TEDDY WAS READY TO GO IN EASTER CUP
Ian Fortune
There was plenty to talk about at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night as the Bresbet Easter Cup got underway, providing some outstanding racing, including a best of the round run from last year’s Derby third Bens Teddy.
There were a few high-profile non-runners in the Easter Cup but those left in gave further notice that they are a special group of trackers.
Heat 1 – NEON LIGHTS UP SHELBOURNE
The Bresbet Easter Cup certainly started with a bang as 8-1 chance Neon Lights flew home to deny Beepers Lariat and long-time pace-setter and hot favourite Clonbrien Treaty.
All looked to be going to plan when Clonbrien Treaty came away on terms to dictate before the turn.
Beepers Lariat seemed the only realistic threat to the leader down the back straight but the whole complexion of the race was to change from the final turn. Neon Lights was only fifth to the opening bend, moving fourth as they entered the back straight but he was a long way off the front.
It was as they turned for home that things really started to happen. Clonbrien Treaty was starting to run out of steam, allowing Beepers Lariat to draw closer but, along the fence, Paul James’ Neon Lights was really starting to build a head of steam.
Coming home with a wet sail, the Alan Byrne trained son of Ballymac Best and Ballymac Natalie hit the front in the closing yards to emerge a length in front of Beepers Lariat in 29.93 with Clonbrien Treaty just a short head away in third.
Heat 2 – DUKE’S DOMINANT DISPLAY
In contrast to his kennel companion fifteen minutes earlier, the Graham Holland trained Clona Duke justified his billing as the warm favourite in Heat 2.
Going up fast, alongside Ballymac Marino, he nudged his way to the front on the corner.
It was to prove the decisive manoeuvre as none of his rivals could get back on terms with the former Juvenile Derby and Select Stakes champ. Highview Splash did show fine pace to challenge and head Ballymac Marino but was never going to challenge Clona Duke.
Showing no signs of rust in what was only his second outing this year, Kevin O’Brien’s Clona Duke emerged a comfortable winner in 29.79. The hugely talented son of Malachi and Coolavanny pearl saw off a rallying Ballymac Marino and Highview Splash by three and a half lengths and a head.
Heat 3 – A WONDERFUL RETURN FOR UNDULATION
Undulation was one of the more straight forward heat winners.
In what was her first start since September, Brendan Matthews’ brilliant daughter of Pestana and Unlock Unlock flashed from trap five and quickly assumed control.
Miami King and Sogna In Grande were her nearest challengers for much of the way but neither could land a telling blow. Instead, Pennys Lynx ran on strongly to grab second spot in the closing yards but he too had no answer to Undulation as she ran out a ready four length winner in a fast 29.76. Pennys Lynx had a length in hand on Sogna In Grande.
Heat 4 – GORDEN LEAVES IT LATE
The absence of Mr Chelm and Carrick Aldo made the task of Superfast Gorden somewhat easier in Heat 4 and, while he did come out on top, it didn’t seem likely for a long way.
Superfast Gorden came away well to challenge in the opening yards but Ballymac Walt displayed wonderful acceleration to shoot clear on the outside of the track.
Showing real fluency around the opening two bends, Ballymac Walt opened a clear advantage to halfway and he maintained that lead to the third turn. Superfast Gorden didn’t seem to have an answer to the leader but then things began to change.
Turning for home, it was clear Ballymac Walt was starting to run low on oxygen. In contrast, the Pat Buckley trained Superfast Gorden was maintaining his speed and, with each stride, he drew closer. Owned jointly by Eamonn Doyle and Mark Hatton, Superfast Gorden took charge in the dying yards with the son of Broadstrand Bono and Jaytee Jordan coming through to win by two lengths in 30.06. There was a further half length back to the running on Jetstream Breeze in third.
Heat 5 – COCO WITH A SWEET DISPLAY
Within hours of capturing the Tote Gold Cup last month with Boylesports Coco, Dolores Ruth confirmed she was keen to have a crack at the Easter Cup with Boylesports Coco.
It seems a wise choice now after she displayed fine determination and ability to run out a superb winner of Heat 5, which was her first start over 550yds.
The daughter of Droopys Sydney and Barn Swallow broke on terms but had little daylight as they crossed the winning line on the run to the bend. It was only in the final fifty yards to the corner that she got on top. Driving the bend with real purpose, she quickly took charge.
Ballymac Finn also ran a superb second bend to enter the back straight in second. The race was now on with Boylesports Coco leading her familiar rival by a length and a half. By the third turn, Ballymac Finn and the remainder of the field were on the heels of the leader and looking threatening.
