FRANKIE THE STAR IN CON MURPHY DECIDER AT LIMERICK

Peter Farrell

The final of the €3,800 to the winner Con Murphy Bookmakers A1 525 took centre stage at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night and Starson Frankie built on his stunning 28.25 performance last weekend to produce another polished performance.

Owned by Pat O’Connell, the November 22’ whelp really stepped forward in the semis with that exceptional 28.25 clock and as such, it wasn’t a surprise to see him installed as the even money favourite to land this valuable stake. Known for his lightning starts, ‘Frankie’ didn’t get away to his most fluent breaks in the decider as he failed to break the 1.30 sectional barrier for the first time three weeks, however, he still had enough in hand to dispute the opening yards with the fast-starting Airfield Best in one. Turning just a neck adrift of ‘Airfield’, Starson Frankie quickly took control as he showed a lovely turn of back straight pace to race into the penultimate bend just ahead of Voyage Stanley, who had also improved into second in the striped jacket. At this point, the latter looked a real threat given his strong running style, however, he had no answer to Starson Frankie on this particular night as the son of Explosive Boy and Hazelfield Echo showed brilliant stamina to stay on up the hill and record a one and a half length victory over Voyage Stamina. A fitting conclusion to what was another brilliant stake at Limerick, the time was a blistering 28.39.

JACK SETS TRI-DISTANCE STANDARD

The supporting act on the card were the seven opening round heats of the O’Connor Julian Vets Cashel Tri-Distance and it was Thats It Jack that set the standard in the final heat of the night.

Sent off as the 2/1 favourite, Thats It Jack, owned by Liam Cahill and Tony Lacey, was incredibly chasing a first victory since March of this year but he did so in emphatic style as he led from trap to line. Donning the white jacket, ‘Jack’ trapped lively from his middle berth and he took a three length lead into the back from Goingthewrongway in second. From here, the son of Malachi and Clongeel Mills pressed home his advantage as he proved a class above his rivals in coming home three lengths clear of Head Count in second. The time was a rapid 29.69 for the 550-yards.

HEAT WATCH

In the opening heat, Grouchos Scooby justified 6/4 favouritism for Shane and Luke O’Connell and John Byrne. Chasing a first career victory, it didn’t look likely early on as the son of Malachi trailed the field into the opening turn and he was a bad last entering the back straight as a result. However, the strapping blue got to work down the back straight as he showed fine improvement before coming home with a real intent to land the spoils. Crossing the line with a neck in hand over Gortroe in second, the time was 29.96.

Patsy and Aoife Coffey have enjoyed fine success at Limerick in recent months and they continued their purple patch with Carrigmore Micah in heat two. A 3/1 chance, the heavyweight son of Droopys Sydney and Carrigmore Dizzy broke well from trap six and he cut the nose off Ballymac Joshy to lead. Steering a wide course down the back, ‘Micah’ set a smart gallop thereafter as he came home two lengths clear of Brackile Roxy in second. The time was 29.91.

That time was replicated in heat three as Way To Paradise (2/1) scored for the first time in his career for the M-S-P-Synd. A lightly raced sort, ‘Paradise’ pinged the lids from trap six and he turned with a slender advantage over Listen Ellie in second. Running a superior second bend, this allowed the son of Droopys Sydney to create daylight over his rivals and this proved decisive in running out a three length winner over Listen Ellie in second. The time, as mentioned, was identical to heat two, 29.91.

In heat four, Kilcolgancatchme produced an outstanding performance to collar Castleivy Gigi late on. Indeed, the Neilus O’Connell-trained charge, owned by Karen Geoghegan, was poorly into stride but showed magnificent track craft to manoeuvre into third entering the back straight. Quickly improving into second, the son of Droopys Sydney and Razldazl Annie loomed alongside Castleivy Gigi rounding the final turn and he soon asserted when breezing past his rival to score by three lengths. A thoroughly professional display, the time for the 2/1 chance was 30.17.

The most emphatic victory of the opening round came in heat five as Ridgemount Sonic (3/1) took charge late on for James and John Nevin. It was Waltz Along that held all the aces early on as he got the better of ‘Sonic’ until the third turn, however, the latter took charge at this point as he swooped into a commanding lead around the bottom bend. From here, the son of Superior Panama and Boylesporttwink stayed on with real intent as he opened a seven and a half length margin to stop the clock in 29.92.

The penultimate heat was landed by the Paul Hennessy-trained Dagingerbreadman. Installed as the even money favourite, the son of Jaytee Taylor looked in a spot of trouble early on as he fell from traps to trail the field into the opener. However, Dagingerbreadman ran a fine opening bend to move fourth and he showed all sorts of gears down the back to emerge as a real threat to Hurry Kane up front. Continuing to improve around the bottom two bends, Cian Gleeson’s charge upped the ante late on as he made one final surge to get up on the line, by a head. The time was 30.04.