COCO AND HARVEY LAND MUNSTER JUVENILE CUP SEMIS

Peter Farrell

The semi finals of the Riverside Stud Munster Juvenile Cup took place at Clonmel Greyhound Stadium last night and they both went pretty much to script with Annual Coco and Faypoint Harvey landing their respective semis.

After producing that spectacular 28.18 .10s in last weekend’s quarter finals, Annual Coco came into the second semi final facing his toughest test to date with the unbeaten Faypoint Sean amongst his rivals. The latter was six from six heading into the contest but he was to have no answers to Shane O’Gorman’s charge as he made it back-to-back wins and indeed, seal a one-two-three for Golden trainer, Graham Holland. After a far from fluent break from trap three, Annual Coco was made to work hard early doors as Callawaysawgrass led from trap one. However, Annual Coco showed fine early dash from his middle berth and he rounded the opener in control from Faypoint Sean, who done extremely well to avoid early traffic. Two lengths adrift down the back, ‘Sean’ had no answers to Annual Coco as he galloped into the penultimate turn to post a 16.21 sectional. Showing fine stamina thereafter, the son of Droopys Sydney and Allowdale Coco drew clear in the closing stages to seal a four length victory over Faypoint Sean in second. Newinn Deejay stayed on well to book his spot in the final back in third, as the clock returned a fast 28.55 .10s.

HARVEY ROMPS HOME

In the opening semi final, Faypoint Harvey justified his even money favouritism to ensure that Patricia Flanagan heads into the decider with double representation.

With only one defeat to his name, Faypoint Harvey also looks the real deal and he wasn’t hanging around in the opening semi as he made every yard to post the quickest of the two semis on offer. Running from trap one, Holland’s charge was swiftly into stride wearing the red and he showed big speed on the run-up to bundle Slaneyside Nike aside. Taking a three length lead into the back, the son of Droopys Sydney and Roaming Shari began to turn the screw at the midway point as he drew clear of De Black Swallow, posting a rapid 16.03 sectional in the process. Staying on powerfully, Faypoint Harvey was ultra-impressive in extending the winning margin to six lengths from De Black Swallow in second. The final qualifying position went to Honey Bunny as the clock returned a blistering 28.41 .10s. 

The draw for the final of the Riverside Stud Munster Juvenile Cup was made shortly after and is as follows –

T1 – ANNNAL COCO

T2 – DE BLACK SWALLOW

T3 – HONEY BUNNY

T4 – FAYPOINT HARVEY

T5 – NEWINN DEEJAY

T6 – FAYPOINT SEAN

DEAD-HEAT DRAMA IN SPRINGMOUNT KENNELS UNRACED

Elsewhere on the card there were two sweepstake finals up for grabs with the Springmount Kennels ON3 the first to be decided and this resulted in a dead-heat as Paraic Campion’s two runners, Second Visit and Road Queen, could not be separated.

Owned by Marie Campion, it was Real Queen (Burgess Bucks – Road Queen) who made virtually every yard in this contest from trap two and it looked like the 3/1 chance was on route to claiming the pot. However, kennel companion Second Visit (Ballymac Best – Miss July) wasn’t to be denied as she finished with real purpose to cross the line in tandem. Nothing to separate the pair, the time was 29.64 .10s.

CARLOW MAKES-ALL

Shortly after, the final of the Please Kennels ON2 525 also went down for decision and the €1,100 prize went the way of Carlow County.

A 2/1 chance at the off, John Lambert’s tracker came into the event with two wins from as many starts and he maintained that unbeaten record with a make-all performance off the front. Running from trap five, the Owen McKenna-trained black broke with purpose and he showed the superior early dash to round clear of Lilac Tree in second. Posting a rapid 16.13 to the third turn, the son of Laughil Blake came back to the field in the closing stages but just about held enough in reserve to see off Lilac Tree in second. The time was 29.01 .10s.