PEST AND TIBET DOMINATE IN JUVENILE DERBY
Ian Fortune
There were two superb displays in the semi-finals of the TIME Juvenile Derby at Shelbourne Park on Friday night with Rural Pest producing another stunning front running effort to grab the headlines for the second week running.
Ballymac Tibet also won in fine style, while there were also eye-catching efforts from the runner-up in both heats, leaving a final line-up bursting with real quality and countless possible outcomes.
PEST FLIES ONCE AGAIN
Many felt the display of the Rural Pest last week could have been a one-off with the talented son of Pestana and Rural Aloha rocketing from traps to dominate in 28.15.
He would prove it was no flash in the pan with an even more emphatic display seven days on.
Drawn in five, the Graham Holland trained star again flew from boxes, posting a rapid 2.00 sectional. Unanimous Leo also went up fast but couldn't match Rural Pest, who drove the turn to move clear of his rivals.
Droopys Faithful was last into the turn after moderate start but found herself left third when those on her outside. She would display huge pace to close on Unanimous Leo before moving second between the last two bends.
She momentarily looked as though she would worry the leader but Rural Pest has won over 550yds and seems likely to stay 600yds was relentless up front. Maintaining a merciless gallop, Helen and Emily O’Dwyer’s exciting brindle would again emerge a most impressive winner, crossing the line two and a half lengths clear in a fastest of the competition 28.07.
Droopys Faithful displayed huge promise once again, taking second, with Unanimous Leo finishing another length back in third.
TIBET TOO HOT
Similarly to Rural Pest, Ballymac Tibet had surprised a few in the opening round when breaking smartly to dominate.
He wasn’t expect to dictate in the second semi-final but the son of Ballymac Best and Ballymac Minton had other ideas.
At his very sharpest in the opening yards, Liam Dowling’s star led his rivals into the opening turn. His kennel companion Solo And Go went up well in second with Toolmaker King third on the inside of the track.
As Ballymac Tibet attempted to take the bend, he and Solo And Go clashed. It cost both momentum but Ballymac Tibet rode the bump to retain his advantage as Toolmaker King went second. Ballymac Tibet was now in pole position and unlikely to let his lead slip.
The Champion Plate winner would increase his advantage to halfway before powering home a facile winner. Behind the winner, after turning fourth, Getup The Boy displayed all sorts of pace to reign in Toolmaker King.
Closing rapidly around the last two bends, Getup The Boy moved second on the run in but Ballymac Tibet would secure an impressive five-length victory in 28.47. Getup The Boy had two lengths in hand on Toolmaker King who finished third.
TIME Juvenile Derby
Final draw
1 GETUP THE BOY
2 UNANIMOUS LEO
3 TOOLMAKER KING
4 DROOPYS FAITHFUL
5 BALLYMAC TIBET (M)
6 RURAL PEST (W)
ELLO AND SABB CAN’T BE SEPARATED
The feature of the undercard was the final of the Three Steps to Victory A3 Tri Distance and Brendan Matthews Ello Ello and Joseph O’Hanlon’s Boscos Sabb couldn’t be separated with the duo sharing the €2,500 winner’s purse.
Ello Ello was expected to set a strong pace but his missed the start and took an early bump only to engage the afterburners into the turn. Going to the front on the long run up over the 600yd trip, he opened a clear advantage to halfway but it was clear from the third turn that Boscos Sabb meant business.
Closing all the way to the line. Boscos Sabb joined Ello Ello on the run with the pair stopping the clock in 32.86. There is clearly better to come from both these young trackers.
AN ACE FROM GROUCHOS
The other final up for decision was that of the TIME Juvenile Derby Friday’s A3 525 and Grouchos Ace justified favouritism for Dave Bourke and Ken O’Connell.
Breaking smartly, the son of Glengar Bale and Glengar Ariel led from early and would go on to make every inch to beat Daring Danny by three and a half lengths in 28.89.
ROAD TOO STRONG FOR KITTEN
Racing opened with the semi-finals of the TIME Greyhound 28 A2 Dual Distance and Boyne Road proved too strong in the opening heat.
Reeling in long time leader Town Kitten on the run in, the pair had a fine tussle throughout with Boyne Road finally getting the better of his rival from the final turn. trained by Ollie Bray for June Maguire, the son of Burgess Bucks and Cannobio came through to win by two lengths in 31.52 for the 575yd trip.
TOM CUTS A DASH
The second heat was won in an even faster time by Dashing Tom.
Going to the front on the turn from an ideal draw on the fence, Myles Roban and Thomas Power's son of Malachi and Roanna Bess was never under any serious pressure thereafter.
Maintaining a strong gallop throughout, the March '23 whelp would proceed to see off Rathdaniel Ruth by three lengths in 31.21.
MAC AND TOM OBLIGE
Later on the card, the semi-finals of the All New TIME Greyhound 18 A1 525 went the way of Dan Flynn’s Rallying Mac and the Coretime Syndicate owned Coretime Tom.
The former, trained by Neilus O’Connell, was off the pace for much of the way but flew home to lead on the run in for a four-length success in 28.73, while Coretime Tom was always prominent in the second heat before staying on to beat Borna Thyme by two lengths in 28.71.