MERLIN WORKS HIS MAGIC IN LIAM BRUSSELS MEMORIAL

Peter Farrell

The €1,700-to-the-winner Liam Brussels Memorial A4/A5 525 served as the feature at Galway on Saturday night and the rapidly improving Hollywell Merlin delivered a brilliant performance to take the honours.

The Alison Coxon kennel has been in the spotlight repeatedly in recent weeks, and she continues to ride the crest of a wave at her local track. Hollywell Merlin landed a two-bend sweepstake at the end of October and less than four weeks later has now added this valuable prize to his résumé. A hugely impressive semi-final winner in 29.24 after coming from off the pace, there was a sense he had more to offer and he confirmed that impression when it mattered most.

Drawn in six, the January puppy was a generous 5/2 chance in a market dominated by Glengar Sofia, sent off the red-hot 2/5 favourite. But ‘Merlin’ was razor-sharp at traprise, showing brilliant early speed to seize control on the run-up. The son of Ballymac Bolger - O Mahoney built a commanding advantage down the back and though the favourite closed late, ‘Merlin’ had every answer required. He crossed the line a length and a half to the good, sealing a fourth straight victory for Coxon in a swift 29.05 .10s, a fine run from a youngster clearly on the rise.

MACGOWAN FASTEST

Elsewhere on the card, the fastest time of the night came from the Denis McGrath-owned Foxwood MacGowan.

A talented tracker with some sharp figures already to his name, Foxwood MacGowan was chasing just the second win of his career after a previous success around the demanding Thurles circuit in 29.07. A strong runner-up at Galway on his latest outing, he went one better this time with a decisive display for connections. Drawn in one and sent off even money, he broke smartly from the inside to repel the early challenge of Portumna Syd. From there, the son of Bockos Jon Jo took a two-length lead into the back straight and stretched further clear on the run for home, scoring by three lengths in a slick 28.92 .10s.