained by Pat Buckley for Gilbert Anderson, Singalong Mick would take up the running in the closing strides to win by a length from Ballymac Kamala in 31.44.