NOTHING SERENE ABOUT SENSATIONAL ACE

Ian Fortune

The news was confirmed in recent days that Serene Ace has run his final race after finishing lame at the Winter Racing Festival last month and will now head straight to stud.

It was the last start of a wonderful career that saw him establish himself as one of the sharpest greyhounds of recent years with the early speed to match any greyhound in training.

In many ways, Serene Ace was a reminder of some of the great early paced greyhounds of the past. So many dogs these days are bred and trained to be stronger with so many of the classics run over 550yds but Serene Ace was all about brute early speed.

It was clear from the early days that he was destined to be a star as he produced a series of incredible early paced displays to emerge a superb winner of the 2021 Champion Unraced at Kilkenny, a stake that has seen the emergence of so many stars.

It was to be the biggest victory of his career but not what he will be remembered for. In the subsequent year and a half, he took on and beat the very best in training over two and four bends with his early speed wowing knowledgeable crowd’s right to the very end.

AN EXCEPTIONAL PUPPY

He really was an exceptional puppy, winning eight of his first eleven career outings including a second placed finish in a valuable stake at Shelbourne where he confirmed the promise shown in the Champion Unraced.

Brilliant through the first two rounds, clocking a stunning 15.87 to the third turn in the semis, he was a 4-7 favourite for the final only to run into a rampant Droopys Gloss in the decider. Collared in the final stride to lose out by a head, it was clear the duo would meet again in the Juvenile Derby.

His opening round success on the eve of the Derby and a day after his second birthday was incredible. While he may not have gone fastest of the round – Droopy Gloss recorded 28.06 – he displayed the most explosive speed to record 15.73 to the third turn before going on to win with plenty in hand in a rapid 28.11.

His 15.73 sectional remains one of the fastest ever recorded at the famous Ringsend venue. As he did so many times through his career, he expertly negotiated his way through the prelims to start as one of the co-favourites in the decider.

Unfortunately, conditions went against Serene Ace with a wet track and a slow start ending his hopes of victory. Despite this he ran one of the best races of his career to chase home Droopys Gloss in second.

A SPRINTING STAR

It would be his final start in puppy/ juvenile company and he was stepped back to two bends where his sensational early speed saw him quickly establish himself as one of the best sprinters in the land.

On the final night of racing in 2021, he ran out a brilliant winner of the RCETS Open 350 at Shelbourne Park, seeing of a top-class field which included top sprinters Corbrack Prince, Gizmo Cash and Ela Supremo amongst others.

A QUICK RETURN TO FOUR BENDS

He returned a couple of weeks later, in early 2022, for a crack at the Gold Cup at Shelbourne Park and the return to four bends certainly didn’t hinder him.

Progressing to the final with little fuss, he was again amongst the favourites for the top-class decider.

Showing his professionalism at boxes and his incredible early dash, he left a top-class field behind him to halfway. Sadly, for his supporters, it wasn’t meant to be. His kennel companion and another of Ireland’s very best, Skywalker Barry produced arguably the performance of his career to join Serene Ace in the final strides. In a desperate finish, Serene Ace was denied by a head.  

SUMMER SPRINTING

That summer Serene Ace concentrated on sprinting and he reached the finals of both the Treaty Cup and Irish Sprint Cup.

At Limerick, in the Treaty Cup, he completely missed the start in the final but displayed huge pace to come through for second.

It was clear he was ready for the challenge on offer at Dundalk in the Irish Sprint Cup. His march to the decider was nothing short of incredible. Posting 20.80, 20.96, 20.96 and 20.78 in the prelims, breaking the magical 7 second barrier in each of the four, he was understandably one of the favourites to land the sprint classic.

Again, it wasn’t meant to be, however. Making a relatively tardy start by his incredible standards, he found traffic on the turn only to run a huge race to finish second. He may not have won but he boasts two of the four fastest times ever recorded at Dundalk for the 400yd trip, the greatest test of an early paced greyhound on these shores.

UNTOUCHABLE TO HALFWAY AROUND CORK

It wasn’t to be his final classic appearance. He turned up at Curraheen Park for the Laurels and really took to the place with his early speed allowing him lead around the corner in each of the five rounds. Incredibly, as he matured, he actually seemed to get faster to the turn with his stamina stretched even more.

Despite getting picked up in each of the four preliminary rounds, he was installed one of the favourites on final night. Despite the incredible quality of the final line-up, Serene Ace again set a blistering pace into the back straight and down the far side.

Ultimately, Good Cody was too close, however, and he came through to score with Serene Ace fading home to finish a close fourth. He may have suffered defeat but was certainly carried out on his shield.

After his early-paced exploits at Cork, he returned to Shelbourne in his very next start and again posted a brilliant third bend sectional (15.82) in a narrow defeat.

THE END WAS NEAR

Sadly, he would have just three more starts, the last of which came at the Winter Racing Festival in the open sprint.

As we came to expect, the September ’19 whelp displayed awesome trapping ability and early speed to better his rivals into the turn and was on his way to a certain success only to lose his action as he turned for home.

It was a sad end to his racing career but, thankfully, the injury won’t hinder him in retirement. Now the brilliant son of Scolari Me Daddy and Boleys Ace is destined for a bright future at stud. Certainly, prospective breeders looking to introduce early speed will have to seriously consider Serene Ace as for the past two years, few, if any, could match him for consistency, brute early dash and professionalism.

For Eddie Ryan, who has been lucky to own some serious greyhounds through the years, he was a dog of a lifetime, while Michael O’Donovan, who expertly trained him through his career, will be hoping he can train a few more like him in the future.

Those lucky enough to see him in the flesh, to witness his acceleration and raw speed, will never forget him. He really was a joy to watch, a canine Ferrari and we wish him the best in the future and also wish him a long and healthy retirement.