A FINAL DEADLY DISPLAY FROM SHOWTIME AT KILKENNY

Ian Fortune

Deadly Showtime produced a typically razor-sharp display to race to a tremendous victory in the JAG Building Services & KGOBA A1 Derby at Kilkenny on Friday night, fully justifying Karol Ramsbottom’s decision to bypass the Derby Plate for this stake.

It certainly made financial sense with the stake worth a whopping €9,000 to the winner. It was clear from the early yards that Deadly Showtime, the even money favourite, was going to take some stopping as he flew from trap two to get the better of his fellow fast starter Rowlers Road into the turn.

It seemed inevitable the son of Droopys Sydney and Ruby Valley would go on to a comfortable victory but great credit must go to Blastoff Harry for keeping the favourite on his toes. Deadly Showtime, owned by the Blu Light Syndicate, entered the back straight with two and a half lengths to spare on Rowlers Road but Blastoff Harry soon made his move.

Moving second before the third turn, he began to eat into the leader’s three length advantage but could never quite get there. Deadly Showtime was destined to win this stake from the outset and he duly obliged, digging in to repel the advancing Blastoff Harry by three parts of a length in a brilliant joint-fastest of the year 28.62. there was a further five length gap to Rowlers Road in third.     

ROMEO GOES ATOMIC IN MEANEY MEMORIAL

David Firmager’s Romeo Atomic posted a fast 28.89 in the semi finals of the Peter Meaney Memorial ON2 to star on the Kilkenny undercard.

A well bred son of Romeo Recruit and Fabulous Mila, he maintained his unbeaten career record with a superb trap to line success.

Drops Shaun overcame traffic on the turn to move second at the third turn but there was no stopping the Graham Holland trained Romeo Atomic as he sailed to a six length success.

MAC SHOWS PLENTY OF DASH

The other heat saw Mary Buggy’s Kilgraney Mac show fine pace to lead into the third turn.

A 10-1 chance ahead of the off, he was only fifth in the early yards but, as the leaders bunched up into the third turn, he swept around the outside to head his rivals.

From there the Thomas Buggy trained son of Ballymac Best and Kilgraney June eased on to score by three and a half lengths from Glenquain Sid in 29.36.