KIRBY DELIVERS MORE THRILLS AS BEACH STARS AND DUKE EXITS
Peter Farrell
The four quarter finals of the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial served as the highlight on last night’s Limerick card and there was no shortage of thrills and spills with the main talking point the shock exit of outright favourite, Clona Duke.
Indeed, the Graham Holland-trained Clona Duke had lit up the Classic in recent weeks and his 27.95 clock last weekend was the quickest time ever recorded since the inception of the Kirby. However, such as greyhound racing, seven days later the Juvenile Derby winner was to fluff his lines at trap rise and was to miss out on qualification in a photo finish for third place. In contrast, Ryhope Beach, who had been workmanlike in his performances thus far at Limerick, finally put it all together in the final quarter final to record a fastest of the night 28.05
The outright favourite prior to the commencement of the 2023 renewal, Ryhope Beach had been finding it difficult to reproduce some sensational trial form around Limerick in the earlier rounds but it’s worth noting that he had been still catching the eye with some big finishes in defeat. As a result, one suspected that it was just a matter of time before Alison Bandurak’s charge made his mark on the Classic and that time came in the last of the quarter finals. Trained by Michael O’Donovan, who is searching for his second Kirby title, Ryhope Beach went off the 4/5 favourite in this four-dog affair and although trapping much better than in previous starts, he still had to play second fiddle into the bend as Singalong Eimear showed first from four. An impressive scorer last weekend, Pat Buckley’s bitch had a one length advantage rounding the opener but within a blink of an eye, Ryhope Beach breezed past the leader and he was quickly followed by Gaytime Hugo in second. Now in full control, the son of Droopys Sydney and Calzaghe Jan manufactured a three length advantage approaching the penultimate and he stopped the third bend sectional clock at a rapid 16.09. In no danger of being caught despite the best intentions of the powerful Gaytime Hugo in second, Ryhope Beach maintained his relentless gallop all the way to the winning line where he crossed the line with a comfortable four lengths to spare over Gaytime Hugo in second. Singalong Eimear, who ran a little lacklustre given her performance one week prior, claimed the final qualifying spot in third. The time was an exceptional 28.05. (Sec : 16.09).
MENDOZA BOUNCES BACK
The opening quarter-final was red-hot but it was Terezas Mendoza who bounced back to winning ways for the Queen-Of-The-South Syndicate.
A 9/4 chance at the off, Terezas Mendoza had some classy trackers amongst his opposition in the shape of Bens Teddy and Scaglietti, however, it was the Owen McKenna-trained Run Faster who was on the receiving end of a ping break to lead. The trap draw was to prove crucial on the run-up as Terezas Mendoza showed a lovely turn of foot to the opening bend and it was Pat Buckley’s charge who was to make the most of his inside berth to quickly assert rounding the opener and go clear from Run Faster in second. Meanwhile, the fancied Bens Teddy was receiving a traffic-ensued passage early on and despite turning third, he was forced to check off the back of Run Faster entering the back, which in turn allowed Scaglietti to soar into second. The latter showed an exceptional turn of foot at this point and looked a real threat to Terezas Mendoza, who continued to set a powerful gallop out in front. Stopping the third bend sectional in a rapid 16.04, the son of Droopys Sydney and Burgess Helena wasn’t to be denied on this occasion however, and he maintained an exceptional gallop rounding the bottom two bends to coast to a two length victory over Scaglietti, who had run a magnificent race in second. The final qualifying position went to Bens Teddy, who overcame traffic to once again finish at speed and storm past Run Faster on the run for home. The three market leaders advancing to the semis, the time for Terezas Mendoza was a sizzling 28.07. (Sec : 16.04)
CLONBRIEN GETS IT RIGHT
The eye-catching back straight speed of Clonbrien Treaty has been a feature of this year’s Con & Annie Kirby Memorial but the tracker put it all together last night to land the third quarter final.
