OPERA ON TUNE AT KILKENNY

Ian Fortune

Priceless Opera was again the stand out performer on the track at Kilkenny on Friday evening as he posted a fastest of the night 28.90 in the second round of the Deadly Kennels A2 525 to continue his rise up the ranks.

Sent to traps a 1-2 favourite, the son of Droopys Sydney and Bull Run Bistro duly obliged in style. The Paul Hennessy trained star led from the outset to emerge a three and a half length scorer over Grangeview Best in 28.90. 

Next fastest of the heat winners was Cheque For Sir as he ran out a comfortable winner for Karol Ramsbottom and the Cash Back Syndicate. The son of Droopys Sydney and Yahoo Ava was sharpest at boxes and, as with Priceless Opera, was always in complete command. He eventually emerged a comfortable three length winner over Boothebest in 28.99.

Warzone Milo made it a clean sweep of trap to line winners in the second of the three heats, leading from the opening strides to come home on front. Trained by Murt Leahy for the Pudding Lane Syndicate, the son of Kinloch Brae and Genuine Honey went on to cross the line a length and a half to the good over Short Notice in 29.17.

HEWICK WINS IN FRONT OF HEWICK

On a night when Irish Derby champion Born Warrior, Irish Oaks winner Raha Mofo and the recent American Grand National winner Hewick were paraded, it was fitting that one of the heats of the Burgess Kennels ON2 went to a newcomer named Tommy Hewick.

Interestingly, the son of Jaytee Jet is owned by the wonderfully named The Horse That Bought The Dog Syndicate. He stayed on well to win by four and a half lengths from Scarborough Fair in 29.40.

CLIFFS FASTEST IN BURGESS KENNEL ON2

Fastest of the five heat winners was Bromore Cliffs as led from the outset in Heat 2 for Karol Ramsbottom and Gavin Johns to beat Here Comes Smog by eight lengths in 29.15.

The remaining heats went to Storys Law in 29.31, Minglers Green in 29.58 and Pookies Arthur in 29.26.