KITTEN AND POPPY TAKE SHELBOURNE PRIZES

Ian Fortune

Town Kitten and Poppy Cool both produced fine performances to claim the two feature races at Shelbourne Park on Friday night.

The final of the www.irgt.ie A2 was the most valuable prize on offer on the night and Sean Dooley’s Town Kitten produced a near-career best effort to land the €2,500 prize.

Fastest into stride from the inside box, she couldn’t contain Hotshot Toby into the bend but was always close enough in second to mount a decisive challenge. Showing far too much strength for her rival from halfway, the daughter of Dorotas Wildcat and Town Mouse came through around the last two bends to assert before pulling right away to beat Ballyhoe Merl by four lengths in 28.36. 

A COOL RUN FROM POPPY

Things were even more straightforward for Poppy Cool in the final of the Christmas Party Packages A1 NB 525.

After an impressive semi-final success, the daughter of King Sheeran and Coolavanny Poppy justified favouritism with a trap-to-line display.

Trained by Peter Cronin for Aidan Comerford, Poppy Cool was in charge from the opening strides and pulled right away to eventually see off Omey Fog by five lengths in 28.58.

MELODY PLAYS A SWEET TUNE

On the night there were many fine displays but none went faster than Orlas Melody in the opening contest.

The Graham Holland trained daughter of Newinn Taylor and Bockos Melody was electric, making every inch for owner, John Stack. The October whelp went on to beat A Charda by three and a half lengths in 28.12 on a track that was rated .20 fast.