Trained by Graham Holland for James and Muireann Murphy, Clonbrien Treaty was sent off as a 9/4 shot in this wide-open quarter final and he was on the receiving end of his best break to date from trap four to head the early exchanges. Drifting middle to wide on the run to the opener, this was to pay dividends for Clonbrien Treaty as he rounded the opener with a three length advantage over Blastoff Salah in second. A three length advantage was soon doubled between bends two to three as the son of Pestana and Clonbrien Millie once again displayed that phenomenal back-straight pace and this quickly turned into a one-dog affair as a result. Some traffic in behind at the third bend saw Whyaye Man come through to pass Romeo Hanzo and he held a strong position in terms of securing qualification in second, however, this proved a straightforward night’s work for Clonbrien Treaty as he emerged a comprehensive six length winner. Whyaye Man staying on strongly to claim second, the local runner Blastoff Salah was to claim the final qualifying position back in third as the clock stopped in a fast 28.31. (Sec : 16.06)
NOTHING LUCKY ABOUT BOGGER
Although the exit of Clona Duke will take the headlines in the third quarter final, the performance of Bogger Lucky should not be overlooked as Liam Peacock’s tracker won impressively.
Clona Duke understandably went to boxes as the 1/2 favourite given what he had achieved thus far in the Classic but he fluffed lines at traprise for the first time in the event and received a troublesome passage to the opener as he battled with several runners on the run to the first corner. In contrast, it was the two book-end runners of Hovex Tommy in one and Bogger Lucky in six who pinged the lids and both disputed for supremacy rounding the opening turn. Bogger Lucky was to run the superior bend at this point and the son of Run Happy and Bogger Bonnie produced brilliant work down the back straight, as shown in the second round when giving Romeo Hanzo a real scare, to narrowly lead Hovex Tommy into the penultimate bend. Meanwhile, Clona Duke had managed to make the third qualifying position his own entering the back but made little to no headway down the far side in his attempts to threaten the two front-runners. Bogger Lucky, a 5/1 shot, continued to assert up top at this point and after a really thrilling contest, which Hovex Tommy contributed to greatly, Peacock’s charge stayed on well to cross the line with one and a half lengths in hand. Hovex Tommy was a further two and a half lengths clear of the fast-finishing Ballymac Seanie, who had breezed past a beaten Clona Duke to claim the third qualifying position. The time for Bogger Lucky was 28.45. (Sec 16.24)
The draw for the semi finals of the 2023 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial :
1St Semi Final
T1 - BENS TEDDY (I)
T2 - TEREZAS MENDOZA (I)
T3 - BLASTOFF SALAH (I)
T4 - GAYTIME HUGO (I)
T5 - SCAGLIETTI (I)
T6 - RYHOPE BEACH (M)
2nd Semi Final
T1 - CLONBRIEN TREATY (I)
T2 - SINGALONG EIMEAR (I)
T3 - BALLYMAC SEANIE (I)
T4 - HOVEX TOMMY (I)
T5 - WHYAYE MAN (I)
T6 - BOGGER LUCKY (M)
*****
MATTHEWS FASTEST IN SEAN O’CONNOR OPENER
The first round heats of the Sean O’Connor Memorial A1 525 proved as the supporting act on the card and it was the Brendan Matthews-owned As I Say who went quickest.
A July 21’ pup who had shown glimpses of real speed in his short career thus far, As I Say was to produce one of the performances of the night in heat one as he came through brilliantly to score. A 5/2 chance at the off, As I Say didn’t break at all from trap two but showed excellent track craft to round the opener in close contention as Kells Dynamo led the field. The son of Broadstrand Bono and Follys View was to produce an exceptional turn of foot down the back straight however, and he soon ranged alongside the leader before taking charge rounding the penultimate turn. From here, it was all about one greyhound as As I Say maintained a powerful gallop to cross the line one and a half lengths too strong for Kells Dynamo in second. The time was 28.43. Elsewhere, the other heats were landed by Ranchers Master as he ran to a virtual solo in 28.72, Lynchy Boy, who left it late in 28.82, and Ballymac Samuel, who barged his way through at the opener to run out a fine winner in 28.53.
VELVET THE ONE TO BEAT
The opening round heats of the Limerick & Clare GOVA A3 525 also got underway on the card and it was Velvet Berlin who set a huge bar in scoring convincingly.
Owned by Deyse Buckley, Velvet Berlin was the even money favourite at the off and at this was all over at the lift of a lid as the son of Ballymac Best and Queen Adele motored into the first bend unchallenged. From here, it was a straightforward process for Velvet Berlin as he made every inch to win by three lengths from Glorious Best in second. The time was a fizzing 28.40. The other heats of the Limerick & Clare GOBA were landed by Chapelstreetlady, who held on in 28.96, Portdrine Magic, who made it four career wins in 28.64, and Ballymartin Rory, who left it late to win in 29.02.