LADIES LIGHT UP SHELBOURNE PARK

Ian Fortune

The semi-finals of the RPGTV Puppy Oaks were always likely to provide three superb winners at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night and they duly delivered but there was also a display of some note from another flying female as Illnotbeback posted a stunning fastest of the night 28.07 later on the undercard.

Of the Puppy Oaks heat winners, Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Run went fastest, justifying her starting price of 2-5 in the opening heat. Going to the front early, the daughter of Bull Run Bolt and Jaytee Pearl ran right away to emerge a facile five length winner over Succession in 28.11.

CANON HAS TOO MUCH AMMUNITION

Soon after, Mark Lowther’s Juvenile Derby third Three Canons also justified odds-on favouritism as she emerged a comfortable winner of the second heat.

Once leading the field into the turn, there was never any doubt about the result.

The Pat Norris trained daughter of Droopys Sydney and Coolavanny Spice piled on the pressure throughout to eventually score in 28.15. Undisputed also ran a massive race in defeat to be beaten just three lengths.

STYLISH SHELBOURNE DEBUT

Up In Style also justified her position at the head of the market in the final heat, although she could be backed at even money at the off.

The hugely exciting daughter of Pestana and Unlock Unlock was making her Shelbourne Park debut but she looked right at home.

As with the two previous heat winners, the Robert Gleeson trained star dictated from the outset to come home two lengths to the good over the big finishing Ballymac Drama in 28.23.

RPGTV Puppy Oaks

Final

1 BALLYMAC RUN

2 BALLYMAC DRAMA

3 UNDISPUTED

4 UP IN STYLE (W)

5 THREE CANONS (W)

6 SUCCESSION (W)

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BRILLIANT BACK GOES RAPID

The aforementioned Illnotbeback, owned by Sean Adams, was one of the undoubted stars on the card as she ran out a brilliant winner of the red-hot tenth race.

The Paul Hennessy trained starlet bolted to the front in the early yards after a 2.03 sectional and eased right away to score by four lengths from Kilgraney Sydney in 28.07. 

VIC A REAL PROSPECT

It wasn’t Paul Hennessy’s only good winner on the card as he also sent out his exciting youngster Boylesports Vic to post 28.27 in the semi-finals of a mini-open 525.

The hugely fast Lochranza held a narrow lead to the turn and seemed set to deliver but John Boyle’s Boylesports Vic put in a real statement display, bettering his more experienced rival down the back straight before racing clear for a wonderfully exciting five length verdict in 28.27.

DREAM RUN FROM SUNSINE OVER SIX BENDS

It was great to see a Novice 750 on the card and not the first time, Brendan Maunsell has a potentially very useful stayer on his hands with Sunshine Dream emerging a good winner in a fast 41.69.

Owned by Brid Maunsell, the son of Droopys Jet and Fire Height Brid was sharpest in the early yards and he quickly moved to the front before making every inch. Cu Mochua was always second and ran a fine race in defeat but Sunshine Dream emerged a length and a half scorer in 41.69.