CLONMEL SUPPORTING CARD SEES PEST, MEL AND EXILE PREVAIL

Peter Farrell

The supporting card at Clonmel was rich in quality, featuring three excellent sweepstake finals in the shape of the Sporting Press Online Edition A1/A2 550, the John White Memorial A3/A4 525 and the Tommy & Bridget Mary Dunford Memorial Bitch 525.

The first of those finals, the Sporting Press Online Edition A1/A2 550, saw the €2,500-to-the-winner prize claimed by Sure Exile, who completed a clean sweep for owner Andrew Lunch. The April ’24 pup had impressed throughout the earlier rounds, posting 30.32 in the opening heat before underlining that form with a sharp 30.11 .10s in the semi-finals. In the decider, however, the 4/6 favourite went quicker again with a dominant display. Drawn in trap two, the son of Broadstrand Bono made full use of a vacant inner, breaking smartly to take immediate control of the rails. Opening up a two-length advantage rounding the bend, that lead had doubled by halfway and the outcome was soon beyond doubt. Staying on strongly to the line, Sure Exile scored a convincing four-length success over Chaotic Gustav in second. The winning time was a rapid 29.99.

PEST SPRINGS 10/1 SHOCK IN JOHN WHITE MEMORIAL

Race eight brought the final of the John White Memorial Guys & Dolls 525 and, like the feature earlier on the card, it produced a major upset as 10/1 chance Whitegate Pest denied the seemingly unbeatable 1/10 favourite Jacktavern Turbo.

Owned by William Denn, Whitegate Pest donned the blue jacket and was quickly into stride, pinging the lids to establish early supremacy. Jacktavern Turbo failed to come away as fluently as usual but recovered well along the rail to chase both Whitegate Pest and Dower Holly into the back straight. Whitegate Pest continued to travel strongly and held a two-length lead over Dower Holly at halfway, with Jacktavern Turbo closing into second approaching the third bend. Still three lengths clear rounding the final two bends, Whitegate Pest showed admirable determination in the closing stages and, although Jacktavern Turbo reduced the deficit, she held on to score by one length. It was a fine success for the Denn family, with the clock stopping at 28.80.

EMPHATIC FROM MEL IN DUNFORD MEMORIAL BITCH STAKE

The final race of the trio was the Tommy & Bridget Mary Dunford Memorial Bitch 525 and this one went to form as the 4/6 favourite Bushpark Mel came from off the pace to win decisively.

Another representative of the Graham Holland kennel, Bushpark Mel faced stiff early competition as Imokilly Roxanne broke smartly from trap one to set the pace. Leading by a length and a half into the back straight, ‘Roxanne’ was soon under pressure and Bushpark Mel produced a powerful burst of speed to take command at the third bend. Once in front, the Upstairs Club Syndicate-owned bitch stayed on strongly to seal a routine success, pulling clear to win by four and three-quarter lengths from Imokilly Roxanne in second. The winning time was a fast 28.51.

*****

YORKIE OLLIE FLUENT THROUGHOUT

There were several outstanding performances in the open races, but none matched the authority of Yorkie Ollie, who dominated the Open 575 in emphatic fashion.

A strong contest saw Yorkie Ollie, Boylesports Blue and Born To Perform sent to traps as 6/4 co-favourites, but the outcome was effectively decided at traprise. Exploding from trap three, Yorkie Ollie took immediate control on the long run to the bend. At his best a phenomenal performer, the Graham Holland-trained star, owned by Michael Hennessy and Adrian Sheils, tracked expertly at the corner to open up a three-length advantage over Boylesports Blue down the back straight. From there, the son of Magical Bale and Outdoor Roller never broke stride. Although Boylesports Blue closed marginally in the latter stages, there were still three lengths between the pair at the line as the clock stopped in a sensational 31.10, just one length outside the track record.

MEL WINS BUT TINA A MASSIVE EYE-CATCHER

The return of Ballydoyle Tina was the main attraction in race four and, while she produced a huge effort, it was The Other Mel who emerged a convincing winner.

Trained by Jennifer O’Donnell for the Born Wild Syndicate, The Other Mel broke well on the rails and powered up the inside, taking full advantage of congestion to her outside. Opening a three-length lead over Clondoty Joe entering the back straight, it proved one-way traffic thereafter as the daughter of Grangeview Ten and Scooby Duchess doubled her advantage approaching the penultimate bend. Ballydoyle Tina, who encountered significant early trouble, made eye-catching late progress rounding the final turn but it came too late on this occasion. The Other Mel crossed the line with four and a quarter lengths in hand, stopping the clock at 28.87.

BRILLIANCE FROM BROWNE

The SSO 300 centred firmly on Sprinter of the Year nominee Stonepark Browne and he duly delivered, producing a scintillating performance for owners Michael Sean O’Dwyer and Michael J. O’Donovan.

A rare talent over the two-bend trip, Stonepark Browne went to traps at odds of even-money and, despite missing the break as he has a tendency to do, he immediately showed electric pace to challenge Bomber Nina on the run-up. In doing so, the son of Malachi and Coolavanny Ella demonstrated exceptional tracking ability, sweeping around his rival between the bottom two bends to take command. Once in front, the result was never in doubt. Stonepark Browne powered clear up the home straight to score by two lengths, with the clock confirming a sizzling 16.17.