UNMATCHED CAN PROVE A CLASS APART IN CORK OAKS DECIDER

UNMATCHED CAN PROVE A CLASS APART IN CORK OAKS DECIDER

Barry Drake

UNMATCHED gets a confident vote in the final of the €7,000 to the winner Apex Global Resources Ltd Cork Oaks at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.

Trained locally by Johnny Linehan for the Swipe Right Syndicate, the powerful performer is expected to take the world of beating in the feature final. Two runs ago, she clocked a sensational 28.07 around the Cork venue and she backed that up with another wonderful winning effort last week, overcoming the wide draw to win, in 28.36. Drawn to perfection in trap three, if producing one of her better starts, she can slip around in front, and from there, she wouldn't be for catching.

Nathan Moloney's Orchid Queen got within two lengths of Unmatched last week and she can chase her home once more. An improving sort, she has caught the eye with huge finishing speed in recent weeks and she could turn into a star over further trips.

Of the others, Droopys Onestop, the second of the Johnny Linehan-trained runners, is another that could run into the places. Owned by Sean Dunphy, she lacks a touch of early speed, however, she will be powering home.

In the closing race, NEWINN PORT, trained by Graham Holland for the Hill Of Port Syndicate, can send punters home happy by returning to winning ways. That was a decent performance in defeat last time and the selection can make the most of the drop in class here.

The Greyhound & Petworld Supersprint also gets underway and we can expect fireworks over the next couple of weeks.

The race of the night comes in race number six, in-form BURGESS JACK, a recent 17.36 winner around course and distance, gets a narrow vote over defending champion Flashing Willow. Sarah Shannon's classy tracker has plenty of race fitness and that could be key in this. Pat Buckley's Flashing Willow will no doubt play a big part in this event over the next couple of weeks.

Buckley can be on the scoresheet with ROAD EXILE in race seven. No stranger to big performances, he has huge gears and he should take all the beating.