COMRADES DANICA AND GIZMO DELIGHT AT SHELBOURNE

Ian Fortune

Another massive crowd poured through the stiles at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night and they were treated to some exceptional racing including a typically superb display from Ballymac Danica as she took the Suncroft Festival Puppy Oaks in merciless fashion.

Elsewhere on the card, the opening round of the Shelbourne Open 600 saw four superb performances but the star happened to be Ballymac Gizmo, a litter brother to Ballymac Danica.

DASHING DANICA CLAIMS PUPPYS OAKS GLORY

Ballymac Danica understandably took the headlines, however. She faced a brilliant field in the final of the Suncroft Festival and had to work hard for her victory but Liam Dowling’s daughter of Ballymac Cooper and Ballymac Arminta was up to the task.

Kerogue Lady broke fastest from five and flew into the turn to hold a clear advantage into the back straight but the writing was on the wall for the pace-setter when Ballymac Danica managed to contain Droopys Wriggle into the opening bend to turn second.

Despite the best efforts of the exciting Kerogue Lady into the third turn, she simply couldn’t contain Ballymac Danica. Showing a real ruthless streak, she simply shot past her rival to lead at the third turn.

As a contest this was effectively over. Kerogue Lady tried to stay with the leader but it was futile. Meanwhile, Crafty Bondi was also showing exceptional pace to close in third but Ballymac Danica was on the way to the first major success of her career.

Maintaining a relentless gallop to the line, she emerged three lengths to the good in 28.46. Crafty Bondi finished like a trained to take second with Kerogue Lady losing nothing in defeat a further length adrift in third.

Have no doubt they are a special group and we will be hearing much more of the five that took their place in the final but the winner is very special. One suspects she will claim more big prizes before her career is done.

GIZMO LOOKS A SERIOUS PROSPECT

Ballymac Gizmo had shown massive promise around Enniscorthy in his previous outings but his standard-setting display in the Shelbourne Open 600, which was his Dublin debut, was something special indeed.

Here Rough Frankie went up fast to set a strong gallop but Ballymac Gizmo was soon second and moving with real fluency. He continued to move with real purpose down the back straight, cutting down Rough Frankie before the third turn to open a clear lead.

Fashion Model did finish fast to come through for second but Ballymac Gizmo was simply brilliant as he hit the line three lengths clear in 32.33. It was a remarkable first display at Shelbourne Park and one that will see him enter the notebook of many. Third spot went to the staying on Droopys Tico, a further length and a half back in third. 

BRILLIANT BEACH TOO HOT TO HANDLE

Alison Bandurak’s Ryhope Beach was next fastest despite having to come from the tail of the field to justify odds-on favouritism in the final heat.

This was a hugely impressive and very encouraging run from the Michael O’Donovan trained powerhouse.

In his more recent victories, the sensationally fast son of Droopys Sydney and Calzaghe Jan led early to dominate, obviously gaining confidence in the process. That confidence was evident on this occasion as he ran with real fluency on the bends which hasn’t always been his forte.

Flying females, Azurite, Singalong Dolly and Easy Razzle turned first, second and third but it was evident they were going to be under pressure when Ryhope Beach moved fourth early in the back straight.

He may have been some three and a half lengths adrift of Azurite, who had a narrow advantage over Singalong Dolly, but he was really motoring. Closing the gap with ridiculous ease, Ryhope Beach was just a length behind Azurite on the third turn and moving with real purpose.

By the final turn, he was less than a half-length back despite staying wide. It was now a matter of when he would take control. He finally went to the front around fifty yards from home before racing on to emerge a brilliant length and a half scorer in 32.53. Azurite ran a huge race on comeback to take second with Singalong Dolly doing little wrong another half lengths adrift in third. 

LYNX POUNCES IN OPENING HEAT

Pennys Lynx has long given the impression 600 would be right up his street and he made light work of his task in the opening heat, showing fine early speed to assert into the corner before running clear of his rivals.

Trained by Rosemary Price for Eugene Price and Colin Rosbottom, the son of Droopys Sydney and Jetstream Lynx was always in complete command before running out a ready five and a half length winner over the fast finishing Droopys Comrade in 32.54. Laughil Rocky was just a length away in third. 

