SENSATIONAL START TO KILKENNY’S CHAMPION UNRACED

Ian Fortune

It was predictable there would be some fine performances at Kilkenny on Friday night in the opening round of the Champion Open Unraced Stake but it really did exceed expectations with so many potential superstars impressing on the night but none could match Jacktavern Gem who looked exceptional as he recorded a scintillating 28.64.

GEM SHINES BRIGHTEST

Trained by Adam Dunford for the Pillar Syndicate, the well bred son of Good News and Galadriel couldn’t have been any more impressive. Closely related to the Pillar Syndicate’s Derby third, Jackslittlething, the June ’22 whelp shot from three to lead the field into the turn.

Good Dash and Ballybough Nutz turned close but neither could live with the pace-setter as he opened up down the back straight. By the third turn, the race was safely in his keeping and he galloped all the way to the line to emerge a four length winner over Good Dash with Ballybough Nutz three lengths adrift in third. It was a magical way to commence his racing career and its clear Jacktavern Gem could be anything in the future. 

TEDDY MAS MORE THAN JUST HOPE

Hopes Teddy was perhaps the most authoritative winner of the round when emerging a tremendous winner of the final heat for Amanda Jeal and Pat Buckley. This was effectively over in a stride as the younger full brother to Ballinabola Ed flew from four to post a sizzling 4.19 sectional.

It was little more than a solo trial thereafter, although Green Brigade ran a huge race in second to keep the winner distance respectable. The latter actually found traffic on the opening bend but recovered well before staying on strongly.

Of course, he was never going to get to the pace-setter but he did enter the notebook. Hopes Teddy eventually ran out a brilliant three and a half length scorer in 28.80. Green Brigade was a superb second with Greenmount Bale another ten and a half lengths adrift in third.

WILDCAT IMPRESSES

Moanteen Wildcat certainly set the tone in the opening heat, emerging a superb winner in a fast 28.91 for Rachel Wheeler. A well bred son of Dorotas Wildcat and Seaglass Shadow, he was prominent into the corner just behind Toolmaker Note but it was Broadstrand Syd that shot around to lead the field into the back straight.

Moanteen Wildcat was to prove too close in second, however. Closing on the leader into the third turn, he made his move before the final bend.  

Once doing so, the September ’22 whelp eased on to eventually see off the favourite Broadstrand Syd by three lengths. Hogan Stand was best of the remainder in third another two and a half lengths away.

NEKO MAKES A FINE START TO HIS CAREER

Neko Harbour was the 6-4 favourite to make a winning debut in Heat 2 and despite, taking a bump on the opening bend, he emerged a facile scorer in a race that was shaped by opening bend traffic.

As a son of Droopys Sydney and former Oaks and Derby winner Susie Sapphire, great things would be expected from Neko Harbour and once his opportunity arose, he quickly put his rivals to the sword.

Harry Houdini displayed fine pace on the outside of the track to hold a narrow lead into the turn but he failed to clear Goo Rory and Neko Harbour on the bend and found further traffic on the second turn.

Instead, Neko Harbour made the most of a draw on the inside of his two rivals into the turn to assume control. Representing the Susie Sapphire team of Owen McKenna for Peter Comerford, Neko Harbour went on to win by ten and a half lengths in 29.07. Good Rory emerged from the pack to take second with Lemon Mick four lengths further adrift in third.

RACER WELL NAMED

Born Racer looked exactly that in Heat 3 as he shot up the fence to lad from the opening corner for a comfortable success. Serene Warrior flew up the middle of the track to hold a narrow advantage on the bend but Born Racer stuck to the fence to move on.

John Mitchell’s son of Ballymac Anton and Whitings Gift, who is trained by his dual Derby winning wife Jennifer O’Donnell, quickly moved on down the back straight and coasted home two lengths to the good over the eye-catching Serene Warrior in 29.07. Lion Heart was just a length further adrift in third.

THELAD IS TOO STRONG

Liam Dowling has another very talented youngster in the form of Ballymac Thelad, who ran out a tremendous winner of Heat 5 despite giving many of his rivals a head start. Off the pace into the turn after a slow start, the son of Ballymac Cashout and Ballymac Cams displayed good track craft to sit just behind the pace in third into the back straight.

Beaming Opium and Droopys Fluff led the field at this stage but neither could contain Ballymac Thelad into the third turn. Showing impressive pace, Ballymac Thelad flew up the fence to take charge. Ballyhooly Bruno made a similar move to go second but he could never get back on terms with the new leader.

Ballymac Thelad powered home to win by two lengths in 29.09, but it would be mighty interesting to see how fast h would have gone if starting on terms. Ballyhooly Bruno was second with Beaming Opium another two lengths adrift in third.

SAM ENTERS THE NOTEBOOK

Ardera Sam may have been the slowest of the heat winners but there was so much to like about the way he overcame traffic on more than one occasion to lead late in the penultimate heat of the round. 

Trained by Graham Holland for the Telly Tubby Syndicate, the son of Head Bound and Fork Lightning went up strongly but was hampered on the opening turn, forced to check at the second and third turns before coming between the pace-setting duo of Bit View Bobby and Marginforerror on the run in.

It was a great display of resilience and pace as he came home a length and a half to the good in 29.43. Marginforerror was second with Sawdust Tiger finishing fast to sit just a short head away in third.

SECOND ROUND DRAW

The draw for the second round of the Champion Open Unraced can be found here: https://www.grireland.ie/racing/upcoming-race-cards/upcoming-race-card-summary/?track=KKY&id=108790&date=10-May-2024