VICTORY FASTEST IN NEWBRIDGE DERBY

Ian Fortune

There were some superb runs in the second round of the Friends Of Newbridge A1 Derby on Friday night but the headlines had to go to the aptly named Victory Lane who a strong standard when storming home to win the final heart in a sizzling 29.88.

Next fastest was another powerful tracker, Coonough Paddy as he posted 29.94, while Leeloo and May Bozada took the remaining heats. The fact that there is less than four lengths between the fastest and slowest heat winners once again served to highlight just how competitive the competition is.

LANE ON THE RIGHT ROAD

Victory Lane was fastest, however. That didn’t seem likely for much of the journey as one of the more impressive opening round scorers, Harlequin James, set a strong gallop and looks set to emerge on top.

Ken O’Neill’s Victory Lane certainly had other ideas. The son of Ballymac Anton and Burrow Gold was never far away when turning third and he moved second into the third turn before setting his sights on the leader.

Harlequin James was almost three and a half lengths to the good at this point but Victory Lane finished with real purpose to get up late for a length verdict. Southfield King was best of the remainder in third, some six lengths further adrift.

PADDY SIMPLY TOO POWERFUL

Coonough Paddy won for Barry Clancy and owners Graham Ashe and Shaun Gresham in almost identical fashion. Southfield Duke did the pace-setting duties but Coonough Paddy moved through the gears from the second turn. A long way back at this point, the son of Grangeview Ten and Coonough Dolly began to really move to the third turn.

Going second between the last two bends, he continued to advance to hit the front on the run in for a tremendous two length verdict over Southfield Duke. Lodgefield Mag was another two and a half lengths further back in third.

MORE OF THE SAME FROM BOZADA

It was more of the same from May Bozada as he too came from third to lad in the closing yards. Leviosa went from the front but was icked up late by the strong running May Bozada. The son of Droopys Sydney and Peters Queen struck the frontin the closing yards for Javier Jarne and Dave Bourke to win by a half length in 30.09. Leviosa was second with Lilywhite Bull another three lengths back in third.

LEELOO ARRIVES WITH A FLOURISH

Remarkably, the same report could be used for Leeloo in the opening heat. She too found herself in third spot into the back straight before coming with a withering run in the second half of the contest to win for Nuala Lynch.

The daughter of Droopys Sydney and Mydras Dawn moved second at halfway and began to close the gap on the long-time pace-setter Burgess Bolger with each stride. Coming home with a wet sail, Leeloo

charged to the front on the run in and ran right away to win by three lengths from the early leader in 30.12. Defending champion Prince Lucius progressed in third, a further length back.