CHEQUE GOES THE WAY OF SIR AT KILKENNY

Ian Fortune

Cheque For Sir completed a flawless path through the valuable Deadly Kennels A2 525 at Kilkenny on Friday night but he had to be at his sharpest to repel the persistent challenge of Priceless Opera who pushed him all the way to the line.

This was a contest that went largely to script with both Cheque For Sir and Grangeview Best going up fastest to dispute the early lead. The latter maintained a middle path on the bend, allowing Priceless Opera slip through into second and it was then a race to the line.

The Karol Ramsbottom trained Cheque For Sir was always going to b a tough nut to crack, however. The son of Droopys Sydney and Yahoo Ava is a fluent mover down the back straight and continued to dictate the pace to the third turn. It was rom here that Priceless Opera started to apply real pressure but it was too late.

Cheque For Sir, owned by the Cash-Back Syndicate, stayed on strongly to secure his fourth win on the bounce to land the €5,000 prize by a half length in 29.18. Priceless Opera was a gallant second with Foyle Amy finished fastest to sit a further length and a half adrift in third.

LAW AND CLIFFS OBLIGE

Earlier on the card Storys Law and Bromore Cliffs took the semi finals of the Burgess Kennels ON2 525.

Th former led from the opening strides to make every inch. Trained by Murt Leahy for Gavin O’Mahoney and Peter McMunn, the son of Loughteen Blanco made all to see off Deadly Kyogo by a half length in 29.47.

Aside from capturing the feature with Cheque For Sir, Karol Ramsbottom also sent out Bromore Cliffs to win the second heat of the Burgess Kennels ON2. Gavin Johns’ son of Droopys Sydney led early but was headed by Blackstone Bobby on the corner. He rallied in the latter stages to get back to the front before taking the verdict by a half length in 29.28.