AWESOME DIAMOND SETS DERBY ALIGHT WITH INCREDIBLE RUN
Ian Fortune
As brilliant as the opening round of the Boylesports Derby was, the classic really came to life on Friday night as the second round got underway.
There were a number of hugely competitive contests but the undoubted star was Bockos Diamond as he left the greyhound world in awe with a sensational display of early speed to justify his position as the hottest ante-post favourite in many years.
A heat by heat guide to last night’s action:
Heat 1 – JUDGE CAN’T SEPARATE WARRIOR AND CURIO
The opening heat of the second round provided the closest finish of the Derby thus far with nothing separating the first two, Kapuka Warrior and Toolmaker Curio, while only two and a half lengths separated the entire field.
Right from the start this was a competitive affair with Magical Sapphire going up fastest only to be joined on the turn by the Karol Ramsbottom trained Kapuka Warrior. The latter moved on and looked set to justify favouritism but Willie Hyslop’s Toolmaker Curio had other ideas.
The latter charged into the third turn to slip up the inside of Matt Dunne’s Kapuka Warrior, setting up an epic finish. As they battled for the lead, Syd Zafiro and Thats It Jack drew closer. The Robert Gleeson trained Toolmaker Curio turned for home with a narrow advantage but Kapuka Warrior rallied. Still the remainder of the field closed but the front two held on in 29.88.
The judge was called into action and he declared that the front two couldn’t be separated. A dead-heat the result between Kapuka Warrior and Toolmaker Curio with Thats It Jack finishing fast to grab third, just a half length further back.
Heat 2 – FOOTSTEPS WITH A FAIRY TALE FINISH
Fairy Footsteps may have been a very big price to win Heat 2 but she certainly deserved her moment after recovering from early traffic with an impressive burst of pace to lead into the third turn.
This was another competitive affair with many of the field vying for a position into and around the opening bend.
In the end, Glitzy Magic held a narrow advantage into the turn, although he was struggling to get a clean run at the turn with Dark Dilemma and Ballymac Finn all within a half length on his inner, while the hot favourite Dynamic Force recovered from a slow start to sit on his shoulder. Fairy Footsteps was crammed somewhere in the middle with Randolph Scotts just behind in last.
Something had to give. Somehow, after plenty of crowding, Glitzy Magic recovered quickest to lead the field into the back straight but Randolph Scotts was now on his tail and challenging. The latter had to check, however, allowing Ballymac Finn to challenge on their outside.
At halfway the result was still very much in the balance. Dynamic Force began to charge into the third turn but so too did Fairy Footsteps. After finding a seam up the inner, Fairy Footsteps carried real momentum into the third turn to take up the lead. Dynamic Force and Randolph Scotts both moved forward also to emerge as the main dangers.
It was now in the hands of Fairy Footsteps and she didn’t disappoint her lucky owners Keith Allsop and Willie Rigney. The Pat Guilfoyle trained daughter of Droopys Sydney and Enable went on to contain Randolph Scotts and Dynamic Force by a length and a short head in 30.26.
Heat 3 – FREDDIE CONTINUES HIS MARCH INTO NOVEMBER
March On Freddie will be in action at Shelbourne Park next month after following up his sizzling opening round effort with a very different type of victory in Heat 3.
Headed early on this occasion, the UK raider displayed all his strength and track craft to come out on top despite the best efforts of the long-time leader Droopys Metaphor, Ballyhimkin Leo and House Martin.
Droopys Metaphor displayed huge early speed to build a comfortable lead into the turn, chased by House Martin with March On Freddie next. While he could turn only third, it was clear as early as the second bend that March On Freddie was the one to beat.
Predictably, he began to close rapidly on the leaders into the third turn and switching to the inside made his move. Powering through the gap, he quickly put the result beyond doubt. Ballyhimikin Leo made a forward move to go second between the last two bends but March On Freddie was loose and easing clear.
March On Freddie eased on to win by two lengths for George Watson and Dave Mullins in 29.53. Ballyhimkin Leo was second with House Martin shaking off the close attentions of the subsequently disqualified Droopys Metaphor to finish third a further five lengths adrift.
Heat 4 – A BOLD DISPLAY BY FALCON
The writing was on the wall pretty early in Heat 4 with Da Bold Falcon managing to turn third behind Cheque For Cash and Untold Dollar.
Cheque For cash set a very strong gallop at the head of affairs with Untold Dollar again forced to recover from a moderate start to slip around in second.
The pair had a good buckle into the third turn with Untold Dollar closing to attempt a move up the inside but for the third time in three runs he was forced to check at this point. In a matter of strides, Da Bold Falcon was through the gap and closing on Cheque For Cash.
