BEST AND BRIGHTEST TO DELIVER AT SHELBOURNE IN JUVENILE
Ian Fortune
Ireland’s brightest and sharpest will light up Shelbourne Park this evening as the Time Greyhound Nutrition Juvenile Derby field will be halved for the final time with the two semi-finals the feature of a wonderful card which also includes the final of the Mustang Jet @ Stud Open Unraced Bitch 525.
Both semi-finals of the Juvenile Derby feature sensational early speed with the hot favourite for outright glory, Ballinakil Alf set to take some stopping in the opening heat. Despite making a slightly slower start to normal, he emerged a brilliant quarter final winner for Graham Holland and the Pillar Syndicate.
Showing astounding pace to the third turn, he clocked a sensational 15.73 to the third turn sectional. That is amongst the very fastest since the introduction of the sectional. He went on to stop the clock in 28.10.
He faces a tricky draw in five this evening but his early speed should again carry him to the front before the bend. His only weakness is perhaps his stamina but he may well open a big enough gap to again emerge triumphant.
That’s not to say he is a certainty. Both Deadly Jet and Highview Splash are seen as worthy adversaries. Deadly Jet is a half-brother to former Oaks, Derby and Easter Cup champion Susie Sapphire and seems to be improving with each outing.
Much like his older half-sibling, he has fine early dash also but needs a career best effort to lower the colours of Ballinakil Alf. Instead, Highview Splash is seen as the main threat. A sensational 27.97 winner in the second round, he has the all-round pace to challenge most greyhounds in training.
That includes Ballinakil Alf. Were he to clear Deadly Jet in the early yards, and turn second, supporters of Ballinakil Alf would be in for an uneasy time. Throw in the talented trio of Singalong Dolly, Droopys Zelda and Miami King and this is far from a top-heavy contest.
Miami King ran a fine race in defeat seven days ago and is undoubtedly well housed in the stripes. He could easily make the frame. Singalong Dolly and Droopy Zelda both need to come through the bars but both are improving at a rapid rate and it would be brash to dismiss their claims.
Ballinakil Alf has to be the selection but this mightn’t be as easy as some are expecting. Highview Splash is chosen to emerge as the main threat while the battle for third could go right to the wire.
DROOPYS NEEDS TO TAKE FLYT EARLY
The second heat is no less intriguing.
Were Droopys Flytline drawn a little closer to the fence, the brilliant son of Laughil Blake would be very difficult to contain but a trap six draw is less than ideal for Robert Gleeson’s star.
He needs to hit the ground running with a number of very promising youngsters including Grouchos Duke, Short Grip, Unmatched and Stonepark Syd drawn on his inner.
Grouchos Duke also has superb speed to the turn and comes into the race on the back of a fine success over his litter sister Short Grip. He is a potential pace-setter again and must be respected. Short Grip moved off the fence last week and that could be a problem for Stonepark Syd.
There’s no doubt both Short Grip and Stonepark Syd have the pace to figure but they must avoid bumping in the opening exchanges. Unmatched faces a tough draw in five and needs the fastest start of her career while Highview Treat is facing an uphill task.
Despite the draw, Droopys Flytline is chosen to come home in front. Nothing will come easy and Short Grip, Grouchos Duke and Stonepark Syd are greatly respected also.
MODEL TO STRUT HER STUFF IN MUSTANG JET DECIDER
Only twelve bitches took their chance in the Mustang Jet @ Stud Open Unraced Bitch 525 but as many as four or five of them could go on to be legitimate classic contenders in the future such was the quality on show.
Fashion Model and Cute Intention took the two semi-finals but nothing will come easy for the pair in tonight’s €5,000 final with each of the remaining four open to so much improvement.
There could be a great battle for early supremacy with Cute Intention and Lincoln Legacy expected to go up fast from traps two and three. Matts Lass and Scooby Countess won’t be far away while Mustang Frankie displayed enough in defeat last week to suggest she can step forward but the vote goes with Fashion Model.
An impeccably well-bred daughter of Good News and Coolavanny Chick, she couldn’t have been any more impressive last week, recovering from a slow start to storm through in the latter stages. She displayed awesome back straight pace and real strength. While she may need the gaps to arrive at the right time, it would be no shock if she were to turn closer this evening and it’s conceivable she could go a few lengths faster than her 28.54 debut return.
It's a tremendous contest but Fashion Model can lead home Lincoln Legacy and Cute Intention.