FAST TIMES APLENTY AT SHELBOURNE
Ian Fortune
Many heading to Shelbourne Park on Saturday night would have been expecting a rather low-key affair but the track had other ideas, running extremely well and resulting in a number of lightning-fast times.
In fact, six of the twenty-one fastest times of the year for the 525yd trip were recorded by runners both in victory and defeat. As a result, the track had to be rated .20 fast.
Fastest on the clock was Green Brigade, while the feature action was the opening round of the Sporting Press Mini-Open 525 where Deelish Nora set the standard despite only winning narrowly.
NORA IN A THRILLER
Indeed, Deelish Nora (Droopy Sydney/ Ballymac Orna) went fast but so too did her two nearest rivals. This was an incredible opening heat with the first three separated by just a half-length and a short head in a superb 28.15.
Deelish Nora came out on top but she was forced to pull out all the stops by the eventual runner up Coosane Pickles and the long-time pace-setter Cushie The Best.
The last named was only third hitting the ground but displayed huge early speed to shoot to the front. Importantly, Deelish Nora slipped around in second setting up a great finish. Cushie The Best continued to dictate down the far side, posting a sizzling 15.86 to the third turn but he couldn’t shake off his pursuer.
Behind the front two, Coosane Pickles was showing massive pace to improve her position, although she had to take a stride forherself at the third turn as she ran out of racing room. This was to prove costly.
Delish Nora was on terms turning for home and eased on from Cushie The Best. Still Coosane Pickles closed but the line came in time for the new leader. Trained by John McGee for JS Porter, Delish Nora went on to score by a half length in 28.15. Cushie The Best was just millimeters behind in third.
ALEJANDRO GETS LOOSE
Crafty Alejandro was just three spots slower in Heat 2, opening his account at the fourth time of asking.
Shane Divilly's charge had certainly met the trouble spots in his previous outings but a switch to the inside did the trick for the obviously very talented son of Pestana and Cockyorconfident.
Showing fine trapping ability and early speed, he took the opening corner with a couple of lengths in hand on Headinthewindow. The latter chased hard throughout but Crafty Alejandro was relentless, galloping on well to emerge a comfortable and most impressive three and a half length winner in a sizzling 28.18. Hello Diego, after early traffic, ran on strongly to finish five and half lengths further adrift in third.
CAROL COMES OUT ON TOP
The last of the three heats was a very messy affair. There were a number of greyhounds challenging for the lead on the turn and after a real scrimmage, Ballybough Carol found herself in front entering the back straight.
Trained by Murt Leahy for Pat Carroll, that's where she was to remain with the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Sweet eventually going on to beat Edermine Bonner by three and a half lengths in an unsurprisingly slow 29.09. There was three lengths to Urban Flight in third.
BRIGADE FASTEST BUT HAS TO DIG DEEP
Green Brigade (Knocknaboul Syd/ Flaming Sahara) posted the fastest time of the night on a night of fast times in the penultimate race but had to dig really deep to hold the strong challenge of Now Were Talkin.
Indeed, despite posting a brilliant 28.12, Green Brigade only held off his rival by a head.
The winner, who is trained by Paul Hennessy for Brendan Cocomon and Ian Cunningham, broke fastest and led the field around the turn but Now Were Talkin was never far away. Green Brigade is very strong so his supporters would still have felt comfortable despite the close attentions of Now Were Talkin but things started to get a little tense off the final turn as the latter started to close. In a desperate finish, Green Brigade held on to claim a third career success.
FALCON FLIES AGAIN
Da Bold Falcon has really appreciated the extra emphasis on stamina over the past fortnight.
A week after winning over 575yds, he won the valuable Getting Out 600 to land his owner Pat McDonagh the impressive €1,000, while also handing John ‘Ginger’ McGee a second winner on the card.
Ardera Freya won the battle for early supremacy, getting the better of Killbrennan Clan into the turn. Da Bold Falcon was fourth at this point but ran a wonderful corner, moving off the fence to shoot between rivals to move second briefly at the second turn.
Brunswick Bullet catapulted himself into the back straight also, steering his trade-mark wide path to get the better of Da Bold Falcon. He charged into the third turn to challenge Ardera Freya but again stayed wide.
Da Bold Falcon was far more efficient with his racing line, however. He too moved with purpose into the third turn and moved second once again. He then made his move on the outside of Ardera Freya as they turned for home. Showing real power and determination, Da Bold Falcon began to get up with the son of Droopys Sydney and Hail Cleopatra coming through to win by a length in 32.33. Ardera Freya was a good second with a three length gap to Brunswick Bullet in third.
RING ON FIRE
Fiery Ring burst through the pack to lead into the turn in the third race. It was to prove a decisive maneouvre from Michael Butler's daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac India.
Both Uncle Frankie and Ballybough Nutz closed right up on the pace-setter into the third turn but she again displayed real determination to assert once again.
Cutting off Uncle Frankie, Fiery Ring moved on by three lengths and, once doing so, raced on to a comfortable four length victory over Uncle Frankie in a rapid 28.39.
AKI LOOKS A PROSPECT
Coonough Aki may have been out of luck on debut, running into serious traffic at the third turn when prominent, but he atoned for that defeat in no uncertain terms in the A3 second race.
Trained by Barry Clancy for Michael Cully, the son of King Elvis and Coonough Dolly quickly found himself in front after a slick exit and he was left further clear when his nearest rival Toolmaker Curio was clipped from behind.
Eight lengths clear into the back straight, it was clear he was on his way to an impressive success. Highview Fab did stay on strongly to close on the run in but Coonough Aki ran out an impressive three length winner in a slick 28.45.
MARY COMPLETES BARRY'S DOUBLE
Just half an hour later Barry Clancy completed a fine double with Richard Cully's Coonough Mary returning after a layoff to make every inch in the A1 fourth race.
The daughter of Grangeview ten and Holycross Leah flashed from the inside trap to dictate early and seemed destined to emerge an easy winner only to tie up a little in the closing yards.
In contrast, both Kilcolgan Mick and Getup Me Champ ran on strongly. The line just about came in time for Coonough Mary as she held on by a half length in 28.46. Kilcolgan Mick and Getup Me Champ dead-heated for second.
ME LAD GETS UP
After going a couple of times earlier on the card, Mark Robinson struck in the fifth race, sending out Getup Me Lad to claim a narrow victory. Ravenswood Chica went up fastest but had no answer to Getup Me Lad down the back straight.
Once going to the front, the son of Ballymac Best and Night Time Fairy couldn't rest as Lilac Tree arrived out of the pack to apply real pressure. Great credit goes to Daniel Ornstein's Getup Me Lad, however, as he stuck his neck out to contain his rival by a head in 28.43.
SMART RUN ROM HIGHVIEW
Highview Smart came in as a reserve to win the A2 sixth race on the card. The daughter of Jaytee Jet and Highview Daisy may have been sent of an 8-1 chance but she won in fine style for Dolores and Gerry Merriman.
Basking Shark set a strong pace from trap five but was never far enough clear for his supporters to sit easy. Ballymac Deboss was second into the far side but Highview Smart flew down the back to move second. Maintaining a strong gallop to the finish, Highview Smart came through to collar Basking Shark for a half length victory in 28.45.
KANKIN HOT FOOTS IT
Lightfoot Kankin produced a career best display to win the opener for Jerry Daly. The son of Droopys Noah and Russanda Rhona had an ideal draw on the fence and he took full advantage.
Prominent into the turn, he shot clear around the opening two bends to enter the back straight with a clear advantage. Ireland Eye took up the chase but it was futile. Lightfoot Kankin came home five lengths to the good in 28.58.