LUCKY THIRTEEN FOR MINOR DROOPY

Peter Farrell

There were no shortage of impressive performances on last night’s Clonmel card but the highlight was a thirteenth career victory for Minor Droopy.

Owned by Mary O’Connor, Minor Droopy is as consistent as they come and she stepped out in AO/A1 contest last night to win in style. The August 19’ whelp ended 2022 with an off-the-pace victory at Clonmel and she picked up where she left off, this time making every inch of the running to post the fastest time of the night. Running from her favoured trap one, MInor Droopys rocketed from boxes and she held all the aces rounding the opening corner. Both Aghaburren Bonny and Ballyrobin Casca joined the leader down the back and the latter briefly went head-to-head on the approach to the penultimate turn. However, Minor Droopy stays very strongly and the daughter of Droopys Jet and Minor Racer rallied once more in the closing stages and she crossed the line with a comfortable, two and a half lengths to spare of the dead-heating pair of Aghaburren Bonny and Ballyrobin Casca. The time was a rapid 28.65 .10s.

ROUNDING UP THE CARD

The opening race of the night saw Hollyhill Debbie record a fourth career victory for Gerard Gubbins and Paraic Campion. Moderately into stride from trap two, Hollyhill Debbie showed blistering early speed to take control at the opener and she never looked back thereafter. Setting a strong gallop throughout, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Hollyhill Romeo raced to an easy, two and a half length victory over nearest rival, Emers Lottie, in second. The time was a swift 28.92 .10s.

Race two was a novice contest and this was won in runaway fashion by the Adam Dunford-trained Fabulous Sonique. Owned by David Firmager, the July 21’ whelp broke smartly from trap five and in doing so, motored to the inside to turn with an already healthy advantage. It was all one-way traffic thereafter for the daughter of Magical Bale and Fabulous Pearl as she drew clear to win by twelve lengths from Freeway Jane in second. The time was 28.92 .10s.

In the penultimate race of the night, Flashy Tornado made it six career wins for owner James Heffernan. A very consistent sort, Flashy Tornado pinged the lids from trap three to set the standard on the run to the opening corner. Brenos Nan was the nearest challenger at this point, however, the leader stretched clear down the back to hold a healthy lead rounding the bottom two bends. Continuing to press home his advantage, the son of Pat C Sabbath and Heavens Dazzler crossed the line with three and a half lengths in hand over Brenos Nan in second. The time was 29.09 .10s.

The concluding race on the card was landed by Chasing Maggie for owner Sean O’Halloran. Running from trap six, Chasing Maggie broke moderately but made full use of her outside berth to pace up nicely and swoop to the front. Holding a two length lead down the back, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Absolutely Ace was all out to hold Tarsna Soda in the closing yards but did so by three parts of a length, in a time of 29.08 .10s.