BALLYCOWEN FRANK DOMINATES TO COMPLETE KENNEDY CUP CLEAN SWEEP

Peter Farrell

Ballycowen Frank has been the standout performer of the €3,000-to-the-winner Gammell Car Sales Kennedy Cup A3 525 and he completed a stunning clean sweep in last night’s final with another powerhouse display.

Trained by Dean Harpur for owner Debbie Doyle, the January 2024 whelp came into the competition with just two career starts, a luckless debut at Curaheen Park followed by an impressive victory over the sprint trip. But it’s since stepping up to the four-bend distance that Ballycowen Frank has truly come into his own, developing rapidly into a greyhound of real class over the past three weeks.

After clocking 28.48 in his opening round and 28.35 in the semi-finals, the son of Ballymac Cashout and Peckies Flyer was to produce his best performance when it mattered most.

Drawn in trap five, a berth that looked less than ideal, Ballycowen Frank broke only moderately but displayed blistering early pace to tuck in just behind Starson Sixo and Da Ganger on the run to the bend. Entering the back straight, Starson Sixo held the advantage but that changed in an instant as Ballycowen Frank unleashed his trademark back-straight surge to breeze past his rival and seize control on the approach to the penultimate bend. From there, he powered into a three length lead around the bottom two bends and extended his lead to six lengths thereafter as ‘Frank’ went into overdrive in the closing stages of the contest. Bright Morgan ran on well for second, but there was no denying the even-money favourite, who stopped the clock in a sizzling 28.30. A word of thanks goes to Gammell Car Sales for their generous sponsorship of the Kennedy Cup and they were rewarded with a truly outstanding winner in the brilliant Ballycowen Frank.

ELECTRIC FROM ELLA IN GUILFOYLE DOUBLE

While Patrick Guilfoyle had made the long journey to Lifford to contest the opening round heats of the BOYLE Sports Lifford Oaks, he was also represented in Limerick and won the concluding two races in spectacular fashion.

The first to pass the post in front was Scarlet Ella, who took off for connections to emerge a wide-margin winner. Sent to traps as the 4/5 favourite, ‘Ella’ was incredibly without a win since June, however, she meant business from the outset as she raced up the inside from trap one to lead. In doing so, the daughter of Ballymac Cashout - Burgess Sarah, owned by Thomas Ryan and Alice Guilfoyle, opened up a four length lead, before stepping on the gas to cross the line with eight clear of Mohane Roxy in second. The time was 28.21, which was the fastest of the night.

The double was complete in the last race on the card as Magical Hope (Dorotas Wildcat - Magical Poppy) also won in comfortable style for Donal and Pat Guilfoyle. Returning from a four-week break, ‘Hope’ was available at 2/1 in the market and broke well from four to follow Asiam Ten into the bend. The complexion of the race quickly changed entering the back as Guilfoyle’s brindle ran a brilliant bend to take control and it was lights out as a contest thereafter. Running out a seven and a half length winner over Asiam Ten in second, the time was 28.40 and that sealed a very nice double on the night for the formidable ‘Magical’ kennels.