TEAM BALLYMAC ON FIRE IN JUVENILE DERBY
Ian Fortune
There was classic action at Shelbourne Park on Friday night with the quarter finals of the TIME Juvenile Derby providing some outstanding action.
Rural Pest set the standard with a 28.15 return but the night belonged to Liam Dowling who sent out a double and saw five of his team progress to next week’s semi-finals including his ante-post favourite Ballymac Stud.
Heat 1 – MIKMACKER FOLLOWS UP IN STYLE
After winning earlier on the card with the exciting Zenith Pasha, Corona Ryan and Birol Nadir combined to complete a memorable double in the opening heat of the Juvenile Derby with Zenith Mikmacker.
An impressive winner in the opening round, he again dictated from the opening strides, showing fantastic early speed to lead the field around the turn.
There was a buckle for second into the turn with … finsing traffic. In contrast, Droopys Faithful made the most of her inside line to slip around in chase of the leader. She closed on the leader to halfway and looked a serious challenger but could never find a way past. Zenith Miikmacker kept finding out front and by the home turn he had done enough. Staying on well, the son of Ballymac best and Ballymac Minton would go on to beat Droopys Faithful by two and a half lengths in 28.37. There was a six length gap to Ballymac Mint in third.
Heat 2 – PEST DOMINANT
Heat 2 was over as soon as it began with the powerful Rural Pest making a flying exit from the outside box for Graham Holland and Helen and Emily O'Dwyer.
Once clearing the turn with a bit in hand, the son of Pestana and Rural Aloha was always in cruise control.
Toolmaker King was second into the turn but took a bump, allowing Ballymac Tibet to come between rivals to give chase. It was futile, however. Despite his strength, the Champion Plate winner was never going to be able to reel in Rural Pest. Showing no mercy up front, Rural Pest kept galloping with purpose to eventually cross the line four lengths clear in a rapid 28.15. Toolmaker King was third, some two lengths further adrift.
Heat 3 – STUD FINDS A WAY
The third heat was a dramatic contest with so much going on it was hard to keep up.
In the end, Ballymac Stud found a way to come out on top although it was far from straightforward. he broke smartly to challenge into the turn with fellow fast starter Slingshot Poppy.
the pair got very close around the opening two bends with Slingshot Poppy looking to get to the fence and this forced Ballymac Stud to check at the second turn. Suddenly both Montana Shadow and Getup The Boy were now in contention also, albeit in third and fourth.
ballymac Stud made a quick recovery from his traffic problems to chase Slingshot Poppy down the back straight and things began to get really exciting when they started to turn. Ballymac Stud ranged upsides but not Getup The Boy and Montana Shadow were throwing their hat in the ring.
Off the final bend it was a four way battle with the quartet spread across the track. However, Ballymac Stud had the bit between his teeth. Driving off the final turn, the son of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac Pete powered on to take a deserving success by a length and a half in 28.49. Getup The Boy was a short head away in third.
Heat 4 – LAKE MAKES IT FIVE FOR LIAM
With Ballymac Mint, Ballymac Tibet and Ballymac Stud already successfully through to the semi-finals, Liam Dowling wasn’t done with yet and he sent out the first two home in the final heat as Ballymac Lake coming through to deny his kennel companion Solo And Go.
Ballymac Lake and Droopys Slick came away best but Solo And Go displayed his trademark early speed to shoot up the middle of the track. Going to the front into the corner, Solo And Go set a searching gallop for much of the remainder but, ultimately, Ballymac Lake was too close once turning second.
It was a straight shootout between the kennelmates. Solo And Go did all he could to contain Ballymac Lake but the latter was too strong. Coming through on the run in, Ballymac Lake would take the verdict by a length and a half in 28.35. Unanimous Leo, after moving third on the opening bend, would finish two lengths further down in third.
JET A DUAL DISTANCE STAR
The feature of the undercard was the final of the Two Steps to Victory Dual Distance and Manalishi Jet again lived up to his name, jetting into a dominant advantage from an ideal draw in the stripes.
There was plenty of traffic behind the leader at the turn and he was left further clear.
It was all very easy for the son of Ballymac Best and Fleadh Ramona thereafter. James Kerr’s April ’22 whelp would go on to beat Bowadis Raven by three and a half lengths in 29.78.
BRILLIANT DEBUT FROM EXCITING PASHA
Racing commenced with an interesting ON1 525 and Zenith Pasha made quite an impression, showing good trapping ability to dominate.
Pressed for much of the way by Crossfield Dean, Zenith Pasha really began to press on at the third turn. A full brother, from a repeat mating, to the sensational Droopys Kathleen, the son of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Dancer would pull right away on the run in to eventually win by an ever-increasing seven lengths in 28.42. It seems certain to suggest that owner Birol Nadir and handler Corona Ryan have one to get excited about.
SHONA RELISHES THE EXTRA YARDS
Coolavanny Shona had a record of just one win from twenty four before making her appearance in the Novice 750 second race but it's clear she will be a bit more prolific in the future of kept over six bends. She certainly relished every inch of the trip, coming through on the run-in to deny long-time leader Available.
the latter dictated from the outset, tracker by Magical Poppet but the Neilus O'Connell trained Coolavanny Shona would outstay both. Philip Enright's daughter of Malachi and Geelo Celticgold would go on to beat a tiring Available by two lengths in 41.88.
TIGHTLY AND ELLO OBLIGE IN TRI-DISTANCE
The semi-finals of the Three Steps To Victory A3 Tri Distance brought the curtain down on proceedings and Hold On Tightly and Ello Ello did what was needed to emerge on top.
Hold On Tight (Ballymac Bolger/ Elicit Speed) was never too far away in the opening heat before taking over as they turned for home. Nigel McGarry’s charge stayed on well to beat Boscos Sabb by three parts of a length in 31.86.
The second heat saw Ello Ello make the most of the long run to the turn to go to the front. A son of Airmount Nando and Million Dreams, he had to dig deep to contain the challenge of Fun in the closing yards but did so to win by a half -length in 31.40.