In a tremendous finish, Da Bold Falcon flew up the straight to collar Cheque For Cash. Trained by Ginger McGee for Pat McDonagh, the brilliant son of Droopys Sydney and Hail Cleopatra took the verdict by a neck in 29.39. Untold Dollar was another two lengths back in third.
Heat 5 – LADY FOLLOWING IN SUSIES FOOTSTEPS
Grangeclare Lady may not reach the same incredible heights as her dam Susie Sapphire, but she looked a chip off the old block in Heat 5, displaying superb early speed to make virtually all despite the best efforts of Glengar Matha and Hawkfield Blue.
This was a contest where the early advantage was always going to make a significant difference and peter Comerford’s Grangeclare Lady flew into the bend from trap four to just clear Clona Duke to turn in front. It was the decisive moment in the contest.
Both Clona Duke and Glengar Martha gave chase into the third turn but Grangeclare Lady never gave an inch. With her two nearest pursuers lightly raced in recent months, there was a chance they would blow up enough for Grangeclare lady to hold on and that’s precisely what happened.
Clona Duke began to tire as they turned for home while Glengar Martha drifted wide into the straight to hand the Owen McKenna trained Grangeclare lady the extra room she needed.
Hawkfield Blue finished well to actually clip the heels of Grangeclare Lady in the closing yards but she held on to beat Glengar Martha by a neck in 29.43. Hawkfield Blue ran a big race to finish just a head away in third.
Heat 6 – BEACH REMAINS UNBEATEN IN DERBY
Seven Beach faced a stiff test in Heat 6 but he came through it with flying colours, showing superb trapping ability and terrific early speed to better Short Grip and hold Tarsna Maasai into the bend.
Once turning in front, it was game over for his pursuers.
Tarsna Maasai did turn a close second but he is very similar to Seven Beach in terms of racing style and was never going to be able to reel in the pace-setter. The pair displayed their class down the back straight, racing away from the chasing pack but Seven Beach remained in control.
Posting a rapid 16.96 to the third turn, the Jennifer O’Donnell trained Seven Beach maintained a comfortable advantage all the way to the line to eventually see off the talented Tarsna Maasai by two lengths in a rapid 29.37. Short Grip clung on for third, some five and a half lengths adrift.
Heat 7 – DIAMOND GOES NUCLEAR
Bockos Diamond looked like he was from another planet in Heat 7, showing freakish early speed to leave his rivals standing to the third turn.
In victory he posted 16.68 to the third turn, the fastest time ever recorded to that point since the introduction of the infield clock, before going on to win in 29.03, which has only ever been bettered by Pestana.
Remarkably, the Graham Holland trained son of Dorotas Wildcat and Seaglass Shadow only won by a length and a half with Tuono Charlie running an incredible race in second, while Carrick Aldo did little wrong in third.
In fact, such was the quality of this contest that Carrick Aldo clocked 29.38 which would have been good enough to win all but one of the remaining heats on the night.
However, this was all about Bockos Diamond. Breaking fastest from six, he flew into the turn to open a clear advantage over Carrick Aldo. Tuono Charlie turned third but was a long way behind the leader at halfway.
It’s hardly a shock given how fast Bockos Diamond was going. Hitting the third turn almost five lengths clear he was never going to be picked up but Tuono Charlie, who was still third at the time began to fly. Bockos Diamond would go on to win by a length and a half from the flying Tuono Charlie with Carrick Aldo also running a big race just three and a half lengths further back. It was a sensational run by the winner, a magnificent display of power from the runner-up and a fine run in third by Carrick Aldo. All three can certainly hold their head up high.
Heat 8 – JULIE LEADS HOME A ONE-TWO FOR JERRY
Hall of Fame handler Jerry Melia ended the night in style sending home a tremendous one-two with his Oaks champion A Lucky Julie picking up her litter brother Denos Bay for a superb victory in 29.54.
Tribal Syd was a warm favourite and expected to set the pace but he missed the start and found himself short of room in the early yards. In contrast, Denos Bay went up fast from trap three. Tribal Syd did work his way into second spot but it was the two flying females, A Lucky Julie and Undulation that were to end his Derby challenge.
Both bitches began to roll down the back straight after turning fifth and sixth. A Lucky Julie had the outside of the track to herself, while Undulation attempted to go between runners. By the third turn, A Lucky Julie was third and she drove the corner to cut off both Undulation and Droopys Carbine.
This was a crucial point in the contest. She quickly slipped into inside Tribal Syd before cutting down her litter brother on the run in. A Lucky Julie would go on to win by a length in 29.54, while Undulation recovered remarkably well to finish just a length further back in third.