DUKE AND SOPHIA GO FAST IN QUALIFYING

Ian Fortune

There were a few eye-catching trials around Shelbourne Park on Thursday evening but the efforts of Grouchos Duke and Droopys Sophia were particularly impressive.

Neither have raced before and it was also their first official spin over four bends.

The John Byrne trained Grouchos Duke posted an incredible 28.25. The December ‘21 son of Grangeview Ten and Mystical Luna is clearly very talented and a potential challenger in the upcoming Shelbourne ON1 525, which is worth a whopping €10,000 to the winner.

Sean Dunphy’s Droopys Sophia is likely to go down the same route after she posted a rapid 28.31 in her trial. The Fraser Black trained daughter of Burgess Bucks and Droopys Berry is the same age, December ’21, and is another with a very bright future it seems.

We look forward to seeing the pair in action in the very near future and, if the early signs are any indication, they could be stars in waiting.