DIAMOND CREATES MORE HISTORY IN THE BOYLESPORTS DERBY
Ian Fortune
It was yet another famous night for Graham Holland’s Riverside Kennels at a packed Shelbourne Park on Saturday night as both semi-final winners in the Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby hailed from the all-conquering Golden based operation.
Cheap Sandwiches was brilliant in the second heat, claiming his place in the decider in some style, but the headlines again belonged to Bockos Diamond as he produced the most incredible performance to equal his own track record.
DIAMOND IS CANINE PERFECTION
There are few words that can do justice to the brilliance of Bockos Diamond.
He really is from another planet and Saturday’s display was further evidence of his immense talent. In what was one of the hottest contests this century, the son of Dorotas Wildcat and Seaglass Shadow was nothing short of awesome.
Sent to traps the 8-13 favourite, Bockos Diamond was absolutely flawless. Rocketing from traps, this contest was over from the opening strides. Showing his famed early speed, Bockos Diamond was some three lengths clear of his nearest rivals Carrick Aldo and Seven Beach by the turn.
Running the most fluent bend, the Remember Them Syndicate owned star would enter the back straight with almost four lengths to spare over Carrick Aldo with Seven Beach just a length further back, while Bombay Pat had recovered from a tardy start to sit fourth.
Those in the stands knew what they were witnessing. Bockos Diamond is canine perfection. The fluency of his movement is a joy to watch and he charged into an unassailable lead by the third turn, clocking a scarcely believable sectional of 16.58.
It was clear he was creating even more history. Just a fortnight after becoming the fastest greyhound to cover 550yds on Irish soil, he would match his own record. Bockos Diamond would hit the line five and a half lengths to the good in 28.94.
It was the most incredible performance yet not one person in the packed stands seemed surprised. Such is his brilliance and ability to produce it week after week that we are starting to become almost impervious to it.
The battle for the remaining qualifying places was very different. This went right down to the wire. Carrick Aldo and Bombay Pat turned into the home straight in second and third but it wasn’t meant to be.
Callaway Knegare and A Lucky Julie both finished at speed to press. Carrick Aldo was all out on the run in. So too was Bombay Pat, who had recovered from a scare off the second turn as he clipped the heels of Seven Beach only to quickly recover. Both gave their all but Callaway Knegare and A Lucky Julie were moving with purpose.
With room to race up the inside of the track as they turned for home, Callaway Knegare made his move. Finishing fast, he would get up for second in the final ten strides. ON the outside of the track, A Lucky Julie was also finishing fast and she would finish just a head away in third. Bombay Pat felt the agony of finishing fourth, just a head further back while it was another head to Carrick Aldo in fifth.
SANDWICHES SIZZLES TO BOOK FINAL PLACE
Cheap Sandwiches was every bit as decisive in the second semi-final, winning in superb style for his owners the Bark Wahlberg Syndicate.
A drifter in the market ahead of the race, he would be sent to traps the 3-1 favourite but it was soon evident he was overly priced.
The son of Burgess Bucks and Hearthill Josie was razor-sharp from trap three. Flashing from traps, he would seize control from the very start. Despite moving off to trap six, Cheap Sandwiches would hit the corner three lengths to the good.
Ballinabola Jim would fly up the outside of the track to take second from the fast-starting Singalong Dolly but there would be heartbreak for those involved in ‘Big’ Jim as he would lose his action approaching halfway, eventually finishing at the tail of the field.
Singalong Dolly was now second but Cheap Sandwiches had over six lengths in hand to the third turn and was on his way to a brilliant victory. Cheap Sandwiches would coast home four lengths clear of Singalong Dolly in a sizzling 29.13.
Boylesports Bob moved into third ahead of the penultimate bend but would make his own life difficult when swinging wide off the final turn. This gave the advancing Da Bold Falcon the opportunity to draw closer. In a desperate battle for third, Boylesports Bob would cling on by a short head, a length and a half behind Singalong Dolly.
Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby
Trap draw
1 CALLAWAY KNEGARE
2 SINGALONG DOLLY
3 CHEAP SANDWICHES (W)
4 A LUCKY JULIE (W)
5 BOYLESPORTS BOB (W)
6 BOCKOS DIAMOND (W)
Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate
DAZZLER SETS THE PLATE STANDARD
Knockeen Dazzler and Faypoint Harvey won their semi-finals of the Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate, albeit in contrasting styles.
Knockeen Dazzler was at his very best in the opening heat with the Kirby Memorial Champion showing his incredible early speed to leave his rivals stranded.
