REAL DRAMA IN DERBY AS SANDWICHES AND SILENT IMPRESS
Ian Fortune
There was a bit of everything at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night as the BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby field was reduced to six but not before two eventful semi-finals, both of which were won in brilliant fashion.
Cheap Sandwiches and Glengar Silent couldn’t have been any more impressive but the real drama came behind, particularly in the opening heat as the stewards were forced into action.
SANDWICHES SIMPLY STUNNING
Cheap Sandwiches was sent to traps the 1-2 favourite and it was quickly evident that his price was on the generous side as he produced his fastest run of the Derby and perhaps the greatest display of his illustrious career.
Posting a 3.38 sectional, he would quickly drive clear of the fast starting Barefoot On Song. Singalong Curly was also fast into stride but failed to hold his position into the bend and found traffic along with Ballymac Stud.
Instead, Barefoot On Song turned second with Proper Heiress somehow driving his way into third. Importantly, Oreo Ollie would turn fourth. Up front, Cheap Sandwiches was relentless. The wonderful son of Burgess Bucks and Hearthill Josie entered the back straight with eight lengths in hand. By halfway it was ten lengths and still he ran with purpose.
Barefoot On Song and Proper Heiress continued to give chase in the qualifying positions but that was to change. Cheap Sandwiches would stride out majestically to earn his place in the final, hitting the line twelve and a half lengths clear in a sizzling 29.14.
For his lucky owners, the Bark Wahlberg Syndicate, the Derby dream remains alive, while Graham Holland is on the cusp of history as he seeks a record fifth Derby title.
The battle for the remaining qualifying places continued behind the brilliant winner, however. Barefoot On Song and Proper Heiress continued to race in second and third around the third corner but now Oreo Ollie was running on strongly.
He shot past Proper Heiress to go third as they turned for home and started to close on Barefoot On Song. Swerving towards his rival, he was right on the shoulder of Barefoot On Song twenty yards from home and then came the unthinkable.
Oreo Ollie made an aggressive action towards the bitch in the final ten strides. The photo finish also told a story with his head pointing in her direction. There was just a short head between the duo with Oreo Ollie finishing second but the stewards were forced to take action and he was disqualified for fighting. It meant that UK challenger Proper Heiress, who finished a further three and a half lengths adrift in fourth, would progress to the final.
SILENT ROARS TO A BRILLIANT SUCCESS
Less than twenty minutes later, Cheap Sandwiches, Barefoot On Song and Proper Heiress would be joined in the final by Glengar Silent, Droopys Deploy and Magical Mag.
Thankfully, there was no intervention required from the stewards on this occasion as Glengar Silent produced a career best to again highlight his incredible ability and promise.
Somewhat predictably, the 5-4 favourite Magical Mag flashed from traps to lead the field into the turn but Glengar Silent, who was having just his tenth career start, found his trapping boots and went up a close second.
Happy Jet was third into the turn but he checked off the turn as Glengar Silent cut across, bumping into Callaway Five. Ballyhooly Bruno went third briefly but Droopys Deploy ran a fine corner to go second as they hit the second turn.
Magical Mag had a length in hand as they hit the back straight but the writing was on the wall with Tom Nolan’s Glengar Silent right on her tail. Showing massive back straight pace, he would power past Magical Mag into the third turn.
Droopys Deploy also closed rapidly into the third turn and stayed on really strongly to take second but Glengar Silent was unrelenting. Powering home, the brilliant Pat Buckley trained son of Droopys Sydney and Singalong Sally would go on to win by two lengths in a rapid 29.26. Droopys Deploy would take second with Magical Mag again running her heart out a further length back in third.
BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby
Final draw
1 PROPER HEIRESS
2 MAGICAL MAG
3 BAREFOOT ON SONG
4 GLENGAR SILENT (M)
5 CHEAP SANDWICHES (W)
6 DROOPYS DEPLOY (W)
******
SCHOLSEY JUSTIFIES FAVOURITISM
Carrick Scholsey was sent off a 4-7 favourite in the opening semi-finals of the Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate and he would comfortably justify his restrictive odds despite being pressed by Grouchos Hoffa throughout.
In fact, the latter held a narrow lead into the bend but stayed to the middle of the track to allow Carrick Scholsey up his inner. After going up fast, Thomas Glynn’s Carrick Scholsey was in the perfect position to strike and he did so off the second turn.
Once going to the front, the Robert Gleeson trained son of Droopys Scolari and Droopys Beaufort was never going to relinquish his lead. Grouchos Hoffa remained second but Carrick Scholsey ran right to the line to eventually win by three lengths in 29.45. Grouchos Hoffa was second with Boylesports Blue running on to take third, just a length further back.
