WONDERFUL ACTION AT SHLEBOURNE AS KAI DELIVERS
Ian Fortune
Unanimous Kai may have been a 5-1 chance but he really delivered in some style in the final of the valuable Talking Dogs Open Unraced at Shelbourne Park on Friday night, striking the front on the corner before racing to a facile success in the €3,000 to the winner decider.
It was actually his kennel companion Superfast Gorden that was the warm favourite but there was crowding on the inside of the track, which effectively ended the chances of Good Hope, Carlow Town, Coss Tokyo and the favourite.
Instead, the Pat Buckley trained Unanimous Kai got loose into the turn and increased his lead to halfway. Stefans Thunder turned second but could never land a blow. Coss Tokyo finished with areal flourish to grab second but there was no stopping the rampant Unanimous Kai.
Ciaran O’Sullivan’s son of Droopys Sydney and Swift Magnetic hit the line seven and a half lengths clear in 28.37. The winner is clearly very useful and it will be interesting to view his progress in the coming months.
VIEW A GOOD WINNER
Colm Morris had a fine winner in the final of the €2,300 Upcoming Events A3 with Bregawn View leading early to emerge a good winner.
The son of Ballymac Best and Roseville Liz had different speed to his rival in the early exchanges and shot clear into the turn.
Once doing so, it was all one-way traffic. Bregawn View emerged a ready two length winner over Homegrown Sydney in 28.80.
GORGORITO USES DRAW
Gorgorito certainly made the most of the draw in the final of the €1,750 Book Your Christmas Party A2 575.
There was quite a battle for the early lead with Daring Bentley on the inside of both Rockmount Zac and Mustang Frankie.
When the first named edged off at the turn, Gorgorito, who was sitting close to the fence, took over. Trained by Willie Connolly for Javier Jarne, the son of Ballymac Cashout and Ballymac Minton went on to make every inch thereafter. At the line the November ’21 whelp had two lengths in hand on Gracebridge Jet in 31.45.
FERNANDES SETS GOLD STANDARD
Tommys Hewick and Fernandes were the two star turns in the opening round of the Gold Collar with both emerging facile winners in fast times.
Fernandes actually went the faster, getting loose early to win Heat 3 in a very impressive 29.47.
Owned jointly by Gert Du-Plessis and his trained Brendan Matthews, the son of Droopys Sydney and Follys View charged to the front before the turn and raced right away to the third turn. It was all very straightforward for Fernandes as he emerged a seven length winner over Blue Rumble.
HEWICK GALLOPS CLEAR
Tommys Hewick stood out as the one to beat in the opening heat and he won in very similar fashion to Fernandes, showing fine speed on the outside of the track to dominate from the opening exchanges.
Trained by Michael Donnelly for the Horse That Bought The Dog Syndicate, the son of Jaytee Jet and Me Penny pulled further and further clear to eventually see off Lough Sultan by eight lengths in 29.69.
CREED GETS LOOSE ON SHELBOURNE DEBUT
Cluain Creed made a successful Shelbourne Park debut in Heat 2, making virtually all for Daniel and Tom Cronin.
He may have edged off from trap two, taking a small bump in the process but he turned in front and was never under serious pressure once doing so. The son of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Creed went on to beat Tactical Take by a length and a half in 30.01.
JULIA STEPS IT UP
In contrast to the other heat winners, the Shaun Conway trained Stepitoutjulia had to work considerably harder to win the final heat.
Last into the turn, she was left third after crowding but was still a long way behind the pace-setting Unbeatable.
However, the complexion of the race began to change as they turned for home. Here the wide-running leader seemed to be cramping up and both Ravens Jet and Stepitoutjulia began to close rapidly.
Ravens Jet may have hit the front briefly but Stepitoutjulia was moving with purpose and the Julies Rythem Syndicate owned daughter of Grangeview Ten and Coonough Dolly took the verdict by a length in 30.10.