RUFIYAA AND ELI IMPRESS IN NATIONAL PUPPY
Ian Fortune
The IGOBF National Puppy Stake really came to life at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night. Untold Rufiyaa and Ballymac Eli impressed in their respective semi-final successes but both had to work hard with Lemon Joey and Droopys Deploy potentially enhancing their reputation in defeat.
RUFIYAA WINS AN EPIC
The battle of Untold Rufiyaa (Droopys Sydney/ Queen Lilly) and Lemon Joey in the opening heat was a joy to watch. The pair dominated the market ahead of the race and it was a similar scenario on the track. Importantly, Untold Rufiyaa got first run on his rival.
Shebetheone flew from four but couldn’t contain the big two into the bend and lost her place when taking a bump before being clipped from behind off the second turn. Untold Rufiyaa stuck to the fence to take charge on the bend but, after a slow start, Lemon Joey shot into second spot as they entered the back straight.
By halfway, Lemon Joey was challenging Untold Rufiyaa and it was race on. For the next couple of hundred yards the pair had a great tussle. Untold Rufiyaa was defending a narrow advantage throughout and, staying tight to the fence, he continued to pull out more to repel Lemon Joey.
Owned by Callum and John Purdy, Untold Rufiyaa strode out wonderfully well on the run in to increase his advantage to two lengths. He would stop the clock in 28.15, handing David Byrne his first winner as a trainer. On this evidence, it won’t be his last.
Lemon Joey ran a huge race in second, while Shebetheone ran another huge race to grab third, some two lengths further adrift.
ELI A RAPID IMPROVER
Ballymac Eli went even faster in the second heat, showing outstanding early speed to clear the turn. Hopes Kitty went up fast from an inside draw but Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Eli flew up from four to clear his rival.
Once doing so, the son of Ballymac Kingdom and Boreenmanna Ruby was always going to take some catching. Droopys Deploy them emerged as a serious threat. Showing exceptional back straight pace, Droopys Deploy began to bridge the gap to the pace-setter but it was too steep a climb.
Ballymac Eli continued to find out front and he would hold the persistent challenge of Droopys Deploy to score by a length and a half in 28.13. Hopes Kitty was another seven lengths adrift in third.
OGIE ON FIRE
Racing ended with the semi-finals of the Winter Racing Festival Open Bitch 525 and Coolavanny Ogie set the standard with a fine success in the opening heat for Neilus O’Connell and Thomas Whelan.
The daughter of Jacob Tashadelek and Feora Inish has been in superb form and she again arrived late and fast to come out on top.
She may have been last into the bend but ran a tremendous second turn to go third passing halfway. She then closed rapidly ion the leaders before pouncing on the run in. Coolavanny Ogie would come home three parts of a length in front of Highview Katy in 28.37.
BEAUTY DRIVES ON
Drive On Beauty emerged an easy winner of the second semi-final for Chris O’Donovan.
It was all very straightforward for the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Alice. Making every inch after a fast start from five, she would see off Knockeen Dawn by three lengths in 28.41.
SWORDS IS THE DON
Swords Don saw of some talented rivals with a fine display in the ninth race.
Trained by Graham Holland for Barbara Lowndes, the son of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Alice broke smartly and forced his way into the front by the turn.
Once taking control, he never seemed likely to be picked up. Ballyhimkin Rex did press but Swords Don held on by a length in 28.25.
NEWS IS A LEGIT PERFORMER
Legit News has been a model of consistency over recent months and she gained another deserving success in the sixth race, an Open Bitch 525. Early speed was certainly the winning ingredient for the daughter of Good News and Lizzylegit as she shot from trap four to dominate.
For the vast majority of the contest she seemed certain to score but Epic Chick and Silverhill Freya did close pretty rapidly off the final turn. Epic Chick in particular flew home but got close to the leader on the line and was subsequently suspended.
Trained by Jerry Melia for the Step Inn Sunday Syndicate, Lizzy Legit held on to win by a half length in a quick 28.36.
BLUE TOO GOOD OVER 600
Glenlara Blue has become something of a regular fixture at Shelbourne Park and he set a strong standard in the semi-finals of the Winter Racing Festival A0/A1 600, leading throughout to win the second heat in a fast 32.25.
Owned by Liam Kirley and Thomas Garry, the son of Droopys Sydney and Glenlara Rosa was quickest from traps and soon moved into a decisive lead. He would eventually coast home four lengths clear of Riverside Scotch.
TURBO POWERED EFFORT
Blackeyed Turbo justified favouritism in the opening semi-final, taking over at the second turn before staying on strongly to emerge a comfortable winner.
The Kevin Losty trained daughter of Ballymac Bolger and Gentle island was only third into the bend but found a lovely seam up the fence to lead from the second bend.
Once doing so, Steve Henry’s star eased on to eventually come home four and a half lengths clear of the staying on Innfield Fifi in 32.67.
SCOTTIE TOO HOTTIE
Lolos Scottie has hit a rich vein of form in the past days and he made it two on the spin in the semi-finals of the Winter Racing Festival A0 525, setting the standard in the process.
Ronnie Craven’s son of Pestana and Lolos Frankie, the son of Pestana and Lolos Frankie was far sharper than normal, turning on front before powering clear. He would eventually see off Ivergarry by five lengths in 28.46.
JUSTINE IMPRESSES
After a narrow defeat in her previous outing, Cieran Fitzgerald’s Brockagh Justine emerged a fine winner of the opening semi-final.
One of a number of challengers into the back straight, the Maureen Finnegan trained daughter of Magical Bale and Killeen Princess took over down the back straight before going on to win by a comfortable four length margin over Old Chicago in 28.65.
FRED BACK WITH A BANG
Dunnanelly Fred may have been lightly raced in recent months but he returned to something like the form that saw him finish runner-up in last year’s National Puppy Stake when emerging a good winner of the second heat for Donnan Richie and Damian Maginn.
Despite taking a couple of bumps into the turn, he was prominent alongside Toolmaker Note and Not A Wink into the back straight before taking over at halfway. It was a decisive move as he further asserted at the third turn to see off Toolmaker Note by a half length in 28.68.