INCREDIBLE JUVENILE ACTION AT SHELBOURNE PARK

Ian Fortune

The final of the 2023 Time Greyhound Nutrition Juvenile Derby promises to b an incredible contest after two wonderful semi-finals at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night.

While Ireland’s rugby heroes were beating South Africa in Paris, some of the future heavyweights of Irish greyhound racing were taking the headlines at the home of greyhound racing as both Droopys Flytline and Highview Splash emerged brilliant winners of their respective heats.

MORE TSUNAMI THAN SPLASH FROM SPLASH

Ballinakil Alf was understandably a hot favourite for the opening heat but a combination of factors saw him suffer defeat, with the brilliance of Highview Splash one of them.

It was clear ahead of the off that Highview Splash needed to be at his sharpest in the opening yards.

Gerry Merriman’s charge had clearly understood the brief as he flew from trap two to lead the field at trap rise. Predictably, Ballinakil Alf displayed huge acceleration to take over into the turn but, as he made his way across from trap five to the fence, he took a small bump from Highview Splash on the corner. 

It wasn’t a big bump but enough to cost him valuable momentum. It meant that turning into the back straight, Highview Splash was right on the heels of the pace-setter with Droopys Zelda just another length back in third.

The race was now on. Highview Splash, who posted a sizzling 27.97 in the second round, was just too close, however. Showing real pace to the third turn, he took over before halfway to put the result beyond any doubt.  

The son of Pat C Sabbath and Highview Abbey eased on to lead by two lengths on the third turn. Droopys Zelda arrived with a rush to move second on the fence but was never going to get to the new leader.

That was the order in which they were to remain. Highview Splash ran on well to hit the line four and half lengths to the good in a stunning 28.04. Droopys Zelda continued her rapid rise up the ranks in second with Ballinakil Alf finishing three lengths further ack in third. 

FLYLINE SOARS TO HIGHLIGHT HIS BRILLIANCE

Not to be outdone, Droopys Flytline went even faster in the second heat, showing all his brilliance to dip under the 28 second barrier.

Short Grip made a flying start from the inside and moved to the middle of the track where she met her litter brother Grouchos Duke but the pair were headed on the turn by Droopys Flytline.

The even money favourite hadn’t taken a flier but displayed exceptional early speed to race upsides and drive past his rivals on the bend. It was a manoeuvre that would remind you of his Derby winning sire Laughil Blake.

Once going to the front, it was a case of how fast would he go. And the answer was; very. Maintaining a relentless gallop to the line, he saw off the persistent and obviously brilliant Short Grip. Grouchos Duke was actually clipped from behind on the third turn when sitting third, losing all chance of qualifying.

Instead, Unmatched, who had actually clipped his heels, moved third and qualified but there was nothing to match Droopys Flytline. Trained by Robert Gleeson for Michael Dunphy and Alice Guiney, the son of Laughil Blake and Droopys Curio hit the line three lengths to the good in a sensational 27.96. Short Grip ran her heart out in second with Unmatched another four lengths adrift.

TIME Greyhound Nutrition Juvenile Derby

Final draw

1 SHORT GRIP

2 BALLINAKIL ALF

3 DROOPYS ZELDA

4 UNMATCHED

5 HIGHVIEW SPLASH

6 DROOPYS FLYTLINE

**********

A STUNNING MODEL

For the second week running, Fashion Model came from out of the clouds to pick up Lincoln Legacy, this time in the final of the valuable Mustang Jet @ Stud Open Unraced Bitch 525. Lincoln legacy couldn’t have done much more.

Taking a flier from trap three, she quickly built a sizeable advantage over Mustang Frankie and Scooby Countess but Fashion Mode

(Pic right) Conor Matthews Racing Support Officer Shelbourne Park presents the trophy to Sean and Stephen Burke after Fashion Model won the final of Mustang Jet @ Stud ON1 Bitch 525.      Pic: Imelda Grauer

l turned a little closer than in her remarkable semi-final success in fourth.

Passing halfway, Lincoln Legacy had six lengths in hand on the chasing Mustang Frankie with Scooby Countess and Fashion Moel almost two lengths further back but the last named was now starting to move through the gears.

