REX TAKES OFF IN SECOND ROUND OF IRISH ST. LEGER

Peter Farrell

Eight superb second round heats of the Willwego.com Irish St. Leger took place last night at Limerick Greyhound Stadium and Graham Holland laid down a serious marker as the joint outright favourites, Swords Rex and Clonbrien Treaty, produced special performances.

Swords Rex scraped through by the skin of his teeth last weekend when finishing fourth, however, he showed just why he is arguably the fastest greyhound in the land with a sensational performance to go just .6 spots off the track record, held by Jaytee Taylor. Indeed, that was the start of a brilliant double for the Golden trainer as Clonbrien Treaty built on his opening round victory with another polished display as he bids for an historic Kirby/Leger double. 

REX TAKES OFF

Running in the first of the eight heats on offer, Swords Rex was installed as the 5/6 favourite to bounce back to winning ways and he made his intentions clear from the off as the Barbara Lowndes-owned runner broke brilliantly from trap one. Quickly joined by Another Holiday in four, the battle to the bend was ultra-competitive but the inside line was to prove crucial in Swords Rex gaining the upper hand. Soon galloping into a healthy lead down the back, it was clear that the 2022 Kirby winner was producing something special as Another Holiday simply could not cope with the son of Droopys Sydney and Starry Display. Powering around the bottom two bends, Swords Rex stormed clear up the home straight and he came home three lengths clear of the Michael O’Donovan pair of Another Holiday and Deadly Style, in a blistering time of 29.27. Incidentally, that time was just .6 spots outside of the track record.

TREATY FOLLOWS SUIT

In heat seven, Clonbrien Treaty continued his assault of this year’s Leger with another phenomenal performance for Graham Holland and James & Muireann Murphy. A winner of his opening round assignment in proper style, the 2023 Kirby champ didn’t break too fluently as Ballinabola Una led, however, he showed incredible speed to the opener to surge into a four length lead. The strong-running Ballinabola Una was chasing hard in second but in truth, she could never get on terms with the son of Pestana and Clonbrien Millie as he kept on expertly to record a one and a half length victory over Ballinabola Una in second. The time was 29.42 as kennel companion, Gaytime Hugo, secured the final qualifying position in third.

JUNIOR BACK TO HIS BEST

Trinity Junior tasted defeat in his opening round assignment but the 2/1 shot bounced back in superb style to kick-start a double on the night for Peter Cronin. The reigning Champion Stakes winner, Tim Slevin’s charge was moderately into stride but showed blistering early speed to blow his rivals away early doors. Quickly excelling into a six length lead down the back, the son of Laughil Blake and Oi Oi Upenalty was never under threat as he came home six lengths clear of Droopys De Luxe in second. The time was a rapid 29.55 with Romeo Hanzo sealing third a further neck back.

PAT BUCKLEY TREBLE

Heat 2 -Pat Buckley enjoyed a treble of heat winners on the night and it was Bobsleigh Syd who got the ball rolling in heat two. After running a brilliant race last time out to make-all, he produced a carbon copy of that victory with another polished performance. The 7/4 favourite at the off, Buckley’s charge took an absolute flier from his middle berth in three and he displayed incredible early speed to march into a five length lead down the back. Questions regarding his stamina mattered not on this occasion as the son of Droopys Sydney and Bobsleigh Jet had done all the hard work early as he galloped to a three length win over Sunshine Dream in second. The time was 29.70 with Garfiney Blaze sealing the all-important third qualifying position.

Heat 6 - Bockos Crystal was the favourite ahead of heat six but she hit the deck at the opener as Glengar Elvis made every post a winner to win impressively and seal the kennel double. Fastest into stride from trap three, the January puppy, owned by Kenny Glen, turned just ahead of the luckless Music Glideaway and thereafter, he manufactured a clear lead into the back with the result very much already sealed. Showing blistering speed down the back, the son of Brett Lee and Droopys Smasher powered around the bottom two bends before crossing the line five lengths clear of Music Glideway, who recovered very well from his opening bend bump, to finish second. The final qualifier was Cloonturk Bruno in third and the time was a brisk 29.56.

Heat 8 - Bobsleigh Dream ran an incredible race, reminiscent of her Leger final win, last weekend and as such, she was the 5/6 favourite to hand Pat Buckley a second round hat-trick. Slowly into stride once again from two, it was Beepers Lariat who marched into a comfortable lead down the back and he was some five lengths clear of the reigning champ. However, the writing was on the wall from an early stage as Willie Joe Murphy’s charge bided her time before finishing with her usual acceleration to claim a neck victory over the gallant Beepers Lariat in second. The time was 29.68 as Churchtown Syd took third. The time was 29.68.

HEAT WATCH

Heat 4 - Sober Glory went traps as the 5/4 favourite to avenge his defeat to Miss Mini Holly last time out but it was Dromana Dano who sealed victory for trainer Georoid O’Brien. At traprise, it was Hukum who showed the best of the early speed from trap two but as traffic problems ensued at the opener, Sober Glory, who walked from traps, got a dream run around the inside and he followed Dromana Dano and Miss Mini Holly into the back. Sober Glory was showing blistering early speed down the far side but he was forced to check once again at the penultimate, with Dromana Dana shooting into a clear lead. Staying on well thereafter, ‘Dano’ came home two lengths clear of Sober Glory, while Ryhope Beach once again finished with a wet sail to grab third. The time was 29.80.

Heat 5 - Mr Chelm showed blistering early speed last weekend before fading out of contention, however, that outing clearly blew away the cobwebs as Peter Cronin sealed a make-all double for the kennel. Showing his customary early gears from trap three, Mr Chelm led Nomadic Nova into the back and you could have been forgiven for thinking the leader was a sitting duck given what ‘Nova’ produced from halfway last weekend. However, in truth, Nomadic Nova could never get on terms with Mr Chelm as the son of Droopys Sydney and Palermo stayed on stoutly to record a two length victory over Nomadic Nova in second. The time was 29.62 with Mystical Messi claiming the final qualifying position in third.

The draw for the ¼ finals was made shortly after and is as follows :

Heat 1:

T1 - SOBER GLORY

T2 - GLENGAR ELVIS

T3 - ANOTHER HOLIDAY

T4 - MR CHELM

T5 - RYHOPE BEACH

T6 - DROOPYS DE LUX

Heat 2:

T1 - BALLINABOLA UNA

T2 - CLOONTURK BRUNO

T3 - SWORDS REX

T4 - BEEPERS LARIAT

T5 - NOMADIC NOVA

T6 - DEADLY STYLE

Heat 3:

T1 - TRINITY JUNIOR

T2 - ROMEO HANZO

T3 - SUNSHINE DREAM

T4 - BOBSLEIGH DREAM

T5 - DROMANA DANO

T6 - MUSIC GLIDEAWAY

Heat 4:

T1 - GAYTIME HUGO

T2 - BOBSLEIGH JET

T3 - GARFINEY BLAZE

T4 - MYSTICAL MESSI

T5 - CHURCHTOWN SYD

T6 - CLONBRIEN TREATY