A NIGHT OF NOTABLE DISPLAYS AT SHELBOURNE
Ian Fortune
It may have been what would be described as a quieter Saturday night at Shelbourne Park, with no classic or sweepstake action to speak of, but the racing was anything but average.
In fact, the twelve race card was littered with incredible displays from start to finish.
The headlines will go to Owen McKenna who had an incredible treble and Graham Holland and Brendan Matthews who both recorded wonderful doubles, while the canine stars on the night included Bockos Crystal, Fernandes, Savana Hero, Radical Hero, Velasco, Ballymore Border, Mustang Jet and Callaway Masters.
Of course, it’s not possible to give them all the headlines such was the amount of wonderful performances on the night.
BRILLIANT BORDER
Ballymore Border has always shown plenty of pace and ability but has very often left his race behind him at traps.
That was certainly not the case in the seventh race on the card as the son of Laughil Blake and Cu Abu shot from the outside box to dictate throughout, in turn setting up the Owen McKenna treble.
The exciting Storys Cashout and Produce Stakes champion Gaston Pecas gave chase, and did show plenty of pace behind the leader, but there was no way Ballymore Border was going to surrender his advantage.
Showing no signs of fatigue, Una O’Sullivan’s Ballymore Border went on to hold Gaston Pecas by a length and a half in 29.50.
VELASCO SHOWS INCREDIBLE ACCELERATION
Velasco is certainly bred to be special as a son of Ballymac Bolger and Ballymac Arminta and he displayed further evidence that he could be a major classic contender in the future in the tenth race on the card.
Here the Juvenile Classic winner Wi Can Dream flashed from trap two to lead early but Velasco displayed stunning speed into the turn to race up to the early leader. Despite taking a bump, Velasco forced his way to the front and quickly set about putting the contest out of the reach of his rivals.
Lynchy Boy was left second and tried to close but Velasco, owned by Des Grace, was always in control and he went on to score by two lengths in 28.36. One suspects the winner will be a leading fancy in the Juvenile Derby.
MAGIC MASTERS COMPLETES HIS HAT TRICK
Callaway Master has been in sensational form and claimed a third win on the spin to complete the Owen McKenna hat trick in the finale over 575yds.
Den is Murphy’s son of Droopys Sydney and Callaway Razl relished the long run to the turn, striking the front early to lad the field by almost three lengths into the back straight,
Athlacca Zette gave chase throughout but Callaway Masters is clearly in the form of his career and he stayed on really strongly to emerge a very comfortable winner by three and a half lengths in a rapid 30.84.
FABULOUS FERNANDES
Many of the best races on the card were over the 550yd Derby trip for obvious reasons and honour of going fastest went to Fernandes as he completed a brilliant double for the Newry Maestro, Brendan Matthews.
Not always the most fluent at traps, the son of Droopys Sydney and Follys View was always going to be hard to stop when coming away on terms. Indeed he soon asserted at the head of affairs. Cryptopunk gave chase throughout but was never going to land a glove on the leader.
As you would expect from a greyhound with 30.70 on his card for 575yds, Fernandes stayed on strongly to emerge a very impressive five and a half length winner in a rapid 29.40.
HERO GETS LOOSE
Brendan Matthews had earlier initiated his double with Savana Hero, who claimed his first win of the year in the fifth race.
The hugely fast son of Droopys Sydney and Follys View, who is jointly owned by his handler and Towcester supremo Kevin Boothby, broke on terms before containing Decs Guinness into the turn.
Once leading into the back straight, it was a case of by how far he would win. Showing his immense back straight pace, the February ’20 whelp opened up a clear advantage before cruising home eight lengths clear of Hyde Park in a fast 29.53.
CRYSTAL SENDS OUT A WARNING
The eighth race on the card featured many of the fastest bitches in training including the Qaks champion Raha Mofo, Corn Cuchulainn winner Crafty Kokoro and the exceptionally talented duo of Droopys Nextone and Scooby Duchess but it was the rapidly improving Bockos Crystal that took the breath away.
