TIERNAN DOUBLES DOWN IN SORLEY O’DORNAN MEMORIAL SECOND ROUND ACTION

Peter Farrell

The second round heats of the Sorley O’Dornan Memorial A3/A4 Guys & Dolls 525 served as the highlight on Friday night’s card at Clonmel and once again it was Young Tiernan who set the standard.

Owned by Michael Walsh, Young Tiernan landed his opening round assignment in a brisk 28.63 .10s and he was to double down on that performance with another dominant performance in the opening heat of the night. Understandably installed as a red-hot 4/6 chance, ‘Tiernan’ didn’t get everything his own way early on as a missed break saw the strapping black forced to turn second behind Palace Hill. However, this was only a momentary lapse as the brilliant son of Pat C Sabbath and Boreen Belle quickly took charge down the back and it proved a formality thereafter. Posting a slick 16.32 to the penultimate turn, ‘Tiernan’ cranked it up a notch in the closing stages to pull clear and win by five and a half lengths from Palace Hill in second. The time was 28.79 .10s.

ROUNDING UP THE HEATS

Next best in terms of the clock was Lucky Lane in heat three as John Joe Mulcahy’s runners also made it back-to-back wins in the stake. The 5/4 favourite, Lucky Lane was forced to settle for third early doors as Out Yonder dictated the pace, while Tiermana Sugar was next best in second. However, the favourite quickly sliced through runners like a knife through butter and took charge at the penultimate turn, while stopping the third bend sectional at 16.29. In control thereafter, the daughter of Skywalker Logan and Coooneen Lizzy duly crossed the line five and a half lengths clear of Tiermana Sugar in second. The time was 28.89 .10s.

Shancol Skellig narrowly missed out in the photo in round one but there were no such problems in heat two last night as the Adam Dunford-trained runner won impressively. Jointly owned by PJ and Charles Sugrue, the son of Broadstrand Bono and Solas An Iarthar went off the 5/4 joint favourite but he looked in a spot of trouble early on when sitting five lengths adrift entering the back straight. However, despite looking a little green at times, the June puppy was clearly too good for his rivals and after biding his time around the final two bends, drew clear on the run for home to win by an extending two lengths from Foxrock Bob in second. The time was 29.06 .10s.

The remaining heat was landed by Sinbolina as she also made it back-to-back wins in the stake for trainer Maurice Organ. Owned by Pamela Holt, this lady was installed as the 6/4 favourite and she was on-song from the outset with a swift exit from four. Taking a three length lead into the back, there was never any doubt surrounding the outcome of the contest thereafter as the daughter of Pestana and Sinfonia raced to a two and a half length victory over Anhid Lucky in second. The time was 29.14 .10s.