RAZZLE AND BUBBLES STAR IN PUPPY OAKS
Ian Fortune
The rain may have come in the second half of the evening at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night but it didn’t dampen proceedings as there were a number of superb performances including that of Easy Razzle in the semi-finals of the Suncroft Festival Puppy Oaks.
The second heat was also won in fine style by Lets Go Bubbles, while there were many other displays worth celebrating through the night.
RAZZLE SHINES BRIGHT AGAIN
Easy Razzle took the headlines, however. An impressive opening round scorer in 28.55, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ragaire was again so fluent in success.
The Johnny Linehan trained bitch broke fast from the outset box and quickly moved through the gears to get around Droopys De Luxe into the bend.
Once cutting across that rival on the turn, she quickly moved clear. By halfway Barry Rocks’ rapidly progressive youngster was four lengths clear and on her way to a facile success. Rural Kihei flew down the back straight and ran on well to take second but Easy Razzle was in a league of her own, hitting the line with four and a half lengths in hand in 28.55. Lima Rose was another length adrift in third.
BUBBLES COLLARS COCO LATE
Boylesports Coco seemed set to come home in front in the second heat when setting a blistering gallop to the third turn but, in the worst of the wet conditions, she folded on the run in, leaving the door open for Lets Go Bubbles to come through in the closing yards.
Boylesports Coco held a narrow advantage to the bend but it was five lengths by halfway. Lets Go Bubbles turned second and seemed to be set for a minor role but the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Jetstream Lynx then started to close as they hit the third turn.
Trained by Owen McKenna for Peter Comerford, Lets Go Bubbles really did start to gain ground off the final turn and she came through to lead on the line for a half length victory over Boylesports Coco in 28.78. Goldcash Ice was two lengths further back in third spot.
TREMENS FINDS A WAY
The valuable final of the Greyhound Racing Ireland A1 525 didn’t exactly go to plan with the big two in the market, Unmatched and A Lucky Gift, both fluffing their lines and finding traffic.
Instead Delirium Tremens landed the €2,500 prize for Murt Leahy and the Tiny Pharma Syndicate, although not in the style many would have imagined.
Normally a real early speedster, he had to work to get to the front. Unmatched overcame a slightly tardy start to hold a narrow advantage on the bend but took a bump from Lough Mistoki on the inside of the track.
As Unmatched lost her balance, Delirium Tremens moved second. Lough MIstoki was now in front but Delirium Tremens was now challenging. Sophies Amber was also closing in third but Delirium Tremens got first run.
Taking over before the final turn, the son of Ballymac Eske and Knockdrinna Miss stayed on to secure a length and a half verdict over Lough Mistoki in 29.00.
RING REACHES FOR THE MOON
Karl Cooney and Michael Dowd’s Ringthemoon may have turned three years of age in February but he produced a brilliant career best display to run away with the second race over the standard trip.
The Liam O’Rourke trained powerhouse broke smartly from trap four and quickly asserted at the head of affairs.
Those familiar with the son of Droopys Sydney and Sparta Emmy would be well aware that he is very difficult to stop once dictating and that was again the case. Easing right away to halfway, he coasted home the easiest of winners by six lengths over Fire Time in a sensational 28.25.
MOM IMPRESSES IN FINALE
Racing ended with a high-class 575yd contest and Hello Mom produced yet another superb display of front running to bring her tally to four career wins.
Liam O’Connor’s thoroughly likeable lady was too sharp for her rivals in the opening yards. Making a flying start from two to dictate into the bend.
Callaway Masters edged across from trap five to sit second and he chased the leader hard throughout but could never quite get back on terms. The Ray Melia trained Hello Mom galloped all the way to the line to eventually score by a length and a half in a fast 31.29.
RUN FASTER RAN FASTEST
Odds of 1-2 seemed to sum up the chances of Run Faster in the fourth race and the son of Droopys Cain and Sarista duly obliged as an odds-on chance should for owners Martin and Eve Crowe.
The Owen McKenna trained speedster, who has been a little unlucky in the quarter finals of the Kirby Memorial seven days earlier, shot from the inside box and was always in charge.
Blue Rumble gave chase to halfway but Run faster then started to ease clear. By the line, he had opened up a four lengths advantage in a quick 28.39.
ORLANDO LOOKS EXCITING
By the time Crafty Orlando impressed in the eighth race, the rain was really starting to fall but it failed to halt the son of Skywalker Canny and Dower Bud making quite the impression in his Shelbourne debut.
Shane Divilly’s charge broke fastest from trap five before showing superior early speed to his rivals. Jirano Jetstream turned second and attempted to close to the third turn but Crafty Orlando meant business. The May ’21 whelp drew further clear from the final bend to eventually score by six lengths from Jirano Jetstream in 28.71.
GIZMO ALWAYS IN CHARGE
Thats Gizmo got loose at the had of affairs in the A1 penultimate race over the 575yd trip.
Trained by Paul Matthews for the Colrose Syndicate, the son of Pestana and Allen Comet is a stout stayer and was always going to be hard to reel in.
Shady Bueno and Kane Tashadelek took up the chase but neither could bridge the gap, allowing Thats Gizmo to emerge a deserving three length scorer over Shady Bueno in 31.39.
YOU REMAINS UNBEATEN AFTER SPRINT SUCCESS
Nothing On You may be turning three years of age in August but he is extremely lightly raced.
It didn’t stop him from making a successful Shelbourne park debut in the sole sprint as he flew into the turn to challenge on the inside of both Zaconey Apollo and Newline Lighting.
Taking charge on the bend, the son of Bull Run Bolt and Coolavanny Slip raced on to maintain his unbeaten career record. Pat Norris and Mark Lowther’s charge hit the line with two and a half lengths in hand on Newline Lighting in 18.79, in turn bringing his tally to two wins from two career starts.
BOCKO DOMINATES
Mike and Emily O’Dwyer had a fine winner in the ninth race with Rural Bocko showing his rivals a clean pair of heels from an ideal draw on the fence.
The Graham Holland trained son of Lenson Bocko and Rural Romance went up fast to lead into the corner and was left further clear as his rivals clashed.
By halfway, the result was beyond doubt and Rural Bocko cruised home three lengths clear of the eye-catching, and perhaps unlucky, Highview Mags in 28.79.
JET TAKES OFF IN OPENER
Barry Clancy’s Innfield Jet took advantage of a vacant box on his inner to dictate from start to finish in the A1 opener.
The son of Droopys Jet and Love Honey was kept honest in the closing stages by the staying on Paradise Biko but held on to score by two lengths in 28.73.