Carmac King was the warm favourite but he couldn’t clear those on his inner, getting held up at the bend. In contrast, Knockeen Dazzler flew up the outside of the track to turn with three lengths in hand. As those behind encountered traffic, Knockeen Dazzler set sail for home. By Halfway it was pretty clear that Daniel O’Rahilly’s star was not going to be stopped.
Maintaining a strong gallop throughout, the Pat Guilfoyle trained son of Laughil Blake and Love Island coasted home a comfortable and most impressive five and a half length winner over Ventry Faith in a rapid 29.29. Carmac King recovered from his opening bend traffic to finish just a half length further back in third.
HARVEY WINS A THRILLER
Faypoint Harvey ended a famous night for Graham Holland on a high, somehow getting up in the final yards to claim the second semi-final of the Derby Plate at the expense of Miami King and Elite Josh.
This was a tremendous contest, although Miami King looked a certain winner when turning on front.
He had been backed into favouritism and managed to contain Tribal Syd into the turn to lead into the back straight. Faypoint Harvey was between the pair into the turn and moved second to chase Miami King down the back straight.
Miami King was still two lengths clear into the back straight and maintained his advantage to the third turn but Faypoint Harvey was pushing hard, while Elite Josh was also improving behind the front two. This set up a wonderful finish. Miami King swung wide off the final turn, forcing Faypoint Harvey to make his move on the wide outside.
Faypoint Harvey continued to press, however. Charging up the straight, Patricia Flanagan’s son of Droopys Sydney and Roaming Shari would join Miami King in the final yards. Elite Josh was also motoring at this point and he too joined the battle. The judge was called into action, finding that Faypoint Harvey got up to win by a short head from Miami King in 29.58, while Elite Josh was just another short head back in third.
Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate
Final draw
1 ELITE JOSH
2 MIAMI KING
3 VENTRY FAITH
4 CARMAC KING (M)
5 FAYPOINT HARVEY (M)
6 KNOCKEEN DAZZLER (W)
Undercard
MOLLY SHOWS HER STRENGTH
The promising Singalong Molly provided owner Gilbert Anderson and handler Pat Buckley with the perfect start to proceedings, showing tremendous pace into the turn over 575yds to take over the lead.
Once going to the front, it seemed somewhat inevitable that the daughter of Dorotas Wildcat and Blundel Bridie would go on to make every inch.
Both Good Izzy and Pennys Cailin chased hard throughout but Singalong Molly emerged a comfortable winner. Staying on to the line, she held off the persistent Good Izzy by a length in a rapid 30.80.
DISCO LEAVES HIS SUPPORTERS DANCING
There was a terrific finish to the fourth race on the card over 600yds with Deadly Disco finishing with a real flourish to pick up long-time pace-setter Superfast Gorden.
Robbies Galaxy initially took up the chase but he could never get close enough.
Instead, Deadly Disco, who had eased up on the bend, began to wind up his challenge into the third turn. Trained by Michael O’Donovan for Gary Hannon, the hugely fast son of Ballymac Bolger and Bling Bling Lola absolutely flew home to lead late for a half length success over Superfast Gorden in 32.25.
MAASAI A WARRIOR
Tarsna Maasai and Dynamic Force served up a tremendous buckle in the sixth race over the standard trip with the former needing the line to hold off his rival in a driving finish.
Hopes Teddy went up fast from four to dispute the early lead with Tarsna Maasai but a lack of experience at Shelbourne saw him get a touch lost.
In contrast, Geoff Parnaby’s talented Tarsna Maasai drove the corner to slip around in front. The son of Droopys Sydney and Tarsna Rose was soon under pressure, however, with Dynamic Force running a fine corner to move second.
The gap between the pair closed into the third turn but Dynamic Force had the door closed on him. He switched sides to make his move on the run in but Tarsna Maasai was not for catching and he went on to hold the rallying Dynamic Force by a half length in 28.50.
LUCY WINS AGAIN
After impressing in her previous start at Shelbourne, Sadies Lucy followed up in the third race when coming in as a reserve into trap three to win in a fast 28.42.
Going up strongly, Gerry Daly’s daughter of Droopys Sydney and Nothing Gained cleared the turn to lead Legit News into the back straight.
As hard as Legit News tried, the Paul Duffy trained Sadies Lucky was always travelling like a winner and she went on to score by four lengths from the staying on Highview Mia.
OGIE OPENS HER ACCOUNT
Coolavanny Ogie opened her account at the fifth time of asking in the A1 second race for Neilus O’Connell and owner Thomas Whelan.
Kilgraney Bolger set a strong gallop after a fast start and seemed the likely winner but he could never quite shake off the challenge of Coolavanny Ogie. The daughter of Jacob Tashadelek and Feora Inish stayed on far better than Kilgraney Bolger to get up in the closing yards for a half length success in 28.51.