MAVERICK TAKES SHELBOURNE FEATURE
Ian Fortune
There was some superb racing at Shelbourne Park on Friday night with two finals up for decision, while the second round of the Guy And Dolls A2 also provided some exciting racing action.
In terms of monetary value, the biggest prize on offer came in the Update Your RCETS App A3 decider and Raha Maverick did what was needed, coming through in the closing yards to win for his owners Neil Control and Connor Winstanley.
The son of Pestana and Newinn Abby was actually last into the turn after a slow start but he slipped onto the fence and found himself in second behind Blackstone Hoffa into the back straight after avoiding opening bend traffic.
Blackstone Hoffa continued to take them along into the third turn but Raha Maverick and Stringer were in his slipstream. Stronger briefly headed Raha Maverick into the third turn but it was short-lived. With Stringer bumping into the leader, Raha Maverick again moved second.
Staying tight to the fence off the final turn, Raha Maverick made his move. He would stay on best to win by a length from Blackstone Hoffa in 29.45.
BILLY BOUNCES OUT
Cagey Billy took the opener, the final of the Sporting Press A3 575 with a facile front running display. Never under a moment’s pressure, he found himself with acres in the early yards as those on his inner dived for the fence. Chris Delaney’s son of Pestana and Lilly Lula took full advantage and proceeded to run out a four and a half-length winner over Cayan Lady in 31.21.
PEP CONTINUES TO IMPRESS
La Pepinillo was again foot-perfect in the Guys and Dolls A2 525, shooting from traps to dominate in the opening heat before stopping the clock in a superb 28.31.
Trained by Michael Corr for Roy Ball and Trevor Pearson, the son of Ballymac Bolger and Coolavanny Chick was always in charge before powering up the run in to win by an ever-increasing four lengths from Desert Glory.
ASLAN ROARS HOME
Heat 2 saw the rapidly improving Ballymac Aslan coming through in the closing stages to deny long-time leader Airdown Syd in a career best 28.65.
Always close to the pace in second, the well bred son of Ballymac Vic and Ballymac Wisdom was full of running off the final turn and came through to win by a length for owners David Murtagh and Robert O’Neill.
KITTEN PURRS
There were close finishes to both heats on the female side of the draw.
Nothing separated the first four home in Heat 3 with Town Kitten just getting the better of Droopys Goddess, Chelsea Pat and Jamestown Rose.
Droopys Goddess got loose into the turn to set the pace for much o the way but her fate was sealed when Town Kitten slipped around in second. Charging into the third turn, Sean Dooley’s daughter of Dorotas Wildcat and Town Mouse would go to the front off the final turn before digging deep to contain the rallying Droopys Goddess by a short head in 28.83. Chelsea Pat also finished strongly to take third, just a head further back.
TRINITY WINS A TIGHT ONE
Rubys Trinity (Coolavanny Hoffa/ Oi Oi Upenalty) and Getup Me Girl came to the fore in the final heat with the nod going to the former after a great battle.
Nushkas Best set the pace but was flanked into the third turn by both Getup Me Girl and Conor Hyland and Tim Slevin’s Ruby Trinity.
The pair would edge clear, with nothing between them to the line. In a desperate finish, Rubys Trinity just got the better of Getup Me Girl by a head in 29.19. There was a further three lengths gap to the third qualifier Da Bold Rose.