Boylesports Coco wasn’t concerned, however. The Gold Cup champ kicked again of the final turn to end the hopes of those in pursuit. Ballymac Finn faded home, leaving John Boyle’s wonderful Boylesports Coco to run out a most impressive length winner over the staying on Scotty Scheffler in 29.94. Glengar Martha was another length away in third.
Heat 6 – TEDDY SHOWS HIS TEETH
Kim Prichard’s Bens Teddy took no prisoners in the final heat, baring his teeth from the second turn to power his way past Nomadic Nova for a brilliant victory in ta fastest of the round 29.63.
The Derby third really did mean business, going up slightly faster than normal to slip around second behind Nomadic Nova.
De Lahdedah was the hot favourite in three but failed to hit stride after a reasonable start and found traffic on the turn when disputing second spot. Nomadic Nova shot up the outside of the track to lead into the bend, while Bens Teddy nudged Deadly Jet into De Lahdedah.
This maneouvre allowed Bens Teddy to move through into second spot, some three and a half lengths behind the pace-setter as they entered the back. For supporters of Nomadic Nova it was a form of slow torture with Bens Teddy drawing closer into the third turn.
He was still three lengths back at this point but, staying tight to the fence, the powerful son of Droopys Sydney and Beechgrove Bell began to eat into the leader’s advantage around the last two bends. By the time they turned for home, Bens Teddy was upsides Nomadic Nova and in full stride.
Predictably, the Pat Buckley trained powerhouse drew on to emerge a brilliant two length winner over Nomadic Nova. De Lahdedah was a further six lengths away in third.
Undercard
RIDE SALLY RIDE
One of the performances of the night came in the semi-finals of the This Runs Deep A1 525 with Mustang Sally initiating a fine double for Dolores Ruth.
This was over as soon as it began with Sean Bourke and Paul Horig’s daughter of Droopys Sydney and Mustang Kay Cee flashing from trap four to dominate.
Despite cutting for the fence, the January ’22 whelp comfortable cleared the corner and proceeded to gallop free throughout. At the line she had two and a half lengths in hand on the staying on Chasing Williebe in a fast 28.58.
RUTH CHARGES TO FRONT AT THREE
The opening semi-final saw Knockdrinna Ruth displayed a real burst of back straight pace to assert on the third turn for Keelan O’Donoghue and Robbie Dowling.
Sliabh Gcuillinn drove his way to the front on the bend and set a strong pace but Knockdrinna Ruth, after going second at the second bend, bridged the gap very quickly from halfway.
Charging to the front on the third turn, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and An Cailin Alainn went on to score by a length and a half from the fast-finishing Droopys Comrade in 28.94.
ABBIE GETS LOOSE IN FINALE
Recent Mullingar 550yd track record breaker Hawkfield Abbie took the finale in fine style for the potent combination of Ginger McGee and Jerry Connors.
A line of four greyhounds did battle into the turn but the inside line allowed Hawkfield Abbie assert.
Once going to the front, the daughter of Good News and Brownstown Tango always had the measure of those in behind. A powerful galloper that would stay further, Hawkfield Abbie went on to make every inch for an impressive four length victory over Riverside Pingu in 29.97.
SCOTCH LEAVES IT LATE
The most dramatic finish of the night came in the penultimate race over 750yds with Rachel Holland’s Riverside Scotch (Droopys Sydney/ Riverside Honey) coming home well to lead in the dying strides. Ballymac Opera may have missed the start but displayed her four-bend speed to shoot to the front.
Going clear, she seemed a certain scorer halfway down the back straight only for her stride to shorten dramatically on the run in. In contrast, the Graham Holland trained Riverside Scotch and Daring Bono were maintaining a strong gallop and this set up a great finish. Riverside Scotch got first run on the leader and led in the closing yards to win by a half-length in 42.54. Daring Bono was second.
A FIRST FOR CHARLIE AND BEN
Charlie And Ben opened her Dublin account in the A2 second race, getting loose in the opening yards to make every yard.
Trained by Jack Kennelly for Paul McCartan, the daughter of Ballymac best and Archies Angel held off the persistent challenge of Flaminhasntabob by two lengths in 29.06.
BABE SHINES IN OPENER
Racing opened with Starshine Babe scoring for Deanna William, Paul Spittle and handler Martin Sharkey.
Always prominent behind long-time leader Cayan Gent, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Stellas babe made a decisive move on the run in, finishing strongly to lead late for a length verdict over Cayan Gent in 29.03.