MAP MAKES LIGHT WORK OF HIS TASK AT KILKENNY

MAP MAKES LIGHT WORK OF HIS TASK AT KILKENNY

Ian Fortune

Droopys Map once again impressed at Kilkenny on Friday night, setting a strong standard in the second round of the JAG Building Services & KGOBA Derby.

 There was a good crowd for a card which acted as a fundraiser for St. Lachtains GAA Club in Freshford.

And those on hand witnessed yet another display full of promise from Droopys Map as he left his rivals standing in the first of the four quarter finals. A full brother from a repeat mating to Droopys Kathleen, the Droopys Map was paw-perfect in the early yards.

Flashing from four, he soon tracked across to the fence to dictate the pace into the bend. Once doing so, the Murt Leahy trained son of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Dancer was always in command. There was a little bit of crowding on the inside of the track but Foyle Emma emerged as the nearest rival to Droopys Map.

She did all she could to stay in touch to the third turn but Droopys Map was relentless, easing right away in the closing stages to win by an ever-increasing five and a half lengths in 29.02 (.30 slow). Foyle Emma was second with Kapuka Warrior recovering from early bother to finish a neck further back in third.

CONTROL WAS ON A MISSION

Murt Leahy seemed set to complete a double in Heat 2 when Jims Gem set a strong gallop only to be outgunned in the second half of the contest by the Mick English trained Mission Control.

Jims Gem would enter the back straight with three lengths in hand but he had no answer to the power of Owen Doley’s Mission Control.

Staying wide of the pack, the son of Daves Mentor and Highview Mission would dispute second into the back straight with his kennel companion Coolemount Ger. Going second on his own at halfway, he set his sights on the leader and rapidly closed into the third turn.

Once getting to the leader between the last two turns, he quickly moved on before going on to score by three and a half lengths in 29.37. Jims Gem would take second with Coolemount Ger another three parts of a length adrift in third.    

FUN WITH A DECISIVE RUN

Fun Inthe Run made light work of his task in Heat 3.

Prominent into the bend, he ran a superb opening bend to assert as they hit the back straight. Once doing so, the classy son of Malachi and Love Island quickly put his rivals to the sword.

Trained by Michael Malone for Daire Malone, the January ’23 whelp would coast home seven and a half lengths to the good in 29.30. Lemon Thelma would take second with Gortkelly John third, just a next further back.

A SHARP WHIT

Bogger Tommy was a non-runner from Heat 4 and his absence from trap three left room for Carrigeen Whit to show her tremendous early speed up the middle of the track.

Representing Thomas Buggy and owner Ann Patterson, the speedy daughter of Ballymac Best and Carrigeen Wren shot from traps and comfortably cleared those on her inside to set the pace into the back straight.

Doubled Drop would chase her hard into the third turn but, once failing to get back in touch to this point, had no answer to the leader. Carrigeen Whit would go on to win by two and a half lengths and three lengths from Double Drop and Lemon Mundy in 29.29.