SANITIZE CLAIMS MIDLANDS DERBY SUCCESS

Ian Fortune

Sanitize was clearly named with the current pandemic in mind and it would be apt to suggest she cleaned up at Mullingar on Sunday when capturing the Kilbride Kennels Midlands A2 Derby for David Hanlon.

This was certainly a competitive affair into the bend with five greyhounds within a length of each other. Something was going to have to give. The only greyhound that couldn’t possibly lead around the turn was Willseeyouthere.

After missing the kick, the second choice in the betting was last into the bend with a wall of five greyhounds in front of him. Predictably, things got tight on the corner with Home Luigi and Bective Silver clashing on the inside of the track.

Willseeyouthere stepped around the duo but bumped into Crokers Prince. Suddenly, there was room for Sanitize to make a move. Seeing her opportunity as they hit the second bend, the daughter of Droopys Jet and Love Honey shot to the front.

Bawn Farloe was on the outside of the pack and, despite taking a hefty bump on the bend from Crokers Prince, he carried momentum into the back straight to move second early in the back straight. The race was now on.

Sanitize hit halfway with two lengths in hand but Bawn Farloe then started to bridge the gap. By the third turn, Bawn Farloe had moved to within a half lengths but he was now challenging on the inside an when Sanitize closed the door, his pursuer was forced to check up.

In a matter of strides, Sanitize found herself four lengths clear and she was never going to relinquish that advantage. Staying on well, David Hanlon’s December ’19 whelp emerged a worthy four length winner of the €3,500 prize. Bawn Farloe was second with Willseeyouthere a further half length back in third.