DIAMOND SETS THE PACE AS DERBY CONTINUES
Ian Fortune
There were a number of fine displays at Shelbourne Park on Friday night as the second round of the BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby got underway.
The likes of Magical Mag and Cheap Sandwiches dipped under 29.50 but it was the defending champion Bockos Diamond that set the pace with a straightforward success.
Heat 1 – SHANAHEE GOES BOOM
Maiden Derby champion Shanahee Boomer was back to winning ways in the opening heat, showing fine early dash to lead the field from the opening yards.
Lennies Dream went up second but lost her momentum as Shanahee Boomer cut the corner, while Droopys Patriot found little room to race after a tardy start.
As a result of all this, Tarsna Maasai slipped around on the outside of the field to go second but he was chasing shadows. Shanahee Boomer entered the back straight in a clear lead and he proceeded to dominate thereafter.
Representing Kieren Lynch and the Bate The Ditch Syndicate, the son of Good News and Droopys Dream would go on to win by four lengths from Tarsna Maasai in 29.63. Lennies Dream would race in third from the opening bend to qualify a further length and a half adrift.
Heat 2 – PICKLES LEAVES IT LATE
Clement Ryan’s Coosane Pickles (Droopys Sydney/ Droopys Pickles) may have been very lightly raced in recent months but gave notice that she maintains all her strength and determination in the second heat when coming from well back to beat Callaway Five and Seven Beach.
The last named was sent to traps the 5-4 favourite and seemed set to justify his billing when rocketing from five to set a strong pace. Callaway Five went up second with Coosane Pickles sitting off the pair in third.
It seemed as though the order was set although Seven Beach began to show signs of fatigue as he moved between the last two bends. In contrast, Callaway Five and Coosane Pickles seemed full of running.
Callaway Five got to Seven Beach inside the final twenty-five yards but he too was collared by the fast-finishing Coosane Pickles in a tremendous finish. The Michael O’Donovan trained Coosane Pickles would get up to win by a head from Callaway Five in 29.73. Seven Beach was just a half-length away in third.
Heat 3 – MAG DIGS IN TO HOLD LAHDEDAH
Magical Mag came in for heavy support ahead of Heat 3 and her many backers were spot on as she flashed from traps to make every inch, although that doesn’t tell the full story of the race.
De Lahdedah would move into second on the run up and looked the most likely winner as they entered the back straight.
On the heels of the leader, De Lahdedah seemed set to make his move up the inside of the leader but that door was closed, forcing the 2024 English Derby champ to switch wide. It handed the initiative back to Magical Mag.
Pat Guilfoyle’s daughter of Bally8mac Cashout and Mystical Luna would again come under pressure from De Lahdedah in the latter stages but there was no stopping the leader. Digging deep, she held off De Lahdedah by a head in 29.42. The pair were three lengths clear of third place finisher Ballyhooly Bruno.
Heat 4 – DIAMOND WITH A POLISHED DISPLAY
A week after suffering his first defeat at Shelbourne Park and just his second on Irish soil, Bockos Diamond quickly got back in the winning groove in Heat 4, dispatching his rivals with relative ease in 29.40.
While it was much better from the sensational son of Dorotas Wildcat and Seaglass Shadow, it was still well off his 2024 best although there seems little doubt he is running himself back to full match sharpness.
Breaking smartly from six, Bockos Diamond soon built a clear lead on his fast-starting kennel companion Faypoint Harvey. It was little more than a procession thereafter. Easing clear to the third turn, he would gallop further clear of his rival to eventually come home seven lengths clear.
It was little more than routine for Bockos Diamond, yet it was the fastest run of the night to that point. Faypoint Harvey would cling onto second spot, holding off the staying on Happy Jet by a head.
Heat 5 – CASH FOR CHEQUE BACKERS
Cheque For Cash faced just three rivals in Heat 5 which didn’t seem likely to suit but he was at his professional best to emerge a good winner for Karol Ramsbottom and the Cash Back Syndicate for the second week running.
Sent to traps the 11-8 favourite, the son of Dromana Bucko and Paradise Asia didn’t fly from traps but did start on terms before showing his superior early speed. Hot Wood and Upper Horgan would turn second and third and threaten in the latter stages but Cheque For Cash meant business.
Sticking his neck out, he repelled the persistent challenge of Hot Wood by a length in 29.64. There was a similar gap to Upper Horgan in third.
Heat 6 – CURLY IS NO STOOGE
Sallagh Curly may be named after one of the Three Stooges but he certainly doesn’t run like them.
The exciting son of Deerjet Sydney and Mydras Dawn may have been having just his fifth career outing but he looked right at home in Heat 6, showing fine speed in the opening exchanges to lead a talented field around the bend.
Razldazl Kamaria would take up the chase down the back straight but Michael Lynch’s Sallagh Curly was not for catching. The Pat Buckley trained youngster would belie his inexperience by comfortably seeing off his nearest rival by three lengths in 29.72. Hello Diego, the hot favourite, would run on strongly to take second with a further three length gap to Lookandlep.
Heat 7 – SOLO SAYS GO
Solo And Go displayed all his exceptional early speed to get loose in Heat 7, eventually clinging on in a desperate finish from the fast-finishing Danzig Rebel.
Trained by Liam Dowling for the Kingdoms Palace Syndicate, Solo And Go faced a tough draw in three but a flying start saw him dictate a strong pace in the opening exchanges.
Another Kerry based challenger Oreo Ollie gave chase into the back straight and stood out as the greatest threat to the leader. Despite closing in second, Oreo Ollie could never get close enough to pass Solo And Go.
Instead, Danzig Rebel, after racing in third for much of the way, came with a late rush to close rapidly in the final fifty yards. In a tremendous finish, Solo And Go would hold on. The son of Ballymac Best and Ballymac Minton would see off Danzig Rebel by a head in 29.75. Oreo Ollie was just a neck further back in third.
Heat 8 – SANDWICHES WITH A TASTY DISPLAY
There was real quality on show in the last of the eight heats and yet 2024 runner-up Cheap Sandwiches would emerge a comfortable and pretty straightforward winner for Graham Holland and the Bark Wahlberg Syndicate.
Importantly, both Carrick Scholsey and Epic Ace were tardy at boxes, leaving room for Cheap Sandwiches to get up to full speed on the outside of the track. Unanimous Leo also flew up from three and held a narrow lead in the early yards.
Cheap Sandwiches would join him on the corner, however, before easing on as they entered the back straight. The son of Burgess Bucks and Hearthill Josie would ease into a decisive lead down the back straight before coasting to a five-length verdict in 29.49. Brunch Pal would run a huge race in defeat, moving second between the last two bends. Unanimous Leo would finish a further length and a half adrift in third.