BRILLIANT LADIES CLASH IN PUPPY OAKS DECIDER

Ian Fortune

Six of Ireland’s best and brightest young bitches will go to battle in the final of the Suncroft Festival Puppy Oaks at Shelbourne Park this evening.

Such is the open nature of the contest, the layers have struggled to nominate a clear favourite with impressive semi-final winners Silent Noelle and Singalong Cherry joined by the perfectly housed Droopys Croia at the head of the market.

Certainly, the trap draw is going to have a huge bearing on the outcome as will the opening exchanges. Singalong Cherry and Silent Noelle come into the contest on the back of brilliant semi-final performances and the pair are drawn side by side in the middle of the track.

CHERRY RIPE

Singalong Cherry is out of former Derby runner-up Singalong Sally and has many similar qualities to her brilliant dam.

Should she put her best foot forward, she is certain to make a bold bid for the successful Pat Buckley/ Gilbert Anderson combination.

Blessed with fine early speed and the all-round pace and strength to be a star, she is entitled to plenty of respect. Obviously, she will need to clear Silent Noelle in the early yards but, if doing so, could emerge as the one to beat.

EXPECT SILENT TO GO CLOSE

Juvenile Classic winner Silent Noelle is another with serious claims.

She was a maiden prior to this competition but was foot-perfect through the prelims and is now seeking a third win on the bounce. A trap three draw is not ideal but she has shown real improvement and seems to be getting sharper with each appearance.

Much like Singalong Cherry, if she strikes the front early she will be very difficult to reel in. Win or lose, she is a very bright prospect and seems certain to have a big say in the outcome.

CROIA A BIG PLAYER

Droopys Croia has failed to win either of her outings in the prelims but has shown huge pace on both occasions. The issue has been her trapping.

In the week ahead of the start of the Puppy Oaks, she displayed awesome pace to beat a top line-up which included Silent Noelle and Lennies Ash amongst others.

Were she to find a start, she would quickly emerge as one of the leading fancies. But her chances are very dependent on her making a livelier exit than in recent defeats.

LIX WILL LOOK TO DICTATE

Ballymac Lix may have finished four lengths behind Singalong Cherry in the semis but has the early speed and the sort of progressive profile that has been blessed by a number of previous winners of the Puppy Oaks.

She is another that is very likely to contest the early lead and it would be no shock if she were to give her rivals the slip.

ASH A REAL PROSPECT

Lennies Ash is another exciting youngster with a big future.

A trap five draw is not ideal but she is certainly developing into a future classic contender. She was just two lengths behind Silent Noelle in the semi-finals so doesn’t have a lot to find but the draw won’t help her cause. If she is to cause a slight upset, she must hit the ground running and find a way to turn close.

BLITZ THE RANK OUTSIDER

Glengar Blitz is the outsider of the field and a second runner for Pat Buckley.

As the most experienced runner in the line-up, she is perhaps less open to improvement than her rivals but has shown plenty of ability.

She too will need to hit the ground running if she is to cause a shock but a wide draw could work in her favour with the possibility of crowding on the inside of the track.

A TREMENDOUS LINE-UP

It really is a tremendous line-up and each of the six talented youngsters could go on to become serious Irish Oaks contenders.

So much will come down to trap rise and the race to the bend. Picking between the top four in the market is nearly impossible but the pin has fallen on Singalong Cherry.

While an inside seed, she is likely to go up straight from four and is improving with each outing. She just gets the nod ahead of Silent Noelle with Droopys Croia also greatly respected. The best of luck to all.