ALLOWDALE ICON A BRILLIANT WINNER OF THE LEE STRAND 550 IN THE KINGDOM
Barry Drake
ALLOWDALE ICON, for Eimear and Daniel Roche, ran out a brilliant winner of the €6,500 to the winner Lee Stand 550 at the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium on Friday night.
The race worked out just as we expected with Vale Penny winning the early lead and setting a strong early pace. October puppy Allowdale Icon turned second and from there, the pacey performer was always going to take the world of beating. Turning for home, Allowdale Icon looked all over a winner and he powered up the home straight to land the spoils, in 29.85, two lengths clear of the early leader.
Such a consistent tracker throughout the event, it was a well-deserved victory and he has a very exciting future ahead.
QUICKEST
Quickest over the standard distance was Octane Cora in the Lee Strand AA0 525.
Trained by Maurice O'Connor for owners the Nolan-O'Connor-Ahern-Syndicate, the 15-8 favourite was soon in control and the classy lady was recording back to back wins with another fantastic display. Showing huge gears, the impressive winner clocked 28.37, a length and a half clear of Ower Mystery in second place.
A CLASS APART
Ballymac Winx ended racing in the Kingdom with a superb display for Liam Dowling.
An October puppy, the 4-5 favourite proved a class apart in the A3 contest. Hitting the front early on, it was all one way traffic up front as the runaway winner came home alone, in 28.50.
OUTSTANDING DISPLAY.
In the €900 Lee Strand 570-yard final, Ladyswell delivered yet another outstanding display to win for the Home-And-Away-Lads Syndicate and trainer Jack Kennelly.
Always towards the head of the pack, the 2-1 shot kept finding, staying on strongly in the closing stages, Ladyswell got the better of Millridge Cora, by two and a half lengths, in 31.21.
Donal Pierse Chairman Lee Strand and Gearoid Linnane CEO Lee Strand making the winning presentation to Daniel Roche & Aine McCarthy Roche plus connections following Allowdale Icon's win in last night's 2023 Lee Strand 550 Final at Tralee.