NORFOLK LANDS KILSHEELAN UNRACED AT CLONMEL

Peter Farrell

The final of the €1,500 to the winner Kilsheelan Gallop ON2/ON3 525 was the feature race at Clonmel on Friday night and it went the way of Norfolkandchance as he bounced back from semi final defeat to win at his leisure.

Norfolkandchance won his debut outing in a fast 28.76 but was luckless in the semis when hustled out of it at the opening bend, eventually having to settle for third. The strapping fawn and white wasn’t to suffer the same fate this time around, however. Drawn in four, the son of Ballyhimikin Jet - Raha Gogo broke well alongside Goldcash Warrior and Edermine Charm and he showed the superior early dash to storm between his rivals. Taking a commanding lead into the back, Norfolkandchance set an exceptional gallop down the back and as he reached the penultimate bend, he stopped the third-bend sectional in an open class 16.15. Trouble in behind saw the November pup manufacture an unassailable lead rounding the final bend and he subsequently crossed the line ten lengths clear of Emers Ted in second. The time was 28.81.

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Elsewhere on the card, there was a Irish Greyhound Derby Trial Stake on offer and this went the way of No More Fifties as he returned from a tilt at the National Sprint in style.

Trained by Adam Dunford for Michelle Lawlor, No More Fifties has superb early speed but he was incredibly without a win since April of this year. However, that was all to change in this 550-yard contest as he took charge in the opening exchanges. Well away from two, the son of Knocknaboul Syd showcased all of his sprinting power to open a two length lead on the run-up. In doing so, he never took his foot off the gas as he extended his advantage to six lengths crossing the line. Jetstream Jet second best, the time was a fast 29.87.