OPENING ROUND OF THE SPRING DERBY PRODUCES GREAT RACING AT CURRAHEEN PARK

Barry Drake

The opening round of the €7,500 to the winner A2 Spring Derby took centre stage at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.

Quickest on the clock was Seek The Kingdom in heat number four. Trained by Paul Hennessy for owners Gerry and Miriam Meaney, the 4-6 impressed with a really smart front running performance, clocking 28.49 and coming home with a length and a half to spare over Coosey Hall. 

In heat three, Move To Soon returned to top form when winning for trainer Kieran Lynch and owners the Length And A Half Syndicate. The 7-4 shot flew from traps and the classy performer led all the way. A 28.52 winning run, three and a half lengths clear of Ballymac Slick.

Valleys Angel, trained by Pat Kiely for the Thirteen Hurlers On The Ditch Syndicate, landed heat number seven. Showing plenty of pace throughout, the 6-4 chance beat Burgess Canon, by four lengths, in 28.70.

Heat six went the way of Droopys Cynthia for Breda Boyle and Patrick Sheehy. The 6-4 winner returned to top form, making all to beat Arclight Bolt, by three lengths, in 28.76.

In fine form in recent weeks, Standing Charge landed the closing heat for trained Kieran Lynch and owner Patrick Murphy. The 3-1 shot clocked 28.95, a length clear of Carneys Goldmine.

In the opening heat, Ballymac Sergie finished strongly to score for Liam Dowling. A 29.11 winning run from the 6-4 winner, a length and a half clear of Boozed Burgess.

In the second heat, Faypoint Maureen delivered a classy performance to score, in 28.69. Trained by Graham Holland for Patricia Flanagan, the 4-5 favourite pulled out all the stops to deny Katsumoto, by a length, in 28.69.

Corrough Bolger made the most of the rails pitch to win heat five for Michael Curtin. The 3-1 shot just got the better of Da Gonzo, by a head, in 29.00. 

Butterbridge Roy rounded off a great night for the Kieran Lynch kennels with another big winning performance. Owned by Mark O’Shea, the 2-1 winner was making it three straight wins when accounting for another hot field of runners. Always in the mix, he put on a strong all round performance to beat Dellser Bells, by a length, in 28.52.