BALLYMAC PATRIOT A BRILLIANT WINNER OF THE JUVENILE CLASSIC

Barry Drake

BALLYMAC PATRIOT (Ballymac Cashout-Ballymac Wisdom) completed three straight wins with another outstanding winning performance in the final of the €11,000 to the winner Juvenile Classic in Tralee on Friday night. 

The 2-1 second favourite produced a decent start and he then drove a brave and fantastic opening corner to slip around in front. Favourite Coolavanny Otto was about to turn handy, but he found trouble as kennel mate Ower Cracker did him no favors. Down the back straight, it was Baby Bocko and Ballymac Patriot who went head to head up front with both showing big pace. Strongest from the second last bend, Ballymac Patriot delivered a powerful finish as he pulled away to land the feature for Liam Dowling. A 28.44 winning performance, two and a half lengths clear of the fast finishing and unlucky in running Coolavanny Otto. A neck back to Baby Bocko in third place.

HUGE GEARS

In the ninth, Superfast Gorden, trained by Pat Buckley for Eamonn Doyle and Mark Hatton, displayed huge gears to beat Ballymac Finn. Showing massive back straight speed to take over from the front running Ballymac Finn, the even-money favourite then stayed on strongly to score, by three lengths, in 28.13.

4-5 FAVOURITE

Buckley also took the open sprint, Road Exile proving a class apart for owner R.A.Cowell. The 4-5 favourite impressed with another super strong running run, clocking 17.43.

RESERVE LANDS THE SPOILS

In the following race, the Wi Can Dream @ Stud Bitch 525, it was Octane Cora who came in from the reserves to land the spoils. Trained by Pat Buckley for Morty Ahern, the 15-8 shot was making it back-to-back winning performances with another wonderful front-running winning run. In total control early, the classy winner showed massive early pace as she beat the running on Kinturk Road, by four and a half lengths, in 28.27.

LAST STRIDE TO WIN

In the fourth, the Con & Annie Kirby Trial Stake, it was Ballymac Danica (10-11) who got up in the last stride to win. Niosfearrnabolt came away racing and he built up what looked like a winnable lead heading down to halfway. However, the strong running had other ideas as she finished with a flourish to score. At the line, Ballymac Danica had a neck to spare over the early-paced runner-up, in 28.78.