MAGICAL ON FIRE LAYS DOWN MARKER IN SHELLEY FENNELLY MEMORIAL

Barry Drake

Magical On Fire (Ballymac Cashout-Burgess Sarah) set the standard in the opening round of the Shelley Fennelly Memorial Open Bitch Stake at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.
Patrick Guilfoyle's lady was the quickest away, however, she drove a brave opening corner to slip around in front, and from there, the outcome was never in any doubt. Displaying plenty of speed up front, the 4-6 favourite got the better of the reserve Desert Flower, by four and a half lengths, in 28.31. Burgess Mystery a further three lengths back in third.
In the third and final heat, Hackney Tango (Jacob Tashadelek-Satin Abbie), trained by Michael O'Donovan for owners the Hackney Boys Syndicate. Glenduff Meena came away racing to lead, but the eye was always drawn to the 5-2 winner in second place. Powering down the back to lead, the impressive winner took up the running at the third corner and she pulled right away for style. Innfield Riddle was best of the rest, eight and a half lengths back, with half a length back to Fahy Hazel in third place.
The second heat went the way of Rural Ana (Pestana-Rural Aloha) for trainer Graham Holland and owners the Scots Clan Syndicate. Always in the mix-up front, the 2-1 winner took over from Imokilly Roxanne on the turns for home and she pulled away to win in style. Valhalla Vision flew home for second, two and a half lengths back. Turbine Taylor was just a length back in third.
Local trainer Kieran Lynch enjoyed a fantastic treble on the night. Sirius Alpha (Skywalker Canny-Ballymurphy Gal) is a greyhound going places after the classy winner clocked 17.28 in winning the Open Sprint. It looked like a red hot contest on paper but the 5-4 winner stormed to a wide margin success. Displaying massive speed throughout, it was all one-way traffic upfront. Coretime Tom was seven and a half lengths back in second.
A recent runner-up in the Select Stakes around Kilcohan Park, Shanahee Boomer (Good News-Droopys Dream) was the second of the Lynch winners when recording back-to-back wins in the tenth, an A0. Flying from trap one to lead, the 4-6 favourite was soon in control and he ran out a fantastic winner. Galloping strongly all the way home, it was a superb 28.15 winning run, six and a half lengths clear of Southwood Stan.
Lynch made it three on the night when Butterbridge Fiz (Ballymac Bolger-Not So Hotshot) landed the closing race for the Lynch family. A lovely front-running winning run, clocking 28.87 in the A2, at odds of 7-4.
In other races, Aegean Allstar (Grangeview Ten-Lady Lewis) caught the eye when winning the A1 contest. Owned by Donal Wall and Robert Moloney, the 5-4 favourite was in prime position early and he stayed on strongly up front. A stunning 28.42 winning run, four and a half lengths clear of Keplar Khufu.