INCREDIBLE FINISH SEES SIOUX GET UP LATE
The second semi-final was a far more competitive affair with an opening bend scrimmage having a huge bearing on the result.
Things were tight into the bend with Southwood Stan and Harlequin Gee Up disputing the lead, just ahead of Magical Major and Sunshine Sioux.
It was all set up or a thrilling contest only for Southwood Stan to forget to turn. Running straight off the bend, he allowed Harlequin Gee Up to skip clear of Sunshine Sioux, while each of the remaining competitors carried less luck.
There were big gaps between the first four into the back straight with Harlequin Gee Up leading by four lengths to the Owen McKenna trained Sunshine Sioux and a similar gap to Ballymac Axel in third. Magical Major was another three lengths adrift.
Incredibly, the same quartet would be covered by just over a length at the line. Sunshine Sioux closed on the leader all the way before getting to the front in the closing yards. Peter Comerford’s son of Droopys Sydney and Susie Sapphire would win by a neck in 29.98. Harlequin Gee Up would finish second with Magical Major coming from a mile back to grab third, just three parts of a length adrift.
Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate
Trap draw
1 SUNSHINE SIOUX
2 MAGICAL MAJOR
3 HARLEQUIN GEE UP
4 BOYLESPORTS BLUE
5 CARRICK SCHOLSEY (M)
6 GROUCHOS HOFFA (W)
******
PICKLES LEAVES IT LATE
Racing ended with Coosane Pickles (Droopys Sydney/ Droopys Charm) making the most of the extra yards over the 600yd trip as she charged up the straight to lead late for Clement Ryan and Michael O’Donovan.
Ballymac Tibet and Westway Rossa had a great buckle up front but Coosane Pickles and Droopys Heiress joined in around the last two bends.
Ballymac Tibet swung wide off the final turn, handing the initiative to his three female rivals. Westway Rossa was in front on the run in, challenged by Droopys Heiress, but Coosane Pickles cam wide and fast to lead late for a half-length verdict in 32.37. Westway Rosa was second.
STRINGER ALWAYS IN CHARGE
The final of the BOYLE Sports, Back Yourself A0 525 was the fourth race on the card and the Paul Matthews trained Stringer made the most of a fast start from the inside box to come home in front. Grouchos Ace and Hazelhill Marty turned closest, but both found traffic, leaving Mydras Opinion a distant second.
Despite closing on Stringer to the line, the race was over before it began. Stringer would emerge a comfortable three length scorer for his owners, the Clarke Cup Syndicate, in 28.38.
MADGE IMPRESSES IN 575YD OPENER
The Paul Hennessy trained Lennies Madge would ultimately run out an easy winner of the opener over 575yds but she did have a large slice of luck at the opening turn when left in front.
Timmys Bucks led the field up but was clipped from behind by Ardera Freya.
Lennies Madge, who was in thuird at the time, swooped. Going to the front as they hit the second turn, Lee Craze’s powerful daughter of Justice Minister and Cherish Me would power clear to eventually win by seven lengths from the staying on Coolavanny Ogie in a rapid 30.91.
PRICELESS TOO HOT TO HANDLE
Paul Hennessy would later complete a fine double with Priceless Romeo coming in as a reserve to win the penultimate race for Bryan and Kathleen Murphy.
Prominent into the turn after a moderate start, he would ride a bump on the corner to go third behind Brunch Pal and Clonnloch Cliste.
The son of Priceless Jet and Priceless Opera was soon on terms, however, and he moved on early in the back straight. It was all one-way traffic thereafter despite the best efforts of Brunch Pal. Priceless Romeo would go on to win by two and a half lengths in 28.45.
JUSTINE ROARS BACK TO TOP FORM
Brockagh Justine came roaring back to her best early year form with a brilliant running effort in the A1 second race.
Representing Maureen Finnegan and Cieran Fitzgerald, the daughtyer of Magical Bale and Killeen Princess flashed from trap four and never saw another rival. She would race clear of the field throughout to eventually win by five lengths from Aussie Reward in a quick 28.36.
RAVEN FLIES
There was a return to winning ways for Bowadis Raven in the third race.
Jamie Mcgee’s daughter of Dorotas Wildcat and Blundel Bridie is noted for her back straight speed and when she turned close to the leader Bluetimer, she always looked a serious threat.
Going past the leader on the third turn, the John McGee trained bitch went on to claim a two-length victory over Bluetimer in 28.41.