STEP THE BEAT LANDS TALBOT HOTEL DECIDER AT CLONMEL
Peter Farrell
Night two of Clonmel’s ‘Festival of Racing’ proved the perfect prelude to tonight’s feature card, delivering a high-quality programme with a number of classy performances across the ten races on offer.
The standout contest was the final of the Talbot Hotel A4 525, which saw the favourite Step The Beat complete back-to-back victories for David Flanagan and owners Margaret and Michael Barrett. A convincing semi-final winner in 28.88, she was installed as the 4/5 market leader and, while made to work harder this time, still emerged a deserving winner.
A smart break from trap five allowed Step The Beat to turn second behind Slaneyside Layla, who quickly shot to the front and opened up a five-length advantage. Rounding the opening bends, the race looked firmly in Layla’s grasp as she powered clear in control. However, her early exertions began to tell and Step The Beat closed rapidly around the final two bends. Eating into the deficit approaching the line, the daughter of Ballymac Cashout – Lamestep surged to the front late on, crossing the line three-quarters of a length clear of the gallant Slaneyside Layla in second. The winning time was a fast 28.77.
SWEEPSTAKE ACTION ACROSS THE CARD
The evening got underway with the semi-finals of the ‘Pete Hattemore – Owner of the Year 550 Dual-Distance’, where Annual Kaka set the standard for Graham Holland and John Wilson. A March ’24 whelp, she had shown promise previously in the Rural Kennels Unraced but was unlucky in running. Drawn ideally in trap one, the 6/4 favourite enjoyed a clear passage from a level start and quickly asserted. Opening a five-length advantage down the back, Annual Kaka was never under pressure and galloped out strongly to score by six lengths from Letter Magic in second. The time was a solid 30.07. In the opening semi-final, Peteshesquick (3/1), owned by William Egan, just held off Hillslot Salah by a short-head in 30.50.
The semi-finals of the ‘Aaron O’Hanlon – Trainer of the Year A2 525’ followed, with Born Ranger (Born Warrior – Dolls Lady) proving the quickest on the clock as the 2/1 chance bounced back from recent defeat for Jennifer O’Donnell. Drawn in trap two, the fawn was short of room early but showed real determination to round three lengths adrift of Edermine Charm. Quickly gathering momentum, Born Ranger swept past the leader approaching the third bend and powered clear up the straight to win by six and three-quarter lengths from Fahrenheit Cian in second. The time of 28.74 narrowly shaded the second semi, where Emers Ann (2/1) impressed for Emer Dunne, scoring by three lengths over Tourareekcuckoo in 28.79.
Next came the semi-finals of the ‘Female Owner of the Year – Frances Mullan A2 550’ Dual-Distance, where Boltoflightning set the benchmark for Aaron O’Hanlon and the DS Racing Syndicate. The 2/1 chance made full use of the long run to the bend, edging into a narrow lead before the back straight and, despite sustained pressure, held on gamely to defeat Sunset Shannon by a length and a quarter. The time was 30.28. In the opening semi, Mystical Ranger (Grangeview Ten – Mystical Moll) shed his maiden tag by the narrowest of margins for Thomas Whelan, Denis Hughes and Dave Bourke. Miss Jelly Beans led for much of the contest, but Mystical Ranger, despite a hefty bump at the opener, closed steadily between the final bends. Staying on strongly in the closing strides, the 3/1 chance got up on the line to score by a short-head in 30.39.
The concluding two races featured the semi-finals of the ‘David Hickey – Private Trainer of the Year A1 525’. Wilderness Tiger sealed a remarkable seventeenth career victory for owner Declan Drohan when landing the opening semi. Wearing the black jacket, the 2/1 chance was quickly into stride and dictated early before conceding ground to Callaway Danny down the back. Refusing to yield, the son of Ballymac Eske rallied strongly late on to surge past rivals and score by one and three-quarter lengths from Chamberlain Fred in second, in 28.77. The final race saw Chaotic Pershing, installed as 2/1 joint-favourite, produce a dominant display for owner Peter Hattemore. Drawn in trap five, the classy brindle and white was in full control approaching the opening bend and quickly turned the contest into a procession. Galloping out powerfully down the back, the son of Pestana came home over five lengths clear in 28.82.