KNEGARE HIGHLIGHTS SYDNEY’S LEGACY IN JUVENILE
Ian Fortune
On an evening when it was announced that Droopys Sydney had passed on, it was fitting that one of his fastest ever sons was starring in the second round of the TIME Juvenile Derby at Shelbourne Park on Saturday.
Callaway Knegare was nothing short of sensational as he won his Heat 3 assignment by an ever-increasing seventeen lengths in a stunning 27.98. Cheap Sandwiches, Ballymac Briar and Fun In the Run all impressed to win the remaining heats but the headline had to go to Callaway Knegare.
SPECIAL KNEGARE WINS BY A MILE
It has long been evident that Callaway Knegare was potentially very special but he added another strong to his bow on Saturday. Going up far faster than seven days earlier, he was a close second into the turn behind the fast-starting Tivoli Milo.
What happened at the turn was evidence that he is more than just a massive engine. He also has a real desire and determination to win. Throwing a hefty shoulder that many corner backs would be proud of, the Owen McKenna trained star barged Tivoli Milo out of his way to take charge.
What was to follow was nothing short of remarkable. Yes, a few of his rivals clashed in behind but Callaway Knegare was ruthless. Powering clear to halfway, he continued to pile on the pressure from the third turn. Pulling further and further clear, he would eventually finish in a different parish to those in pursuit. Clocking 16.06 to the third turn, he came home in a scarcely believable 11.92.
Boylesports Blue struggled to get clear racing room but finally got the better of Tivoli Milo to come home in second with Tivoli Milo finishing another four lengths back in third.
BRIAR HOLDS PICKLES IN A THRILLER
Just a length behind Callaway Knegare on the clock was Maurice Brick’s Ballymac Briar as he held off Coosane Pickles in a driving finish to emerge a deserving winner of Heat 2.
This was comfortably a career best display for Ballymac Briar.
The Liam Dowling trained son of Ballymac Cashout and Ballymac Cams was electric in the early yards, showing superb speed into the turn to open a clear advantage. Coosane Pickles was much sharper than normal in the early exchanges, eventually turning a clear second.
It was clear nothing else bar the front two was going to land a blow. Ballymac Briar continued to run with purpose down the back straight but Coosane Pickles is remarkably strong and she began to bridge the gap into the third turn.
The majority of those familiar with the front two would have expected Coosane Pickles to come through to score but Ballymac Briar was to send out a message. Staying close to the fence, while Coosane Pickles swung wide, Ballymac Briar really dug in. Both greyhounds flashed past the post locked in battle with the judge called upon to separate them. He found that Ballymac Briar held on by a short head from Coosane Pickles in 28.05. It was a brilliant contest with both the winner and runner-up emerging with great credit. Clonfert Annie produced another big run to finish four lengths adrift in third.
NOTHING CHEAP ABOUT THESE SANDWICHES
Cheap Sandwiches, owned by the wonderfully named Bark Wahlberg Syndicate, had been out of luck in his previous outings in Dublin but he put that right in the opening quarter final, showing fine pace and determination to get the better of the fast starting Evolution.
From the opening yards it was clear the pair had the race between them. Evolution went up fastest from trap three but the Graham Holland trained Cheap Sandwiches was given plenty of room to race on the outside of the track with Droopys Plunge cutting inwards from trap five.
The son of Burgess Bucks and Hearthill Josie used the extra room to great effect to chase Evolution around the turn before making his move down the back straight. Once taking over from Evolution into the third turn, Cheap Sandwiches coasted home a comfortable two length winner in a fast 28.18. Evolution was a good second with an eight length gap to Ballybough Nutz in third.
RUN IS HAVING FUN
Fun In the Run may have been the outsider of the party in the final heat but his success couldn’t be seen as a great shock given his very obvious improvement with each and every one of his four previous outings.
A well bred son of Malachi and Love Island, Daire Malone’s Fun In the Run lived up to his name, moving with real enthusiasm throughout. Breaking smartly from five, he was soon in front, holding the early paced duo of Uncle Frankie and Grangeclare Lady into the bend.
This was to prove decisive. Grangeclare Lady moved well into the third turn to close on the Michael Malone trained youngster but Fun In the Run had no intention of letting his lead slip.
In what was just his fifth career start, the January ’23 whelp belied his youth, charging clear on the run in to emerge a mighty impressive four length winner over the fast-finishing Hello Diego in 28.23. Innfield Destiny also stayed on strongly to grab third on the line, a length behind the runner-up.
