KATIE TAKES HEADLINES IN DUBLIN
Ian Fortune
Good Katie continued her rise up the ranks with an impressive, albeit narrow, success in the final of the Ballymac Patriot @ Stud ON1 Bitch 525 on Saturday night at Shelbourne Park.
The opening round of the Yvonne Barry Track Bookmakers Open 600 also provided some brilliant racing but Good Katie took the headlines.
KATIE JUSTIFIES SHORT ODDS IN STYLE
A 4-6 favourite for the €4,000 to the winner decider, John Kennedy Jnr’s hugely promising daughter of Dromana Bucko and Hugh Dream came away racing to challenge for the early lead alongside the stripes runner Gealltanas Grace.
Good Katie moved on at the opening bend and seemed certain to emerge a facile winner once doing so but Ballymac Gwennie had other ideas. Showing big pace to move second round the last two bends, she would close on the pace-setter into the home straight.
In a desperate finish, Good Katie dug deep to contain her rival by a head in 28.37. Ballymac Gwennie ran a huge race in defeat and both the winner and second seem certain to have a bright future. Gealltanas Grace finished two and a half lengths further adrift and is also capable of turning into a top class performer.
JOE SETS A VERY STRONG STANDARD
There was a welcome return to form for Ballinabola Joe in the opening round of the Yvonne Barry Track Bookmakers Open 600 as the flying fawn set the standard with a tremendous front-running effort in Heat 2.
Representing Pat Buckley and the Murphy Ballinabola Syndicate, the brilliantly fast son of Ballyhimikin Jet and Ballinabola Ruby broke smartly and was soon on complete command. Showing fine early dash, he moved on from the pursuing Danzig Rebel and never gave those in behind even the slightest sniff of a chance.
Boylesports Blu did run on strongly to grab second but Ballinabola Joe was flawless as he ran out a very comfortable five length scorer in a rapid 32.08. Mydras Opinion ran on to take third.
TORO CUTS A REAL DASH
Dashing Toro has always been a hugely fast tracker but his display in the opening heat was amongst the best of his career.
Magical Major was a warm favourite but carried zero luck after a very slow start. In contrast, Dashing Toro was close to paw-perfect for Deirdre Barry and the Twice A Day Everyday Syndicate.
The powerful Dashing Toro was at his sharpest in the opening yards, quickly getting the better of Lennies Madge and De Lahdedah into the bend. There was traffic behind the pace-setter at this point, allowing Dashing Toro to skip clear. Coosane Pickles ran on to take second but Dashing Toro was never under pressure as he emerged five lengths to the good in 32.14. De Lahdedah was a half-length away in third.
WHAT A SHOW FROM BORNA
Borna Show may have been of the pace for much of the way in Heat 3 but the son of Black Parachute and Borna Aoife finished at speed to emerge a tremendous winner for the Borna Syndicate.
Karacreek Ranch got loose at the head of affairs and dictate for much of the way but the strength of Borna Show was quite remarkable.
Cutting through the pack in the closing stages, he flew up to get his nose to the front as they approached the line. He eventually took the verdict by a half length in a useful 32.35. Karacreek Ranch ran a big race in second with Ballinabola Jim two lengths further back in third.
MAC A REAL POWERHOUSE
Rallying Mac won the final heat in similar style to Borna Show, charging home to take control in the final strides.
Last to the opening turn, the Neilus O’Connell trained powerhouse was still lengths off the pace in fifth at the third turn.
Lookandlep and Ballymac Tibet were having a buckle up front with the former leading to the third before being headed by Ballymac Tibet. Lookandlep worked his way back to the front on the run in as Ballymac Tibet swung off the final turn but Rallying Mac was now in full stride and closing fast behind the leaders.
Staying on the wide outside, Dan Flynn’s son of Here Comes Syd and Airfield Biddy got up under the shadow of the winning post to win by a half-length from Lookandlep. Ballyhooly Bruno also stayed on well to take third, just three parts of a length further adrift.
The draw for the semi-finals of the Yvonne Barry Track Bookmaker Open 600 can be found in upcoming cards at the link: https://www.grireland.ie/racing/upcoming-race-cards/upcoming-race-card-summary/?track=SPK&id=113072&date=18-Oct-2025