TANK SHOWS HIS CLASS IN EASTER CUP
Ian Fortune
Lennies Tank was the standout performer in the second round of the Shelbourne Park Bookmakers Easter Cup in Dublin on Saturday night, comfortably going faster than fellow heat winners Lemon Orla and Hunters Pilot.
For all that Lennies Tank produced a straightforward and most impressive performance, the other heats were anything but. Indeed, there was real drama in both with the judge certainly kept busy, while the stewards also had to get involved.
Heat 1 - TANK RUNS RIOT
Lennies Tank was understandably sent to traps a red-hot favourite for the opening heat and it couldn’t have gone any smoother for the Paul Hennessy trained son of Good News and Deelish Oreo.
Electric at boxes, he left his rivals chasing shadows into the turn and, despite steering a middle to wide path, entered the back straight with almost five lengths in hand. Lemon Hidalgo turned second and did all he could to close but it was futile.
Lennies Tank was on his way to a most impressive success and he galloped right to the line to emerge a four length scorer in a fast 29.37. Lemon Hidalgo held on for second by a half length from the staying on Callaway Knegare. Callaway Five also progressed in fourth.
Heat 2 – LADIES ALMOST INSEPARABLE
The judge had to step in to separate the Lemon Orla, Lennies Madge and Droopys Kathleen in Heat 2 with the three flying females crossing the line locked in battle. Ultimately, Lemon Orla got the nod but this turned into quite a contest with Droopys Kathleen having a great battle with the eventually winner, while Lennies Tank flew home to join in.
Droopys Kathleen was a 4-6 favourite ahead of the off and she seemed set to follow up last week’s impressive opening round success when forcing her way past the fast-starting Lemon Orla into the turn.
It wasn’t that simple, however. Lemon Orla, owned by TJ Lyons and Noel Crowley, entered the back straight right on the heels of the leader and this set up a thrilling buckle. Showing great determination, Lemon Orla joined Droopys Kathleen into the third turn before edging on.
To her credit, Droopys Kathleen began to come back at the new leader with Lennies Madge also closing fast on the front pair. In a desperate finish, the Tom O’Neill trained Lemon Orla (Jacob Tashadelek/ Foyle Lucy) dug deep to hold off her rivals in 29.63. Lennies Madge was a short head away in second with Droopys Kathleen just a head further back in third. Ballyhooly Bruno was fourth.
Heat 3 – PILOT WINS BUT AT A COST
The final heat was a very eventful affair with Hunters Pilot, owned by Ariyah and Kaylah Culhane, emerging on top only to be suspended for aggressive behaviour. Hackney Mati held a narrow advantage in the early yards but lost his action of the second turn.
This left the favourite, Droopys Faithful to go to the front but for the second week running, she looked in need of the run, tiring on the run in. By the third turn Hunters Pilot was a serious challenger and staying on with purpose.
Droopys Faithful did all she could to cling on up the straight but in another desperately tight finish, Hunters Pilot drew upsides before turning his head. At the line Hunters Pilot was a head in front of Droopys Faithful in 29.79, while a further head back, Coosane Pickles and Miami Hans couldn’t be separated.
AULTON HOLDS ON IN OPENER
Pat Hogan’s Aulton Cash got the ball rolling, taking the opening heat of the Shelbourne Park Bookmakers Mini-Open 550 in trap to line fashion. The lightly raced son of Ballymac cashout and Confident Petal was in charge from the early yards and always seemed to be in control only for Goodnitekathleen to finish fast to get close.
Aulton Cash was three lengths clear of Aussie Promise at halfway and was moving with real purpose but Goodnitekathleen made it interesting in the second half of the contest.
Storming from halfway, he moved third into the third turn before slipping up the inside of Aussie Promise to go second on the turn for home. The Vincent Mckenna trained Aulton Cash had to stick to his task up front but did so to score by a head in 29.72.
BOOMER RALLIES TO SCORE
2025 Maiden Derby champion Shanahee Boomer justified favouritism in the second heat, showing his trademark early dash to make virtually every inch.
A couple of lengths clear down the back straight, he was joined on the run in by Exclusion Order but rallied in typically determined fashion.
Trained by Kieren Lynch for the Bate The Ditch Syndicate, Shanahee Boomer saw off his rival by a half length in 29.86.
SKY LEFT CLEAR
Just one spot slower was Brickhill Sky as she avoided bad traffic at the turn in the third heat to emerge a facile scorer for Marie Gilbert and owner Jason Whyte.
Showing good dash into the turn, the daughter of Ballymac Bolger and Twentylittletoes skipped around in front and was left a mile clear as the remainder clashed. At the line briokchill Sky had seven lengths in hand on Breffni Paddy in 29.87.
HOFFA CONTINUES WINNING WAYS
Sean Dooley’s Town Hoffa made it three wins on the spin in the opening semi-final of the Barking Buzz A1 NB 525. Duffin Dermy set a strong gallop and dictated the pace for much of the way but he ran out of steam.
Town Hoffa held his position on the opening turn, allowing her to turn second and this would leave her in the perfect position to strike. Despite being forced to check her stride between the last two bends, Town Hoffa switched to the outside of the long-time leader to go to the front. The daughter of Coolavanny Hoffa and Town Pearl ran on well to beat Born Ranger by two lengths in 28.71.
MARQUESS IMPRESSES
The second semi-final went the way of Scooby Marquess as he ran own Playdate Storm to lead off the final turn. The Jennifer O’Donnell trained Scooby Marquess rode a few bumps in the early stages, but finally got loose in second soon after halfway.
Once doing so, Steve Noble’s son of Grangeview Ten and Scooby Duchess quickly closed on the leader before staying tight to the fence to assert between the last two bends. He kept going to the line to score by two and a half lengths from Highview Air in 28.57.
MUTTS MAKES ALL IN FINALE
Racing ended with Mutts Maximus making the most of an early advantage to dominate for Shaun Conway and owners Ann and Declan Johnson.
Perfectly housed on the fence, he led by a length into the bend and increased his advantage to go two and a half lengths to the good by halfway.
Max Wago did stay on well to close on the run in but Mutts Maximus wasn’t for catching. The son of Grangeview Ten and Glory Razl held on by a half-length in a career best 28.57.