A BRILLIANT BRACE FOR HOLLAND IN ISLANDBRIDGE

Ian Fortune

There is simply no stopping Graham Holland. It doesn’t matter which discipline his greyhounds are taking on, his Riverside Kennels operation just send out winner after winner. That was the case at a very busy Shelbourne Park on Friday with both semi-finals of the Islandbridge Open Sprint going to the Golden based handler.

Ballinakill Alf was expected to come out on top in the opening heat and he duly obliged but Romeo Taylor stole the headlines with a stunning 18.41 return in the second heat.

RAMPANT ROMEO

Romeo Taylor is already the Rural Kennels Open Unraced winner at Clonmel but it seems he also has a big future over two bends. The son of Newinn Taylor and Fabulous Mila was sent to traps the 6-4 joint favourite but it was soon evident he was going to come home alone.

Flashing from trap three, David Firmager’s May ’22 whelp quickly seized complete control, powering clear to emerge a facile five length winner over Beepers Evan with Hawkfield Scar another three lengths adrift.

ALF JUSTIFIES SHORT ODDS

Ballinakill Alf had to work a little harder in the opening heat but ultimately emerged a comfortable winner over Getup Me Son and Cree Jo Jo. Never the most fluent starter, Ballinakill Alf was fourth in the opening fifty yards before engaging the afterburners.

With the inside line in his favour, the brilliant son of Pestana and Newinn Madam charged to the front on the corner, showing superb track craft to increase his advantage into the home straight. Getup Me Son did al he could to hold onto the coattails of Ballinakill Alf but it was futile. The Pillar Syndicate owned star ran out a ready two and a half length winner in 18.47. getup Me Son was a good second with Cree Jo Jo another half length back in third.

Islandbridge Open Sprint

Final draw

1 Cree Jo Jo

2 Getup Me Son

3 Beepers Evan

4 Ballinakill Alf

5 Romeo Taylor

6 Hawkfield Scar (m)

FRANKIE TOO SHARP

Earlier on the card, Mark Robinson sent out Uncle Frankie to dominate in the final of the Talking Dogs A4 525. A non-winners competition, the son of Ballymac Cashout and Dark Ava went unbeaten through the stake without seeing a rival.

Flashing from traps for the second week running, he build a massive lead to the third turn before coasting home three lengths clear of Coss Cashout in 28.71.

VAL AND MAX TOO GOOD

The semi-finals of the Retired Greyhound Trust ON2 525 saw Val Tashadelek and Max Pro oblige. Val Tashadelek, representing Neilus O’Connell and Thomas Lynch, was never far away before taking over into the third turn. From there he eased on to beat Max Wago by three lengths in 29.06.

MaxPro got to the front earlier in the second heat and quickly put the result beyond doubt. Danny Kehoe’s son of Droopys Sydney moved on at the second turn and went on to beat Body Mild Spirit by three lengths in 28.77.