TEN STAR TASSIE AT CLONMEL

Peter Farrell

The semi finals of the Jim Scully Memorial A2/A3 550 featured at Clonmel on Friday night and there was a terrific performance from Tassie Ta Ra as she went within one and a half lengths of the clock in the opening semi.

A winner in 29.95 one-week prior, Tassie Ta Ra was very much seen as the one to beat in the opening semi final and she was to deliver a thunderous effort to ensure she advances into the €2,200 decider as the short-odds favourite.

Jointly owned by James and Richard Power, Tassie Ta Ra was sent off as the 4/7 jolly as a result of her opening round effort and she made her intentions clear from the outset with a slick exit from trap three. In doing so, the daughter of Grangeview Ten and Tassie Princess took a one length lead around the opening bend and she doubled and trebled that advantage down the back straight. In full control, ‘Tassie’ upped the ante rounding the bottom two bends and she certainly appreciated the extra yardage as she stormed to a five length victory over Jetstream Jet in second. The time was a blistering 29.68, which is just one and a half lengths off of Ardera Freya’s track record.

In the second semi, Dangan Conor (Confident Rankin - Ardera Love)continued his incredible winning record as he made it fourteen career wins for Adam Dunford and the Croke Family. The 5/4 favourite to make it back-to-back wins, ‘Conor’ was slowly into stride, however, showed a nice turn of early speed to follow Lough Deise around the opener. Running the superior bend at this point, Dunford’s charge took control and thereafter, it was all one-way traffic. Minor Bale made a good fist of it to finish just one and a half lengths adrift come the finishing line, however, there was never any doubt about the result. The time for Dangan Conor was 30.43.

BRILLIANT FROM BOOZED

Elsewhere on the card, there was an explosive effort from Boozed Burgess in race four, which was an Open/A1 contest.

Trained by Paraic Campion for Osmond Bennett, Boozed Burgess was last seen recording a fine victory at Limerick and he brought that form to the Tipperary venue as he made every yard to score. Fast away recording a rapid 2.79 sectional, ‘Boozed’ had Ascot Noah for company on the run-up, however, the inside line proved crucial in rounding with a clear advantage. Stepping his efforts up down the back, the 6/4 chance never looked in trouble as he comfortably galloped to a three length win over ‘Noah’ in second. The time was a brilliant 28.46.

EMERS DOUBLE

Other takeaways from the night was a lovely double for the kennel of JJ Dunne as both Emers Rex and Emers Summers landed their respective contests.

The first to prevail was ‘Rex’ in race three as he made a winning return after a short layoff. Racing over the 300-yard distance, the son of Confident Rankin, a 5/4 chance, took no prisoners as he bounced from trap two to lead early. In doing so, he easily held Key Outlook by three lengths, in 16.47.

It was a similar story in the concluding race on the card as ‘Summer’ made every yard to win for the first time in her career. Just a September pup, the daughter of Dromana Bucko - Emers Candy broke well from trap two and never saw another rival as she prevailed by three lengths in 29.41.