HOLIDAY AND JUNIOR FASTEST IN RPGTV JUVENILE DERBY

Ian Fortune

The quarter finals of both the RPGTV Juvenile Derby and Yvonne Barry Track Bookmakers Open 600 ensured a special night of action at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night.

Of course, the Juvenile Derby was the feature and for the third week running, the racing was of the highest standard with all four heats providing a top-class winner.

Early speed was certainly the order of the day with the first three heats winners making virtually every yard while honour of going fastest was shared by Trinity Junior and Another Holiday. IN the Open 600, Derby third Crafty Kokoro stole the headlines as she became just the fourth greyhound ever to dip under 32 seconds for the 600yd trip.

JUNIOR GETS LOOSE

Trinity Junior may have lost his unbeaten record in the second round but he turned the opening quarter final of the RPGTV Juvenile Derby into a procession as he returned to his fast-starting ways to make every inch for Peter Cronin and Tim Slevin.

The son of Laughil Blake and Oi Oi Upenalty was a warm favourite and his supporters never had a moment’s worry. Flying from traps, the September ’20 whelp was clear into the back straight and he maintained a strong gallop throughout to come home in splendid isolation.

Marinas Joker turned second and remained there despite the best efforts of paradise Moldova to the third turn. Closing the door on that rival at the third turn, Marinas Joker held on for second from the fast finishing Bens Teddy. Trinity Junior was in a league of his own, however, and he proceeded to cross the line five lengths clear of Marinas Joker in 28.23. Bens Teddy ran on strongly from an impossible position to take third, just a neck adrift.

GOT IT TOO SHARP FOR RIVALS

Droopys Got It may have been drawn a lot closer to the fence that trinity Junior but he won the second quarter final in very similar fashion, showing tremendous trapping ability before powering clear for a comfortable success.

Trained by Ian Reilly for the Keogh-Senyk- Reilly Syndicate, the brilliant son of Tullymurry Act and Droopys Hunch was clear into the turn, aided by traffic amongst those up the middle. Bunkers Hill gave chase from the early yards but could never land a glove on the winner.

The battle for third was more competitive with Ballymac Run taking over from Velasco at the third turn but he was then headed by the fast-finishing Three Canons on the run in. Droopys Got It was oblivious to all that was happening in behind, however.

Staying on well, Droopys Got It emerged a facile three length scorer over Bunkers Hill in 28.29 with three Canons the third qualifier, a further half length back.

A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY

Another Holiday was a third trap to line winner in the next quarter final.

Trained by Michael O’Donovan for young Jack Roche, the razor-sharp son of Dorotas Wildcat and Vigorous Lindsey was never under any pressure once asserting into the turn.

Petersburg went up in second but he had no answer to the pace of Clona Duke once they straightened up into the back. Another Holiday continued to gallop of merrily up front and was always in complete control but again the race for the qualifying spots was far more competitive.

Clona Duke ran a fine race to take second while Romeo Command and Storys Cashout both ran on strongly to cross the line locked in battle for third. Another Holiday took the honours by six lengths in 28.23 with Clona Duke two and a half lengths clear of Romeo Command, who held Storys Cashout by a short head for third.

HUNTER HOLDS MOFO IN A THRILLER

Bogger Hunter may have charged traps and found himself in fourth to the opening turn but the hugely exciting son of Skywalker Farloe and Bottle Of Banter recovered well to emerge a tremendous winner for Liam Peacock.

Radical Hero set the pace into the back straight but Bogger Hunter had moved second by this point and was absolutely flying. Taking over at the third turn, forcing his rival to check, Bogger Hunter moved on by three lengths.

Raha Mofo was now in full stride, however, meaning the new leader couldn’t rest on his laurels. In a good finish, Bogger Hunter held on for a deserving half length victory in 28.43. Raha Mofo ran a big race in second with Radical Hero finishing a further two and a half lengths adrift in third.

RPGTV Juvenile Derby

Semi-final draw

Heat 1

1 RADICAL HERO

2 THREE CANONS

3 BUNKERS HILL

4 ANOTHER HOLIDAY

5 ROMEO COMMAND

6 DROOPYS GOT IT

Heat 2

1 BENS TEDDY

2 TRINITY JUNIOR

3 BOGGER HUNTER

4 CLONA DUKE

5 MARINAS JOKER

6 RAHA MOFO (M)

*******

KOKORO BREAKS 32 SECONDS

Crafty Kokoro produced a brilliant run to set the standard in the opening round of the Yvonne Barry Track Bookmaker Open 600, becoming just the fourth greyhound to break the 32 second barrier for one of the truly great tests of a racing greyhound.