In what was only her seventh race, Bev Lochead’s daughter of Droopys Sydney and Vigorous Hilary displayed awesome speed into the corner to open a clear advantage on her rivals. Raha Mofo took up the pursuit and did well to bridge the gap somewhat but Bockos Crystal is every bit as strong as she is exciting and she dug in to score by a length in 29.47.
Behind the front two, Crafty Kokoro flew home to grab third on the line, just two lengths adrift. In victory, Bockos Crystal was completing a superb double for Graham Holland which had earlier been initiated by Coolboy Rusty.
NOTHING RUSTY ABOUT COOLBOY
Coolboy Rusty (Ballymac Best/ Dysert Anna) used all his smarts to win the third race for Eric Prestage and trainer Graham Holland.
Despite missing the start, he found himself in front off the second bend as the front two Urban Fire and Warrenstown Boy clashed, leaving a gap on the fence.
Coolboy Rusty slipped onto the rail and used his golden highway to take up the running. Hatfield Lola emerged as the main threat but Coolboy Rusty ran right to the line to score by a length and a half in 28.66.
MUSTANG JETS TO SUCCESS
Mustang Jet had a very satisfactory Derby prep run in the eleventh race, showing all his qualities to emerge a comfortable winner.
Disco Pants went up strongly but Mustang Jet displayed superior early speed to his rivals to assert into the turn.
A length and a half to the good as they entered the back, Paul Horig and Sean Bourke’s son of Droopy Jet and Mustang Kay Cee flew to the third turn to increase his lead to three and a half lengths. Disco Pants continued to give chase and did close on the run in but Mustang Jet coasted home to score by a length and a half in 29.65. The winner seems certain to come on for the run and is now Derby bound.
HEROIC RUN FROM RADICAL
Produce Stakes finalist Radical Hero made a very bright start to his Shelbourne Park career in the second race showing superb early speed, determination and enough stamina to go fast over the 525yd trip.
Trained by Tommy O’Donovan for Ger Hutton, the son of Droopys Sydney and Yahoo Ava wasn’t fastest into stride but he flew into the bend to challenge the fast starting Rowlers Road. Despite taking a bump at this point, it didn’t cost radical hero much momentum and he moved past his rival early in the back straight before easing on to win with plenty in hand.
At the line, the exciting October ’20 whelp had three and a half lengths in hand on Courtmac Duffy in a fast 28.26. Tommy O’Donovan confirmed after the race that the winner is Juvenile Derby bound.
CARLA GETS LOOSE
Gaa Gaa Carla is building a very decent card.
Boasting an 18.47 success over 350yds and a 28.23 success over the standard trip, both at Shelbourne Park, he can now add an impressive 29.62 success over 550yds to his CV after making much of the running to win the sixth race.
Owned jointly by Aidan Comerford and Barry Whelan, the litter brother to English Derby runner-up Kildare displayed plenty if early speed to contain Well Met into the corner. This was pivotal. It allowed the Marie Gilbert trained son of Droopys Sydney and Palermo to set the pace into the back straight and he repelled the persistent challenge of Well Met throughout to come home with a length and a half in hand.
JET POWERED EMILY
Emilys Jet returned to his best form to win a hot fourth race.
In a race containing the likes of Skywalker Barry and Deadly Showtime, it was impressive to see Emilys Jet holding his position into the turn on the fence.
This left him in the perfect position to strike. Forcing his way to the front on the corner, he entered the back straight with a clear advantage over Deadly Showtime and he was never going to surrender his lead thereafter.
Trained by Peter Cronin for Gareth Williams, the son of Dorotas Wildcat and Droopys Elite maintained a strong gallop throughout to eventually see off Deadly Showtime by five and a half lengths in 29.77.
A DEADLY START TO PROCEEDINGS
Deadly Crusader really motored down the back straight to take up the running before going on to win the opener in style for Karol Ramsbottom and Garry Hannon.
Ropewalk Damsel set a strong pace to near the third turn but deadly Crusader emerged from the pack to assert on the third bend. Despite steering a middle to wide path, the son of Droopys Sydney and Mysterious Ways went on to contain the staying on Moyola Seamrog by a half length in 28.58.