FRANKIE DELIVERS IN DERBY AND CESAREWITCH STARTS WITH A BANG

Ian Fortune

Rough Frankie delivered a near perfect display to run away with the final of the Kilbride Kennels A2 Midlands Derby at Mullingar on Sunday afternoon, while the opening round of the TIME Greyhound Nutrition delivered the predicted shocks, fine displays and big-name casualties.

Rough Frankie had a perfect draw in the stripes in the Kilbride Kennels Midlands Derby decider but needed to come away much more fluently than in his semi-final. It seems the son of Good News and Bubbly Rose recognized the fact as he broke on terms before showing electric early speed to assert a long way before the turn.

Showing real urgency, Rough Frankie stretched his advantage to hit halfway with ix lengths in hand. Syrax had taken over from Faypoint Jet on the turn to go second but she was under pressure into the third turn. 

Faypoint Jet did move back into second at this point and closed the gap quite considerably but Rough Frankie was always in complete command. The Kurtis Bain trained star, who had gone unbeaten through the prelims, was afforded the luxury of being able to coast home.

Faypoint Jet did run a fine race in defeat but Rough Frankie emerged a most deserving winner by a length and a half in a very fast 30.50. Hawkfield Abbie failed to get the clear run early that was needed and she stayed on for third. This day belonged to Rough Frankie, however.

The Liquorice Allsorts Syndicate owned tracker hit the line a length and a half to good over Faypoint Jet. Hawkfield Abbie was another five lengths adrift in third.

CESAREWITCH PROVIDES DRAMA

Given the tricky nature of Mullingar’s circuit, it was no surprise to see some shock results in the opening round of the Time Irish Cesarewitch.

Favourite backers were left licking their wounds in the first three heats with the winners emerging at 20-1, 8-1 and 7-1, although there was something of a comeback in the last three heats.

DASHING DOLLY ON SONG

Indeed, the best was left for last with Singalong Dolly making a winning return to Mullingar to post a fastest of the round 33.06 as she left her rivals standing in the final heat.

Already the Puppy Oaks and Champion Bitch Stake winner, the Pat Buckley trained daughter of Droopys Sydney and Mydras Dawn left her rivals standing.

Making a flying start from trap three, Gilbert Anerson’s star hit the opening bend three lengths clear and she proceeded to race further and further clear to eventually beat Miss Mini Holly by a dozen lengths in a brilliant 33.06. Glengar Martha, the hot favourite, was best of the remainder in third, a further length back.

DREAM FINDS A WAY TO WIN

She was one of two winners for Pat Buckley as his defending champion Bobsleigh Dream found a way to win the penultimate race.

It was certainly not straightforward for Willie Joe Murphy’s star as she found traffic on more than one occasion.

The daughter of Droopys Sydney and Bobsleigh Dream was very close to going around in front but she took a bump and lost her position before entering the back straight in third before being quickly relegated to fourth.

She recovered well, however. Once hitting halfway, she began to charge forward, finding a gap up the inside of the track. Neon Lights and Faypoint David were disputing the lead down the back straight but, by the third turn, Bobsleigh Dream was in front and looking destined to emerge a good winner.

Neon Lights was on her outside at this point and as Bobsleigh Dream moved off the fence, they bumped, allowing Faypoint David to improve his position on the fence. Bobsleigh Dream attempted to get back to the fence of the final turn, getting clipped by Faypoint David but she maintained her advantage. In a tight finish, Bobsleigh Dream held on to see off Faypoint David by a head in 34.10.

NO NONSENSE FROM ANGRY

While Faypoint David narrowly lost out on a place in the decider, Chris and Patricia Flanagan did see another of their talented team, Faypoint Angry, produce a brilliant run to emerge a facile winner of Heat 4.

This was over as soon as it began with Faypoint Angry coming away racing from three. Showing fine early speed, the son of Ballymac Best and Angry Lauren asserted into the bend before racing right away from his nearest pursuer Lokos Loch. At the line Faypoint Angry had twelve lengths in hand on Lokos Loch in 33.24.

PEPE IMPRESSES

Pepe Noir had his first start outside Munster in Heat 3 but made light work on his task, running out one of the more impressive heat winners for Arthur Morrissey.

The son of Pestana and Suirview Kea was a 7-1 chance to come home in front and his followers were richly rewarded.

Showing fine pace into the turn, he quickly assumed control and never looked under threat. A year to day since wining his debut around Clonmel, Pepe Noir cruised home a comfortable and well-deserving two length scorer over Boss Go in 33.26.

BRIGADIER MARCHES TO BIG PRICE SUCCESS

The classic got off to a great start for the locals with Eva Abedi sending out Brigadier Jaxx to win at odds of 20-1.

A Mullingar regular, the son of Fusileer Jaxx and Jaxx Moneymaker broke smartly to hold a narrow lead on the corner. 

Staying a true line from trap two, he increased his advantage into the back straight. Typical Bono largely escaped opening bend traffic to turn second, a length and a half behind the pace-setter but he could never get back on terms.

Brigadier Jaxx continued to find out front to emerge a length scorer in 33.90. Typical Bono held the big finish of Ballinabola Una by a length to take second.

FLASH GETS LOOSE

Lets Go Bubbles was an odds-on favourite for Heat 2 but stumbled badly at traps and never a factor behind Ballycairn Flash.

The latter was razor-sharp in the early yards and comfortably held her rivals to halfway.

Things started to get more interesting into the third turn as Fire Time and Casa Miro came to challenge on the third turn. In fact, Fire Time briefly went to the front but Ballycairn Flash had the inside line and when the pair clashed, the early pace-setter went back to the front.

It was the decisive moment in the contest. Ballycairn Flash, owned by Evan Henrick and Julia McCarthy, proceeded to lead all the way to the line to score by a length and a half from Goldirocks Magic in 34.27.