JUNIOR A WORTHY CHAMPION
Ian Fortune
Trinity Junior is the 2023 Boylesports Champion Stakes winner after producing a wonderfully determined display to capture the €20,000 contest at a warm and sunny Shelbourne Park on Saturday night.
The Peter Cronin trained star has always been a star, as highlighted by his brilliant victory in the valuable RCETS Open Unraced last August. He has always competed in the very best of company and has been a bit of a competition specialist, reaching the final of the Juvenile Derby and Leger in his first season, while he was an Easter Cup finalist this year.
Sadly, luck hadn’t been his ally in any of those major finals but on this occasion he made his own luck, bursting to the front on the corner to claim a thoroughly deserved success for his owner Tim Slevin.
POPULAR IN THE RING
The punters wanted to be with the inside runners and Trinity Junior eventually went to traps the 5-2 favourite, just ahead of Scaglietti at 11-4.
The Other Kobe was a drifter and eventually was sent off at 4-1. It was then 9-2 Hawkfield Blue, 11-2 Droopys Nice One and 12-1 Boylesports Gift.
As predicted, the battle for early supremacy was pivotal. There were two distinct groups at the off. Hawkfield Blue, Boylesports Gift and Droopys Nice One came away behind the remaining trio, effectively ending their hopes at the start.
In contrast, The Other Kobe, Scaglietti and Trinity Junior came away racing. All three were recorded doing 3.43 to the opening sectional. By the corner, The Other Kobe had a narrow advantage and was edging inwards but this was where Trinity Junior grabbed the contest by the scruff of the neck.
TRINITY TAKES CHARGE
So often the bridesmaid, the hugely talented son of Laughil Blake and Oi Oi Upenalty was in no mood for another big race defeat.
Driving up the fence, he forced his rivals out of the way, sending Scaglietti to the floor. He was quickly back on his feet and galloping but his chances had disappeared.
Instead, The Other Kobe turned second but Trinity Junior was never going to leave the door open for his rival. The remainder of the contest was effectively a victory lap for Trinity Junior. The Peter Cronin trained star was pushed by The Other Kobe into the third turn but never looked like getting picked up.
The September 2020 crossed the line two lengths to the good in a rapid 29.34. The Other Kobe was second with a three and a half-length gap to Boylesports Gift in third. Peter Cronin and Tim Slevin will now target a Derby campaign with their Champion Stakes winner and on this sort of form he has to be seen as a major player.
Sarah Kinsella PR BoyleSports presents the trophy to Tim Slevin after Trinity Junior won the 2023 BoyleSports Champion Stakes 550 at Shelbourne Park. Also included are Racing Manager Michael Dempsy , trainer Peter Cronin, handlers Michael Cronin and John Cummins, Pat Flanagan GRI and Conor, Barry and Jenna Slevin. Pic: Imelda Grauer
Boylesports Champion Plate
WALT A WORTHY PLATE CHAMP
The penny has certainly dropped for Ballymac Walt and he ran out a wonderful winner of the Boylesports Champion Plate, containing the hugely fast Optic Chico in a tremendous finish.
A week after leaving his rivals standing in the semis, Ballymac Walt was again razor-sharp in the early yards, showing great acceleration to open a two length lead into the turn over Beepers Lariat.
The latter had to slightly check on heels between the opening two bends, allowing Ballymac Walt to move further clear, while further traffic problems hit Beepers Lariat as he entered the back straight. He was clipped from behind, costing both he and Ballyhimkin Leo any chance.
As a result Optic Chico was left second and he began to bridge the gap in the third turn. Ballymac Walt was moving with real purpose, however. Liam Dowling’s hugely talented son of Ballymac Cashout and Ballymac Diva ran right to the line to hold the advancing Optic Chico by a neck in 29.39. There was a further five length gap to Churchtown Syd in third. Given the profile of the winner, it would be no shock to see him make waves in the upcoming Derby.
RPGTV Corn Cuchulainn
BLAZE ON FIRE
Garfiney Blaze maintained his unbeaten record in the RPGTV Corn Cuchulainn, coming home in front in the opening heat in a fast 41.20 but that doesn’t tell the full story.
The Graham Holland trained star was forced to pull out all the stops to beat the fast starting Newport Pier.
Garfiney Blaze was always in her slipstream but he really did have to dig deep to finally get the better of his rival near the final turn. Staying close to the fence, the son of Ballymac Anton and Ballymac Merkle eased on the run in to score by two lengths. Newport Pier ran her heart out to finish runner-up, holding the fast finishing Ballymac Katie by two lengths.
ROAD GOES CRAZY FAST
Kinturk Road produced a massive run to record one of the fastest times ever recorded at Shelbourne Park for the 750yd trip in the second heat.
As fast as she went, the daughter of Ballymac Cashout and Ballymac Arminta had to show great strength to contain the persistent challenge of Haka Carlo.
The pair had it between them from the start. Haka Carlo broke fast but not as quickly as Kinturk Road and this made all the difference. Once getting to the front, Frank Thornton’s star kept on finding to repel Haka Carlo.
