BALLYMAC SETANTA ROMPS TO JOE MANGAN MEMORIAL SUCCESS

Peter Farrell

The final of the Joe Mangan Memorial 525 served as the feature at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night and it went very much to script as Ballymac Setanta capped off an unbeaten run through the event with another flawless performance.

Kindly sponsored by the Mangan Family, this event has produced some fantastic action in recent weeks and the €1,800 to the winner decider produced a worthy winner in the shape of Ballymac Setanta. Indeed, the latest star from the ‘Ballymac’ conveyor belt has been hugely impressive throughout this stake as he made the effortless step-up to four-bend racing. Prior to that, the January puppy contested the Bar One Irish Sprint Cup as a debutant, so confidence has clearly been high from the outset that this greyhound had the potential to be something special.

After two exceptional displays in the earlier rounds, where he amassed a fifteen-length aggregate winning margin over his rivals, Ballymac Setanta was installed as the 4/7 favourite and he quickly got to work with a smart exit from trap four. In doing so, the son of Ballymac Kingdom - Ballymac Art motored up the middle of his rivals to quickly showcase his incredible early speed and lead comfortably. Shooting into a seven-length advantage down the back, the writing was very much on the wall at this point as he stopped the third-bend sectional clock in a swift 16.04. Thereafter, it was a formality for Ballymac Setanta as he maintained his relentless gallop to cross the line with a good nine lengths to spare over Workin From Home in second. The time was a blistering 28.30 and I expect to be hearing much more from this greyhound in the weeks and months to follow.

ROSCOE SETS THE TRI-DISTANCE

Elsewhere on the card, there was a strong supporting act in the form of the opening round heats of the O’Connor Julian Vets Cashel Tri-Distance. Of the heat winners, it was Barefoot Roscoe that set the standard as he sealed a fourth career victory in heat five.

Owned by the Winners-R-Grinners-Syndicate, Barefoot Roscoe (Priceless Jet - Priceless Verona) was widely available at huge odds of 6/1 prior to the off, however, he failed to read the script as he pinged out of trap six to lead. In doing so, he shot clear of his rivals, and it was Bogger Bob that showed the early speed in second to follow the leader into the back. Thereafter, it proved a two-dog affair as the duo served up a thrilling contest, however, ‘Roscoe’ just had enough to hold his rival, by one and a half lengths, in 29.93 (550).

Heat Watch

Heat 1 - Magical Poppet got the ball rolling in heat one as Pat and Donal Guilfoyle’s charge bounced back to winning ways after reaching the final of the Irish Cambridgeshire last weekend. Sent off at 6/4, the daughter of Dorotas Wildcat - Magical Poppy didn’t receive a clear passage early on as she proved the meat in the sandwich at traprise, however, she quickly proved a class apart at the midway point. Slicing through runners passing the sprint boxes, ‘Poppet’ hit the front at the crown of the penultimate bend and stayed on strongly to emerge a two and a half length winner over Tree Top Bear in second. The time was 30.51.

Heat 2 - Another favourite was to oblige in heat two as Toomevara Flash (Malachi - Rifles Flash) justified her 5/4 billing with a make-all performance for the Toomevara-6-Syndicate. A winner of her last two starts prior to this stake, ‘Flash’ did just that at traprise as her orange jacket showed the superior early speed to lead. As a result, she took a slender lead into the back from Itsnotanoption and the duo served up an exciting contest thereafter. Toomevara Flash just getting the better of her rival by a half-length, she stopped the clock in 30.13 to seal a hat-trick of recent wins.

Heat 3 - The Gerry Holian-trained Fleeting Moment (Coolavanny Calvn - Fleeting Angel) arrived with a big reputation after some hot performances around Galway and the 4/6 chance prevailed in heat three, albeit by a slender margin. Allowed the freedom of Limerick on the run-up from trap three, Fleeting Moment shot into the lead entering the back, however, the eye-catcher at this point was Beaming Bronco as he improved into second. With the latter forced to check at the penultimate bend, this allowed Fleeting Moment to again assert and despite coming under pressure late on, he held firm to win by a neck from Beaming Bronco in second. The time was 30.24.

Heat 4 - There was another big-priced winner in heat four as Glengar Gigi (Ballyhimikin Jet - Ballyhimikin Ruby scored for Cormac Doyle. Drawn in one, the 5/1 chance got off to a fine start from her rails berth and she was to just hold Black Cash into the opening bend. It was a ding-dong battle down the back as ‘Gigi’ showed good determination to hold off her rivals and this was called into action in the closing yards as Black Cash made one last push for victory. Holding her rival by a neck, Glengar Gigi stopped the clock in 30.16.

Heat 6 - In the concluding heat, the strong-running Coolanga Flapjax outlined his outright credentials with a powerful finish for Michael Lowry. An eye-catching winner at Thurles last time out, Flapjax looked out with the washing early on after a slow start saw him some seven lengths adrift of early leader, Tiermana Hunter. However, the son of Airmount Nando - Coolanga Lady got to work at the penultimate bend and he duly revved his engine up the home straight to power past Tiermana Hunter. A lot to like about this performance, ‘Flapjax’ was one length better off in a smart 30.02.