TREATY BACK TO HIS BEST AS VENTRY GOES QUICKEST IN ST. LEGER SEMIS
Peter Farrell
The eagerly anticipated semi finals of the 2024 Willwego.com Irish St. Leger featured on a top-class card at Limerick on Saturday night and defending champion Clonbrien Treaty was back to his very best in landing the opening semi, while Ventry Faith went quickest in the second semi.
Incredibly, given we were at the semi final stages of the Classic, both Clonbrien Treaty and Ventry Faith had yet to taste victory, however, both trackers produced brilliant performances to make every inch of the running in their respective semis.
The opening semi final was very much billed as the clash of the titans as Kirby winners Clonbrien Treaty and Knockeen Dazzler both locked horns for the very first time in the Classic. The latter was fresh from a real statement performance in the quarter finals when posting a sublime 29.49, while Clonbrien Treaty came into the contest bidding to break a streak of second-place finishes thus far, all of which have come from leading positions. In typical fashion from the reigning champion however, Graham Holland’s star once again displayed his consistency in coming to the boil expertly throughout such a grueling competition and in doing so, cementing his position as the one to beat in the €30,000 decider next weekend.
OVER EARLY
Despite all the talk surrounding Clonbrien Treaty and Knockeen Dazzler, it was actually Jaytee Craze that was installed as the 6/4 favourite after a string of powerful performances. Next best was Knockeen Dazzler at 7/4, while Clonbrien Treaty was available at 11/4. With the break set the prove crucial, it was Kilcolgan Whitney that showed first from trap three and Jaytee Craze was next to emerge from his red jacketed berth in one. However, showing the most incredible early speed was Clonbrien Treaty in five and within a blink of an eye, the striking blue had opened a two length lead on the run-up from the rapidly improving Knockeen Dazzler, who had recovered well from a poor start in six. Holding a two length lead into the back, the ‘big-two’ went stride for stride down the back straight and it was pretty much as you were upon entrance to the penultimate bend. In behind at this point was the Paul Hennessy-trained duo of Barefoot On Fire and Jaytee Craze, with the former holding all the aces in terms of the final qualification spot. It was all about Clonbrien Treaty however, and although the son of Pestana, owned by James and Muireann Murphy, faded notably in previous rounds, he stayed on stoutly on this occasion to comfortably cross the winning line with daylight in hand. Knockeen Dazzler had been in pole position to claim second off the final turn but visibly tired, which in turn saw Barefoot On Fire secure second just one and a half lengths adrift of ‘Clonbrien’. The final qualification position was claimed by kennel companion Jaytee Craze, who also finished at a rate of knots just a half length further back. The time was a blistering 29.50.
VENTRY MAKES-ALL
With Ballyhimikin Rex a reported absentee in the second semi final, this was a five-dog affair and connections of all five trackers would have been optimistic of securing one of the three all-important qualification spots.
On the approach to the boxes, it was the Brendan Maunsell-trained In Good Time that was installed as the 7/4 favourite and it was Miami King that was chalked up as a next best 9/4. However, although his quarter final performance was a little underwhelming given the incredible speed he had shown in the earlier rounds, the 5/1 on offer about Ventry Faith did look a little generous and this so proved as the Owen McKenna-trained runner made every inch of the running. Drawn in two, Padraig O’Murchu’s runner broke well from his inside berth and he had too much early speed for Hazelhill Bucko, who had also come away racing from the outside. These two were in a league of their own early on as they comfortably rounded the opener with daylight with Coolavanny Otto occupying third place at this point. Meanwhile, the fancied pair of Miami King and In Good Time didn’t come away at all well and both were on the receiving end of a bump at the opening bend leaving them with plenty on their plates to qualify.
VENTRY EXCELS
Holding a two length advantage heading into the back straight, it was here where Ventry Faith got to work as the son of Droopys Sydney and Ballycowen Lucy upped the ante to quickly double his advantage at the midway point. Meanwhile, Coolavanny Otto was also showing all kinds of speed to loom alongside Hazelhill Bucko and it was still very much up in the air in regard to qualification. Up front however, the work was done. Setting a relentless gallop around the bottom two bends, Ventry Faith was home and hosed and although Coolavanny Otto was closing rapidly in the dying strides, his efforts at landing the spoils were all in vain as Ventry Faith was to seal his first win of the Classic. Crossing the line one and a half lengths clear of the strong-finishing Coolavanny Otto, the judge was called into action to decide the final qualifying position. Indeed, Hazelhill Bucko had ran his heart out in behind and Lucy Roche’s runner just failed to reach the decider as he went down by a head to the Miami King in third. In terms of a contest, this was all about Ventry Faith however, as he stopped the clock in a brilliant 29.47.
The trap draw for the Willwego.com Irish St. Leger was made shortly after and is as follows :
T1 - JAYTEE CRAZE
T2 - COOLAVANNY OTTO
T3 - MIAMI KING
T4 - BAREFOOT ON FIRE
T5 - VENTRY FAITH
T6 - CLONBRIEN TREATY (w)
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MURTY SETS THE BAR IN CON MURPHY SECOND ROUND
The second round heats of the Con Murphy Bookmakers A1 525 served as the supporting act on the card and it was Ballymac Murty that set the standard with a powerful display. Trained by Jack Kennelly for the Dream-To-Share-Synd, the 6/4 favourite had to settle for second for the majority of the contest as Starson Frankie set a blistering gallop from trap one. However, ‘Murty’ was very strong in the closing stages of the contest and the son of Ballymac Cashout and Murleys Ellie stormed past the longtime leader to win by a comfortable two lengths. The time was 28.45.
In heat two, Bambis Lady produced a 6/1 shock as Breda Boyle and Patrick Sheehy’s runner led from trap-to-line. After managing second in the opening round, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ballybrack Gem pinged out to lead this time around and she maintained a fine tempo to cross the line two and a half lengths clear of Cul Na Braithre. The time was 28.64.
Heat three saw Paul Hennessy claim victory as Sing Hallelujah scored via a judge’s call as he came home a neck clear of Airfield Best. Owned by Carol O’Riordan, the son of Jaytee Taylor wasn’t too fluently away from trap one, however, showed fine track craft to maneuver through his rivals, before finishing best of all to collar Airfield Best on the line. The time for the 4/1 chance was 28.85.
In the concluding heat of the night, Grouchos Finn (5/2) went one better than his second place finish in round one for John Byrne and Shane and Luke O’Connell. Leading once again from trap two, the son of Droopys Sydney and Oisins Choice wasn’t to suffer the same fate twice as he held off Voyage Stanley to win by one length, in 28.74.
JAMES IS ONE TO WATCH
Elsewhere on the card, it would be remiss not to mention the performance of Harlequin James in the concluding race of the night, the Novice 750.
Trained by Scott Phelan for the Harlequin-Synd, this heavyweight tracker didn’t get everything his own way as he was forced to contend with some early bumping from his inside draw in two. However, powering into second up the home straight first time around, the son of Confident Rankin and Boherna Actress showed all sorts of gears down the back straight to take control and he relished every inch of the marathon trip to cross the line with three lengths to spare. Only a June whelp, this fellow would appear to have a smart future over the extended trips as he stopped the clock in a good 41.99.