She may have been almost eight lengths back but it was clear the daughter of Good News and Coolavanny Chick was a serious threat to the pace-setter. Staying close to the fence at the third turn, Fashion Moel moved second for Paul Horig and Stephen Bourke between the last two bends.

Now just over our lengths back, she was really motoring and it came as no surprise that she continued to close the gap up the straight. In a tremendous finish, Fashion Model threw herself to the front in the closing inches.

Despite giving the hugely talented and very exciting Lincoln Legacy a length head start, Fashion Model arrived late and fast to land the €5,000 prize by a head in 28.45. Scooby Countess was another two and a half lengths adrift in third. The front three are clearly talented but, as we said last week, the winner truly is exceptional. 

SHAUN’S DOUBLE STARTS WITH LOTTO

Shaun Conway has his string purring at present and he recorded a superb double, which on another night could easily have been a treble.

Lotto Six One, owned by the Lotto Express Syndicate, got the ball rolling in the fourth race when dominating over 575yds.

The son of Good News and Shes Made It relished the longer run to the bend, getting first run on his rivals. Typical Bono pressed hard for much of the way but ultimately couldn’t get to the leader. Instead, Urban View came through for second but Lotto Six One was too sharp, going on to win impressively by three and a half lengths in a fast 31.00. 

MADE IT COMPLETES CONWAY DOUBLE

An hour and a half later, it was the turn of Hes Made It, a litter brother to Lotto Six One, to complete the Shaun Conway double.

This was a remarkably messy contest with Chelms Skippy running off the opening bend and causing bad traffic between the last two bends.

Longslip Del set a strong pace but he and the advancing Chelms Skippy clipped heels between the last two bends, hampering Hard To Figure in the process. Suddenly, Hes Made It found himself in charge and Richard Nugent and Richard Guiton’s charge held off the rallying Hard To Figure to score by three parts of a length in 29.08.

BIG RUN BY BREDAS

Shaun Conway very nearly had a third winner with Lotto Other News making most of the running in the fifth race only for Bredas Wood to ruin the party.

In fairness to the winner, she would have been an unlucky loser after being forced to check at the third turn when really pressing the pace-setter.

Despite this, Pat Carey’s charge recovered well to power up the home straight. The Matthew Harte trained daughter of Laughil Blake and Leamaneigh Breda got up to beat Lotto Other News by a half-length in a very fast 28.25.

MAESTRO PLAYS THE RIGHT TUNE

Good Maestro certainly lived up to his name in the ninth race as John Kennedy’s talented son of Good News and Mysterious Lola proved far too good for his rivals before emerging a very comfortable winner in a fast 29.47.

Kapuka Warrior displayed superb early dash to assert into the turn but his goose was cooked when Good Maestro turned second. Showing superb back straight pace, Good Maestro hit the front on the third turn before easing right away to win by five lengths from the early pace-setter.

SAWDUST STORMS HOME

Sawdust Storm was a mighty impressive winner of the second race over the 550yd trip for Murt Leahy and the Chisel Syndicate.

This was a display easily described. The daughter of Dorotas Wildcat and Droopys Zero broke fastest and never gave her rivals a chance. Pulling into a decisive advantage to halfway, she continued to race right to the line to see off the staying on Dromana Jen by a length and a half in a fast 29.55.

ITS SHOWTIME

Deadly Showtime had been desperately unlucky in his previous start at Shelbourne Park but he immediately atoned for that defeat in the sixth race over the 550yd trip.

Trained by Karol Ramsbottom for the Blue Light Syndicate, the son of Droopys Sydney and Ruby Valley got to the front early and that was enough.

Feelsawumble stayed on well to grab second but was never a threat to Deadly Showtime, who emerged a comfortable two length scorer in 30.03.

ROMEO WINS FINALE

Romeo Atomic and Resurgan had a good battle in the finale over the standard trip with the former winning the argument for David Firmager and Graham Holland.

The duo were to the fore throughout but Romeo Atomic (Romeo Recruit/ Fabulous Mila) stayed on that little bit better to run out a length and a half scorer in 28.67.

BRIDGES BLACK TO HER BEST

A flying start was enough to secure victory for Black Bridges in the opener.

Matthew and Barry Caul’s talented daughter of Ballymac Best and Killeen Princess is always difficult to pass once in front and she kept on finding to repel the persistent challenge of Lilywhite Queen by a length in 28.71.