IMPRESSIVE RUNS IN MAIDEN DERBY
Ian Fortune
There was a whole host of brilliant displays at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night, most notably in the semi-finals of the Shelbourne Maiden Derby with Shanahee Boomer again setting the standard with a superb display of early speed, while Coloursaregreen continued his rise to stardom in the other heat.
Shanahee Boomer was absolutely paw-perfect in the opening heat, posting impressive 3.35 and 17.01 sectionals to the line and the third turn. But he needed to be as Lennies Dream pushed him right to the wire, while Lennies Madge also flew home to finish a close third.
Trained by Kieran Lynch for the Bate The Ditch Syndicate, Shanahee Boomer followed up last week's standard setting 29.63 return in real style. Despite the best efforts of those in behind, which included Oreo Ollie, he kept doing enough to keep his rivals at bay. the son of Good News and Droopys Dream would go on to hold off the fast-finishing duo of Lennies Dream and Lennies Madge by a length and a half length in a quick 29.43.
GREEN LIGHT FOR COLOURS
Coloursaregreen had to work a little harder for the lead in the second heat but he ultimately emerged a fully deserving winner for Paul Hennessy and owners Brendan Cocoman and Ian Cunningham.
A member of the sensational King Sheeran/ Magical Mary litter, he was headed at boxes by the fast starting Razldazl Kamaria but soon joined that rival to disputethe lead into the turn.
With the inside line in his favour, Coloursaregreen soon moved to the head of affairs and left his rivals doing all they could to stay close enough to challenge. Rolo Tokyo caught the eye down the back straight to move second but he had no answer to the power of the leader. Coloursaregreen kept racing right to the line to eventually land the spoils by five lengths in 29.66. Highview Plan ran on strongly to grab second on the line, getting the better of Rolo Tokyo by a head.
Shelbourne Maiden Derby
Final draw
1 ROLO TOKYO
2 LENNIES DREAM
3 HIGHVIEW PLAN
4 SHANAHEE BOOMER
5 COLOURSAREGREEN
6 LENNIES MADGE (W)
HOFFA TOO HOT TO HANDLE
Grouchos Hoffa again made full use of his tremendous early speed to emerge a wonderful winner of the Derby Starts Soon A0 550.
Going to the front early in the decider to see off the always second and rapidly improving Harlequin Paul. the latter broke smartly and disputed the early lead but Grouchos Hoffa was too quick.
Once taking over on the corner, he soon built what turned out to be a decisive advantage. Harlequin Paul did close to the third turn and briefly looked a serious danger but he ran out of steam, allowing the Dave Bourke trained Grouchos Hoffa hit the line in front.
Owned by Shane Luke O'Connell, Grouchos Hoffa would take the €3,500 prize by a lengthf rom Harlequin Paul in 29.61, while the fast-finishing Town Lucky would finish just a head away in third.
SANDWICHES BLOWS AWAY COBWEBS
Derby runner-up Cheap Sandwiches gave short odds backers a bit of a scare in the opening semi-final of the valuable Shelbourne Museum Open 550 when missing the start.
Thankfully for those that took restrictive prices, his brute speed and class carried him to the front before the turn from the outside box.
Of course, it also helped that his rivals were bumping each other up the middle of the track. Sunshine Sioux escaped the traffic to turn second and closed on the red-hot favourite in the latter stages but the Bark Wahlberg Syndicate owned Cheap Sandwiches blew away whatever cobwebs were present with a two length success in 29.87. One suspects, the graham Holland trained star will be going considerably faster in the near future.
HARLEQUIN DOESNT NEED A GEE UP
The second semi-final saw the Harlequin Syndicate owned Harlequin Gee Up make every inch after a slick exit from the inside box.
The Scott Phelan trained son of King Sheeran and Swift Zap was under severe pressure for much of the journey but he wasn't found wanting for courage. Carrick Scholsey overcame a slow start to move second down the back straight and he challenged the leader at the third turn only to have the door closed in his face.
This was the decisive point in the contest with Harlequin Gee Up kicking again to open a clear lead as they hit the home turn. Carrick Scholsey recovered to take second with Flashing Lilac third but Harlequin Gee Up went on to win by two lengths and a length in 29.91.
Shelbourne Museum Open 550
Final draw
1 SUNSHINE SIOUX
2 CARRICK SCHOLSEY
3 HAPPY JET
4 FLASHING LILAC
5 HARLEQUIN GEE UP
6 CHEAP SANDWICHES (W)
CLAN SECURES FREE DERBY ENTRY
The Murt Leahy trained Cloverfield Clan secured a free passage into the Boylesports Derby by winning the fourth race on the card, a Trial Stake for the classic.
A strong running son of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Saga, he was always in pole position once coming away racing from three.
Owned jointly by Gavin Nolan and Thomas Maher, Cloverfield Clan would make every inch of the running to contain the persistent Ardera Freya, who also happened to be the 5-4 favourite, by two lengths in 29.85.
ROBBIE TOO SLICK
Robbie Be Slick came bouncing back to his best form in the penultimate race on the card, a mini open 525.
Here Old Chicago went up fastest to set the pace but Barry Clancy and Graham Ashe's Robbie Be Slick would turn a close second before making his move into the third turn.
Taking over at this point, the son of Ballymac Anton and Notimetotalk would go on to beat a rallying Old Chicago by three parts of a length in 28.63.
A WILD RUN IN FINALE
Racing ended with a fine comeback run from the very talented The Other Wild.
A superb winner of the Rural Kennels Open Unraced at Clonmel earlier in the year, he was having his first start since being withdrawn from the Kirby memorial in March, although it was scarcely evident.
Electric at traps, he displayed fine early speed to race alongside the Kirby Memorial champ Faypoint Ranger into the turn before driving his way around that rival to dictate into the back straight. Faypoint Ranger chased hard down the back but would run out of steam as they turned for home.
Tetra Destiny came through as the nearest rival to the winner but The Other Wild was not for catching. Trained by Jennifer O’Donnell for the Born Wild Syndicate, the son of Ballymac Wild and Whitings Gift would go on to win by three and a half lengths in 28.49.
A PROFESSIONAL EFFORT FROM RICO
The final of the Boylesports Back Again A2 was the second race on the card and Don Rico was a thoroughly professional winner for Liam and Desmond Woods.
Although not the fastest into stride, he did flash up the inside rail to take the lead on the bend.
The son of Dorotas Wildcat and Benzema was fluent along the fence to increase his advantage into the back straight and proceeded to emerge a comfortable two and a half length scorer over the staying on Torpedo Turtle in 28.89.
TWINKLE SHINES IN OPENER
Leslie Brown and John Lambert were on the mark in the opener with their supremely well-bred Pennys Twinkle coming home in front of a talented field over the 575yd trip.
A half sister to Susie Sapphire, Pennys Twinkle was to the fore from the outset, clearing the bend ahead of Derby semi-finalist Ballinabola Jim.
The latter dwarfed the leader but Pennys Twinkle was in determined mood. Showing no signs of letting up, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Jetstream Lynx stayed on powerfully to contain her rival by a length and a half in 31.18.
BABY DIDN'T DALLY
There was a wonderful finish to the A0 fourth race over the Derby trip with the Pink Pony Club Syndicate owned Baby Dont Dally storming home to pick up the long-time leader Riverside Popsie on the line.
The latter seemed certain to score when turning for home with over a length in hand on the chasing pack but the Ian Reilly trained Baby Don't Dally (Malachi/ Baby Browne) was never far away in third and finished best of all to get up for a short head success in 30.17.