A BOMBAY SPECIAL IN THE CORK OAKS AT CURRAHEEN PARK
Barry Drake
Cloghroe National School hosted a very successful benefit night at Curraheen Park on Saturday night, with a large crowd in attendance.
On the track, the performance of the night went the way of Bombay Special (Dromana Bucko-Tory Aria) in the opening round of the SS0 Personnel Cork Oaks. Trained by Graham Holland for owner Jack Ryan, the 5-4 second favourite made it eight wins from just 11 career starts, clocking a career best of 28.01.
Posting a flying 3.23 sectional to lead, the classy performer powered around the opening corners in front. It was game over early on, and Bombay Special galloped strongly to the line, coming home eight and a half lengths clear of the slowly away Ballymac Siun. A length back to Ballymac Siun in third.
In the opening heat, Burgess Hazel (Deerjet Sydney-Droopys Dargle) came from well off the pace to win for JJ Fennelly. It never ever looked likely, however, the 5-1 shot had all the answers on the home straight. On top late on, she beat Daleroad Mya, by a length and a half, in 28.79. Longtime leader Let Fly Missy three-quarters of a length back in third.
In the second heat, Clan Sapphire (Droopys Sydney-Susie Sapphire) produced a dream start to overcome the tricky-looking wide draw and make all the running for trainer Francis Murray and owner Howard Wallace. The 5-1 shot kicked clear down the back straight and she held the fast finishing The Other Eimearr, by a neck, in 28.47. Laurels Champion Magical On Fire, after a poor start and some crowding, was three lengths back in third place.
In heat three, Ballymac Kamala (Droopys Sydney-Ballymac Pete) came home in front for Liam Dowling. Lemon Orla looked in control on the turns for home, but it was the Ballymac winner who kept on best of all to land the spoils. A 28.76 winning run, three-quarters of a length clear of the staying on Valhalla Vision, with a length back to Droopys Croia in third.
All About Glam (Ballymac Best-Crafty Kokoro), trained by Kieran Lynch for William Rigney, Roscrea, delivered a fine front-running winning performance in the opener, the €1,200 to the winner ON2 Unraced Stake. Drive On Flint was a notable absentee and the even money second favourite. The September daughter of Ballymac Best and Crafty Kokoro led early, and she kept finding in front to beat Sophie's Dilemma by a length and a half, in 28.73.
Princess Rosie (Ballymac Cashout-Peckies Flyer) proved far too good for A3 grade in the third. Trained by Kieran Lynch for Vincent O'Keeffe, the short-priced 1-4 favourite took up the running at the opening bend, soon clear, it was all one-way traffic up front. A nine and a half-length success, in 28.61.
In race four, an A2, Confident Hugo (Ballymac Cashout-Confident Petal) overcame crowding at the opening bend to win for trainer James Kelleher. Owned by the H-K-K-K-Syndicate, the 2-1 winner was catching the eye on the back straight, and the July puppy pulled out all the stops to beat the running on Super Syd. Half a length the margin, in 28.85.
The fifth, an SS0 sprint, attracted a top-class line up, and it was Tiermana Dream (Ballyhimikin Jet-Tiermana Jetty) who came out in front for trainer Colm Fitzgerald and owners the Zero Zero Syndicate, Kilrush. Displaying plenty of speed to lead at the opening corner, the 2-1 winner went on to record back-to-back wins in great style. A great 17.51 winning run, two and a half lengths clear of the De Bull.
In the tenth, an A1 550, Da Tapper Flynn (Droopys Sydney-Droopys Lagoon) showed plenty of all-round speed to win, in 31.40, at odds of 5-4, for trainer Pat Kiely and owners the Golden Spoon Syndicate.
In the closing race, an AA0, Beanos Yank (Deerjet Sydney-Lemon Elsa) displayed stunning early gears to make all for trainer Graham Holland and owners the Pups and Pints Syndicate. He came back to the field late on, but the 5-2 winner still had half a length to spare over Ballymac Iroko, in 28.76.