The pair eased on from their pursuers and continued to battle it out to the finish but Kinturk Road took the honours by a length in a sensational 41.02, the joint second fastest run ever at Shelbourne Park. In fact, Haka Carlo, who was a length back, posted 41.09, the seventh fastest time ever posted for the 750y trip. There was a seven length gap to Hanover Phantom in third.
RPGTV Corn Cuchulainn
Final draw
1 Garfiney Blaze
2 Hanover Phantom
3 Kinturk Road
4 Newport Pier
5 Ballymac Katie
6 Haka Carlo
Undercard
HUGO SENDS OUT A CLEAR MESSAGE
It’s been quite a week for the O’Connell family and it keeps getting better.
Seven days after capturing the English Derby with Gaytime Nemo, his younger half-brother Gaytime Hugo booked his place in the Irish equivalent with a massive run in the third race, the Boylesports Derby Trial Stake.
A Kirby Memorial finalist earlier in the year, he justified favouritism with a fastest of the year 29.26 success. Hello Mom broke fastest to lead in the opening strides but she was soon headed by Gaytime Hugo.
Once going to the front, the son of Gaytime Hawk and Gaytime Derval was never under any pressure. He maintained a relentless gallop throughout to win by four lengths from Hello Mom.
KIRBY CHAMP OPENS SHELBOURNE ACCOUNT
Jim and Muireann Murphy’s Kirby Memorial champion Clonbrien Treaty was a wonderful winner of the fifth race, a red-hot Open 550, in turn opening his account at Shelbourne Park and confirming his obvious Derby claims.
Not for the first time in his career, the brilliant son of Pestana and Clonbrien Millie was sticky at traps but he flew into the turn to challenge the fast-starting Magical Kuba. When the latter stayed wide on the bend, the Graham Holland Clonbrien Treaty cut for the inside, driving through the gap left by the early leader.
It was a decisive and impressive maneouvre. He increased his advantage down the back straight as Magical Kuba was forced to check before going on to beat the fast-finishing Droopys Onestop by two lengths in 29.51.
PROGRESSIVE ROCKO ROMPS HOME
Clona Rocko has been in wonderful form but he really did raise his performance to new levels in the penultimate race, an Open 525 when leaving some talented rivals standing.
Trained by Micky Taggart for Daniel Kerr, the son of Ballymac Bolger and Bellmore Lucy went up fast from his stripes draw and, despite getting a slight clip on the heels as he cut the bend, he made every inch.
Entering the back straight with three lengths in hand, he maintained his lead throughout before crossing the line with three lengths in hand in 28.20. Droopys Timing was second.
SHOWTIME USES HIS DRAW TO GREAT EFFECT
Deadly Showtime, owned by the Blue Light Syndicate, added to his already impressive tally in the fourth race, using an ideal draw on the fence to see off a top class field that included the Derby champion Born Warrior.
The race to the bend was very tight but the Karol Ramsbottom trained Deadly Showtime was in the right spot to take advantage. Forcing his way through on the fence, the son of Droopys Sydney and Ruby Valley led the pack into the back straight. He was joined, and briefly headed, by Cryptopunk at the third turn but rallied on the run in to take the honours by three parts of a length in 28.44. Cryptopunk was second, while Another Holiday and Born Warrior ran better than the bare form suggests in third and fourth.
BOSSMAN TAKES THE FINALE
There was much to like about the performance of Jason Croarkin’s Tahina Bossman in the finale as he went up fast to slip around the corner in front.
The race to the bend was very competitive with three or four challenging but Tahina Bossman just got his nose in front and displayed great balance to avoid a scrimmage.
Riding the bump with ease, the son of Ballymac Vic and Newline Mo shot across his rivals to enter the back straight in a commanding advantage. Carrauntoohil was left second but had no chance of getting anywhere near the leader. Six lengths clear at halfway, Tahina Bossman ran all the way home to score by seven lengths in 28.39.
COPPER TAKES OFF
A finalist in the Champion Unraced at Kilkenny, Ballymac Copper is clearly a greyhound going places.
That was evident in the second race on the card, a Boylesports Derby Trial Stake, as Liam Dowling’s son of Broadstrand Bono and Toremore Emily displayed show superb early speed to assert into the bend.
Despite taking a wobble at this point, Ballymac Copper was always in full control. Riverside Bocko gave chase but could never close the gap and was eventually picked up for second. The lightly raced youngster Rebel Sea flew home to take second on the line but Ballymac Copper was in a league of his own as he emerged a comfortable four length scorer in 29.63.
DORA DIGS DEEP
Jerry Connors’ Hawkfield Dora produced a determined display to open proceedings with a fine victory over the 550yd trip.
Always to the fore after a fast start from the inside box, the Keeley McGee trained daughter of Droopys Sydney and Jetts Spark she continuously repelled the persistent challenge of Dromana Dano to lead the field into the home straight.
The warm favourite Run Faster also pressed at this point but Hawkfield Dora stuck on gamely to score by a length in 29.91. Dromana Dano was second.