JIM TOO HOT TO HANDLE

Ballinabola Jim had trimmed up somewhat since racing at Limerick in the early rounds of the Kirby Memorial although he was still topping the scales at 87lbs when coming home clear in the third heat for Brendan Murphy and the Murphy Ballinabola Syndicate.

The powerful son of Good News and Ballinabola Rum used the longer run to the turn to his advantage, getting the better of Kyanite Kate to slip around a length in front. The order never changed up front with Ballinabola Jim increasing his advantage down the back straight before seeing off the rallying Kyanite Kate by a length and a half in 32.67. Hanover Phantom was another three lengths away in third spot.

KEANO LEAVES IT LATE IN DUAL DISTANCE DECIDER

Daleroad Duke and Carrick Keano fought out a wonderful finish to the final of the This Runs Deep Dual Distance but ultimately the extra twenty five yards were to cost the former as Thomas Glynn’s Carrick Keano threw himself up to lead on the line.

Daleroad Duke seemed to do everything right, showing fine early speed along the fence to open up by three to four lengths but Carrick Keano had other ideas. Once turning second the hugely exciting son of Dromana Bucko and Droopys Zero began to eat into the leader’s advantage at the third turn. In a tremendous finish, the Robert Gleeson trained Carrick Keano got up to win by the minimum margin in 29.83.

BONNY WEE DISPLAY FROM LAD

Just days after being named the Newcomer of the Year at the National Greyhound Awards, Whyaye Bonnylad opened his 2024 account in the finale over 525yds, seeing off a top-class field after a superb display of early speed.

Droopys Kamari hit the ground running from trap five to lead in the early yards but Martin Langley’s Whyaye Bonnylad flashed up the fence to challenge and take up the running at the corner. Highview Splash found a gap on the fence to move second but there was no stopping the pace-setter.

The Robert Gleeson trained son of Ballymac Cashout and Drumalee Premier ran right to the line to emerge a comfortable and worthy three length winner in 28.41.

RAPID REACH WINS AGAIN

Reaching Out (Ballymac Best/ Shes Made It) is rapidly turning into a very nice sprinter for Ian Harris and Shaun Conway.

A week after scoring in facile fashion in 18.81, he had to work a little harder in the sole sprint on the card but still emerged a good winner in 18.87.

Holding a narrow advantage into the bend, he had to contain the persistent challenge of Magical Geronimo and Getup Me Son to win by a length. 

BEN HANDS SHAUN A DOUBLE

Just fifteen minutes later, Noirs ben handed handler Shaun Conway a superb double when he too made every inch to win the A0 fourth race over 550yds.

Breaking fastest from the inside box, the Ponies To Pups Syndicate owned son of Good News and Noirs Lottie proceeded to make every inch.

Glenlara Blue did emerge a serious threat from halfway but Noirs ben held off that rival by a half-length in 29.96. 

ANOTHER SPICEY DISPLAY

It was a case of copy and paste for the remarkably consistent Abbeyside Spice in the fifth race, the Liam Murphy Memorial, as she again displayed superb early speed to emerge a good winner for the third time in her last four starts.

Not as fast into stride as recent weeks, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Cunnigar Spice flew up the inside of Darby Molie to lead on the bend. Once doing so, she quickly opened a clear advantage. Both Chelsea Pat and Beretta Reba closed on the run in but Abbeyside Spice held on for a sixth career victory for the Seven Aside Syndicate and Murt Leahy by three parts of a length in 28.86.

BELLA ASSERTS ON THIRD TURN

Trinity Bella overcame opening bend bumping to win the A2 second race for Tim Slevin and Peter Cronin.

Always prominent, the daughter of Malachi and Swift Bunny drove the third turn to take over from Highview Katy before emerging a comfortable two and a half length scorer over Paradise Biko in 28.94.

IT WAS DESTINY

Cool Destiny (Pat C Sabbath/ Illa Tahin) came through late to win the A1 opener for Tommy Kelly, Deirdre Kearney and handler Barry Clancy.

Olwinn Me led for the majority of the journey but could never shake off the chasing pack, of which Cool Destiny was a member.

In a desperate finish, Cool Destiny made her move up the inside of the track while Olwinn Me drifted very wide, leaving plenty of room to her rival to come through. Cool Destiny got up in the final strides to win by a neck in 29.01.