MAY UNRACED THE FEATURE AT ENNISCORTHY

Ian Fortune

With a winner’s purse of a very healthy €2,650, the final of the Elite Black at Stud May Unraced is the undoubted feature at Enniscorthy this evening.

The early rounds of the stake were dominated by Ballinabola Jake but he was out-pointed in the semis, throwing the competition wide open.

In fact, a glance through the six finalists will highlight the fact that very little separate them on their best clocks. The draw could also have a large bearing on the result with six inside seeds.

Ballinabola Jake is the widest drawn of the six. On paper that may not seem like a good draw but it often happens that the stripes runner comes out on top in such circumstances.

He will need to be at his electric best, however, as Fairly Giddy in five has shown terrific early speed in his previous outings and is again likely to race prominently. So too could impressive semi-final winner Blackhall Jack from an ideal draw on the fence.

The latter may need to set the pace and go faster than before but can’t be dismissed given the fact he is drawn on the right side of his rivals.

Ashwood News races from two. He suffered his first defeat in the semis, although he did run well in defeat, finishing strongly. With a clear passage, he too won’t be far away. The same can be said for Mini Skinny. He has gone faster with each run and could potentially step forward on previous form to make the frame.

That leaves Mikes Bono. A good second round winner, he was six lengths behind Fairly Giddy in the semis and will need a fast start to reverse that form.

It is a tremendous contest and one that should act as a wonderful centrepiece to tonight’s action in the sunny south east. Much will depend on the start that Fairly Giddy and Ballinabola Jake make. If either were to get to the front early, it could be curtains for their rivals. Picking a potential winner with any real confidence is an impossibility but a tentative vote goes to the sole bitch in the line-up Fairly Giddy.