Despite going as fast as she did, the sensationally fast daughter of Droopys Sydney and Cockyorconfident had to be at her best as Bockos Crystal also ran a remarkable race in second. The latter set a strong gallop from the outset and was only headed on the run in despite Crafty Kokoro turning second.

Staying to the inside off the final turn, Crafty Kokoro gradually reeled in Bockos Crystal before easing on to score by just three parts of a length in a stunning 31.98. Bockos Crystal posted a sizzling 32.03 in defeat, while Stefans Rock also ran a huge race in third, finishing just three lengths adrift.

DREAM RUN FROM BOBSLEIGH

Those that took the odds about Bobsleigh Dream in the opening heat would have been happy from the outset as the Pat Buckley trained starlet flashed from trap three to dominate.

Both Cu Mochua and Jacktavern Bella displayed fine pace in defeat and briefly looked threatening off the final turn but Bobsleigh Dream kept on rolling up front.

Willie Joe Murphy’s daughter of Droopys Sydney and Bobsleigh Jet went on to see off Cu Mochua by two lengths in 32.12. Jacktavern Bella was just a short head away in third.

A MASTERFUL DISPLAY

Callaway Masters has been a greyhound possessed since early July and he claimed a sixth success in that period in the second heat, leading before the turn to contain Storys Peewee.

Shooting up the fence, Denis Murphy’s son of Droopys Sydney and Callaway Razl took the turn and was always going to take some catching thereafter.  

Storys Peewee ran a tremendous corner to slip around in second and looked threatening as they hit halfway but Callaway Masters is extremely strong and the Owen McKenna trained star went on to hold his rival by two lengths in 32.34. Gaytime Nemo was six lengths adrift in third.

PALACE RULES

After seeing Bockos Crystal going so close in the second heat, Bev Lochead did have a winner in the final heat as Bockos Palace got loose at the head of affairs to run out a tremendous scorer.

Kilgraney Clang immediately emerged as the main danger but could never get back on term despite closing in the latter stages.

Toolmaker Beach also ran on strongly to take third but the Graham Holland trained Bockos Palace emerged a gutsy winner. The son of Droopys Sydney and Vigorous Hilary held on to beat Kilgraney Clang by a length and a half in 32.36.

Yvonne Barry Bookmaker Open 600

Semi-final draw

Heat 1

1 BOCKOS PALACE

2 CRAFTY KOKORO

3 JACKTAVERN BELLA

4 CO MOCHUA

5 STEFANS ROCK

6 TOOLMAKER BEACH

Heat 2

1 GAYTIME NEMO

2 STORYS PEEWEE

3 BOCKOS CRYSTAL

4 BOBSLEIGH DREAM

5 CALLAWAY MASTERS

6 KILGRANEY CLANG (M)

**********

JAYKO COMPLETES A DIVILLY DOUBLE

After scoring with Crafty Kokoro, the Divilly clan completed a fine double in the finale with Shane Divilly’s Crafty Jayko running on strongly to collar long-time leader Zoom on the line.

Zoom flew from the outside trap and seemed certain to make every inch only for Crafty Jayko to come with a withering challenge from halfway.

Closing with every inch, the daughter of Priceless Boris and Jaytee Charlie got up in the final strides to win by a half-length in a rapid 29.29.

JUST ONE CORNETTO

Pat Guilfoyle and Cheryl Sutcliffe have tasted plenty of success together in the recent past and they have another talented tracker to go to war with in the form of Cornetto who emerged a tremendous winner of the third race on the card.

The well-bred daughter of Laughil Blake and Love Honey broke smartly and ran hard to the corner to turn in front. Once doing so, she was always in complete command. The August ’20 whelp emerged a comfortable four and a half length scorer in 28.27. 

TOOLMAKER RUNS WILDE

After catching the eye in his previous outing, Toolmaker Wilde claimed a first success at Shelbourne Park in the second race when proving far too strong for the early pace-setter Ballybough Bela.

Willie Hyslop’s son of Droopys Jet and Kilara Lizzie flew down the back to take up the running into the third turn before racing right away to eventually score by seven lengths in a fast 28.42.

LILYWHITE OPENS UP PROCEEDINGS

A fast start allied with a favourable draw on the fence saw Lilywhite Queen (Droopys Sydney/ Dunquin Anna) make virtually all to win the A1 opener for Murt Leahy and Paul Finn.

Cali Smurph did push the leader throughout but Lilywhite Queen emerged a comfortable two and a half length scorer in 28.61.