GEM SHINES BRIGHTEST IN LIMERICK OAK OPENER

Peter Farrell

The first round heats of the €9,000 to the winner Clonbrien Treaty Limerick Oaks got underway on Saturday night and the night belonged to Rinnwood Gem as she set an incredibly high bar in the event by posting a majestic 28.25.

Kindly sponsored by the Murphy Family, this event was always going to attract a fine entry given the attractive prizemoney on offer and the sponsors would have been delighted to see the standard of first round performance on offer. On the night, it was Des Flaherty’s Rinnwood Gem that stole the show as she reproduced her best form to scorch around the Dock Road circuit to run out a dominant winner. Indeed, this lady has some brilliant form around Galway and once breaking in front from on, coupled with a poor start by Sunset Shannon in two, she was always going to take some pegging back. Pacing up impressively on the inside, ‘Gem’ was followed into the back by Fast Fit Pennie, however, the daughter of Pestana and Rinnwood Pearl quickly increased her lead to sit in a comfortable position at the halfway point. In doing so, this enabled Flaherty’s charge to draw clear around the bottom two bends, before pressing home her advantage to win by an extending six lengths crossing the line. A thoroughly excellent performance from the 5/2 chance, it was Fast Fit Pennie that came home in second, while the clock returned a sizzling 28.25 .10f.

HEAT WATCH

In the opening heat of the night, the Paul Hennessy-trained Barefoot On Song (Grangeview Ten - Jaytee Osprey) put it all together on her Limerick debut to score for a fifth career time for Bryan and Kathleen Murphy. Drawn in one, the fawn broke well but it was Mohane Roxy that showed all the early gears to lead in trap two. However, Barefoot On Song was hot on the heels of the leader entering the back straight and soon hit the front passing the 750-yard box to now take control. In doing so, the 6/4 favourite showed brilliant stamina qualities in quickly assembling a four and a half length advantage to cross the line ahead of Tyrap Magic in second. The time was 28.64 .10f.

Castleivy Ginge has started 2025 in smart form and she sealed a second win of the year in heat two for trainer Karol Ramsbottom. Jointly owned by Michael and Noel Nash, the 3/1 chance was perfectly housed in red and she broke well to dispute with Beaming Rebel early on. ‘Ginge’ held her inside line brilliantly at the opener to nudge her rival aside and proceeded to outpace Beaming Rebel on the approach to the penultimate turn. Indeed, this was the decisive factor as the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Pennys Baccata then stayed on stoutly up the hill to see off Beaming Rebel by three lengths in 28.56 .10f.

Heat three saw Daleroad Mya get back to her very best for Thomas O’Keeffe as she won at her leisure from trap two. Trained by the formidable Patrick Guilfoyle, the 3/1 chance was on the ball from the outset as she bolted from blue and this enabled her to take a commanding lead entering the back straight. At this point, Malibu Chic made her move to show eye-catching speed and improve into second, however, ‘Mya’ was still some three lengths clear rounding the bottom two bends. Showing no signs of any let up in pursuit of the winning line, the daughter of Explosive Boy and Razldazl Mya sauntered to four length victory over Malibu Chic, in a time of 28.47 .10f.

Liam Carr’s Summerfield Air (3/1) made a winning start to 2025 in heat four as she produced a masterclass in front-running to make it four career wins. Indeed, the daughter of Ballymac Best and Airfield Biddy absolutely flew from trap four and this allowed her to amass a big lead entering the back straight. Setting a blistering gallop down the back, Canya Mags set off in chase and although she ate into an eight length advantage in flying home in second, the damage was done early by Summerfield Air as she crossed the line with two and a half lengths in hand. The time was 28.42 .10f.

The final heat of the night saw Kilcolgan Whitney (Droopys Sydney - Razldazl Annie) finally get off the mark for Karen Geoghegan and Neilus O’Connell. Incredibly, given her grade, this lady was still a maiden coming into the contest after twenty-eight starts, however, she finally got to the front in time to seal the concluding heat on the night. Running from trap one, the 6/4 chance broke well but was tapped from some early pace and was forced to settle for third entering the back. However, there was a certain inevitably surrounding the result as she quickly excelled into second and Cooneen Mazl looked like a sitting duck up front as a result. Storming alongside the leader rounding the bottom two bends, ‘Whitney’ hit the front on the run for home and she pressed home her stamina abilities to win by one length in 28.75 .10f.

*****

BRILLIANCE FROM BLAKE

In other races, there was one outstanding performance on the card and that came in the concluding contest as Grouchos Blake produced a career best win for Shane and Luke O’Connell.

A winner of his last start in 28.67, Grouchos Blake was installed as a 3/1 chance to make it back-to-back wins and he made business from the off with a ping break from four to lead. In doing so, the heavyweight son of Magical Bale and Clondoty Amy was allowed to run to a virtual solo as he set a sensational gallop that his rivals had no answer to. Entering the home straight with six lengths in hand, ‘Blake’ powered up the hill to cross the line and recorded a terrific 28.17 .10f.