NOTHING TO SEPARATE RURAL KENNEL HOPEFULS

Peter Farrell

The semi finals of the Rural Kennels Unraced 525 featured at Clonmel Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night there was nothing to separate both semi final winners as they clocked identical times ahead of the €7,000 decider next weekend.

The Other Wild was one of just two greyhounds left in the competition that was bidding to extend his unbeaten career record and he did so in fine style for Jennifer O’Donnell as he showed a different thread to his bow in coming from off-the-pace to score. Meanwhile, Faypoint Ranger made every inch of the running in the second semi as Graham Holland’s talented puppy made it back-to-back wins after scoring in 28.44 last time out.

In the opening semi final, The Other Wild was expected to take plenty of beating given his explosive early speed and he justified his even money favoritism, albeit in a different fashion than what most expected. Owned by the Born-Wild-Syndicate, ‘Wild’ has shown stunning early speed thus far in the stake but must have a nose-bleed early doors as Brideside Bill popped out in front of the May whelp on his immediate inside. In doing so, the Graham Holland-trained tracker took the field along by the narrowest of margins and it was a ding-dong battle at the midway point with neither greyhound giving an inch. On the approach to the penultimate bend the contest began to heat up with The Other Wild challenging on the inner, however, Brideside Bill stuck to his guns well to stop the third-bend sectional clock in 16.15. Neck and neck rounding the final turn, The Other Wild was crucially on the rails and this ultimately proved key as he nipped up the inside of the wide-running Brideside Bill, before sticking it out gamely to score by just half-length. Brideside Bill losing little in defeat, it was a further two and a half lengths back to Getup Me Girl in third. The time was 28.70.

RELENTLESS FAYPOINT

After narrowly failing to hold The Other Wild in the opening semi final, there were no such problems for Graham Holland’s Faypoint Ranger in the second semi as he won at his leisure.

Owned by Patricia Flanagan, Faypoint Ranger went to traps as the 5/4 favourite after a couple of really impressive performances in the opening two rounds and he emerged from a level break in three to dictate proceedings. Trouble at the opener saw the son of Coolavanny Hoffa and Carefree Tipp race into a commanding lead down the back and it was Toolmaker Josepe that was showing the most gears in behind as he ate up the ground in his pursuit of the second-placed Borna Parachute. The latter duo came together on the approach to the penultimate turn and this effectively decided the contest. Posting a blistering 16.15 sectional to the third, ‘Ranger’ powered drew even further clear around the bottom two bends, before maintaining his relentless gallop all the way to the winning line to cross with ten lengths in hand. Toolmaker Josepe recovered well to power home and claim second, while Borna Parachute ensured he will line out in the decider a further three lengths back in third. The time was 28.70.

The draw for the final of the Rural Kennels Unraced 525 was made shortly after and is as follows :

T1 - GETUP ME GIRL

T2 - BORNA PARACHUTE

T3 - FAYPOINT RANGER

T4 - TOOLMAKER JOSEPE

T5 - BRIDESIDE BILL (M)

T6 - THE OTHER WILD (W)

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BLACKY QUICKEST IN CONSOLATION SEMIS

The supporting act on the card were the two semi finals of the Rural Kennels Consolation Stake and it was the Adam Dunford-trained Clonmoyle Blacky that set a pretty hot standard.

Owned by Alex Antoniou, Clonmoyle Blacky dead-heated with The Other Wild on debut, however, he made an earlier than anticipated exit from the main stake after a slow start last time out. His pace, however, was never in question and he went to traps as the 4/5 favourite to avenge his most recent loss. At traprise, it was Saltees Royal that made a thunderous start in three and he took the field along into the back straight ahead of Rossa Rebel in second. At this point, ‘Blacky’ was four lengths adrift, however, made rapid progress on route to the penultimate bend. Quickly storming to the front, the son of Mallogs Marley and Mallogs Dolly proceeded to draw clear thereafter as he rallied to a three length victory, in a time of 28.89.

In the second semi final, Swift Emblem took charge in the dying strides to secure victory for Alex Callachan and Aaron O’Hanlon. A level break saw Da Laneboy take control on the inside and this quickly became a two-dog affair as both he and ‘Emblem’ pulled clear of the chasing pack. The leader had three lengths in hand at this point, however, Swift Emblem started to turn the screw approaching the penultimate bend. A thrilling finish in store, Swift Emblem (4/1) was neck and neck on the run for home and he just got the nod, by a short-head, from Da Laneboy in second. The time was 29.11.