TIME Juvenile Derby
Semi-final draw
Heat 1
1 BALLYMAC BRIAR
2 COOSANE PICKLES
3 EVOLUTION
4 BALLYBOUGH NUTZ
5 TIVOLI MILO (M)
6 HELLO DIEGO (M)
Heat 2
1 BOYLESPORTS BLUE
2 CALLAWAY KNEGARE
3 FUN IN THE RUN
4 INNFIELD DESTINY
5 CLONFERT ANNIE (M)
6 CHEAP SANDWICHES (M)
Undercard
CASH IS KING
The fastest run on the card came in the tenth race with Cheque For Cash further enhancing his reputation with a brilliant display of front running.
Trained by Karol Ramsbottom for the Cash Back Syndicate, the exciting son of Dromana Bucko and Paradise Asia posted a rapid 1l.98 sectional to lead a talented field into the turn and he never saw another rival thereafter.
Clocking a sizzling 15.79 to the third turn, he continued to run with purpose to the line to eventually see off Droopys Kamari by two and a half lengths in a magnificent 27.93. It seems obvious, but Cheque For Cash is clearly an exceptional young talent and could be destined for big things.
AZURITE GOES FAST
Azurite was always going to produce a big time when getting loose in the third race over 575yds so it was no shock when 30.75 flashed up on the clock.
The powerful daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ballybrack Gem disputed the early running with Canya Steve but forced her way to the front on the turn. She was always in complete control thereafter and ran right out to the line to emerge a comfortable winner for Peter Cronin and Sean Comerford. The December ’21 whelp saw off Pennys Lynx by six and a half lengths.
BOB HANDS PETER A DOUBLE
Peter Cronin later completed a fine double with Margaret Walsh’s Rapido Bob winning the penultimate race over 550yds.
An eye-catcher in his previous outing when finishing well, he was always gong to take some stopping when coming away racing from four.
Tell On Bella and Down To Business were on his flanks into the turn but Rapido Bob shook them off to lead the field into the back straight. Once doing so, the son of Dorotas Wildcat and Ballintee Annie always had Down To Business at arm’s length.
Staying on well, he contained Down To Business and the fast-finishing Tell On Bella by two lengths and a head in 29.55.
FALCON WITH A REMARKABLE RUN
In what was his first start since smashing the 600yd track record, Da Bold Falcon looked set to give the 575yd record a fright in the finale when racing clear into the turn.
Instead, the John McGee trained star gave his supporters a real fright before recovering to show all his pace and class.
It all began to unravel when he seemed to take a false step at the second turn, which was quickly followed by a stumble. In a matter of strides he went from being clear of his rivals to being headed by Snowy April.
It took the son of Droopys Sydney and Hail Cleopatra some time to regain his momentum but he cam back at Snowy April around the last two bends to take control once again as they turned for home. Staying on strongly, Da Bold Falcon went on to score by two lengths from Snowy April in 31.31. It seems
Safe to assume Da Bold Falcon would have gone close to the 575yd track record had he run a fluent second turn.
MORE THAN A RAMBLE FOR BOY
There were two fine runs in the semi-finals of the This Runs Deep A0 525.
Rambling Boy set a strong standard in the opening heat, showing great early speed or Georgy Roche to dominate. The son of Jacob Tashadelek and Boherna Megan flew into the turn and down the back straight to go four lengths clear before going on to contain the staying on Sober Secret for a two and a half length victory in a rapid 28.13.
DEBOSS IS THE BOSS
Ballymac Deboss has been in tremendous form and he made it three on the spin in the second semi-final, again shooting from traps to make every inch.
Trained by Ian Reilly for Bengt-Ake Johansson, the son of Ballymac Cashout and Jaytee Pearl had little more than a solo, racing on to beat Urban Flight by two lengths in a quick 28.36.
MARGIN WITH NO ERRORS IN LAURELS TRIAL STAKE
Racing commenced with Marginforerror, owned by Stephen Murphy and Miles Anderton, emerging a narrow winner of the Laurels Trial Stake despite the persistent challenge of Piccadilly Attic, in turn initating a superb double for Karol Ramsbottom.
Going to the front into the turn, the well-built Marginforerror was a couple of lengths to the good into the back straight but he was joined and briefly headed by Piccadilly Attic around the last two bends.
Marginforerror wasn’t going to be denied, however. Rallying on the run in, the Karol Ramsbottom trained son of Burgess Bucks and Ballymac Notoyou got back up to beat Piccadilly Attic and Farney Chime by a length and a head in 28.53.
THE BOSS IS ON TUNE
Scooby The Boss won the sole sprint in the manner of a greyhound with a bright future, albeit over four bends.
Hinton broke fastest and set a searching gallop but Scooby The Boss made most of his inside pitch to turn within striking distance before powering home to score.
Trained by Jennifer O’Donnell for Steve Noble, the promising son of Ballymac Bolger and Scooby Princess charged to the front in the closing yards to beat the long-time pace-setter by a length in 18.73.