A NIGHT TO REMEMBER AS OAKS DELIVERS
Ian Fortune
The Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks continued at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night and the classic offered up plenty of talking points with some brilliant displays and a huge shock with the elimination of the defending champion Raha Mofo.
Undisputed set the standard with a 28.49 return but there was also a big run from Bobsleigh Dream, a return to winning ways for 2022 runner-up Scooby Duchess and a first success in this year’s classic for Droopys Timing.
A DREAM RUN FROM BOBSLEIGH
Bobsleigh Dream got the ball rolling in the opening heat.
Willie Joe Murphy’s star was only fifth into the turn behind the fast-starting Quivers Magic but she was to display all the qualities that have seen her capture two classic titles in the past.
Quivers Magic continued to set a strong pace to the third turn but Bobsleigh Dream, once moving to the fence off the second turn cut through the pack like a hot knife does butter. Going second into the third turn, it was clear the Pat Buckley trained superstar had the bit between her teeth.
The daughter of Droopys Sydney and Bobsleigh Jet switched outside Quivers Magic on the final turn before pouncing on the run in. Staying on powerfully, she eventually hit the line two lengths clear in 28.63. Glengar Martha stayed on well to just collar Quivers Magic, who was forced to check slightly on the run in, for second. There was just a neck between the pair.
DUCHESS REIGNS
There was plenty happening in Heat 2 but, ultimately, Scooby Duchess got the room to show her brilliant back straight pace to get the better of the pace-setting Boylesports Coco.
Terezas Mendoza was a red-hot favourite but she found bad traffic on more than one occasion, eventually finishing at the tail of the field.
Boylesports Coco broke smartly and displayed fine early speed to contain Easy Razzle on her outside. The latter lost a little momentum off the second turn as Terezas Mendoza checked across her heels, leaving room up the inside for the Jennifer O’Donnell trained Scooby Duchess.
Now in the clear, Scooby Duchess (Droopys Sydney/ Whitings Gift) started to fly. By the third turn, she was right on the heels of Boylesports Coco and, when the early pace setter drifted wide, she came through along the fence. In a desperate finish, Steve Noble’s Scooby Duchess came through to win by a neck in 28.73, with Easy Razzle running well to finish just a further half length away in third.
UNDISPUTED WITH AN UNDISPUTED LEAD
Undisputed got back to winning ways in Heat 3 making the most of an inside draw to justify odds-on favouritism for Pat Guilfloyle and owners Wayne McCarthy and Paul Prendergast.
Despite the qualify of her opposition, the daughter oft Pestana and Unlock Unlock turned this into a pretty straight forward affair.
Containing Crafty Shivoo into the bend, she pressed on down the back straight before galloping right to the line for a five length success over the staying on Droopys Nice One in 28.49. Crafty Shivoo was another length away in third. It seems safe to say that this contest, in particular, highlighted that the track was running on the slow side.
PERFECT TIMING
Droopys Timing may have been a 5-1 chance for the final heat but there was nothing lucky about her success as she smashed from traps to dictate throughout.
Paul Cronin’s daughter of Dorotas Wildcat and Droopys Zero made every inch but that only tells half the story.
Raha Mofo was the hot favourite but, after last week’s sensational run, she was perhaps showing the effects. After a slow start she could never really get into her flow. It just wasn’t meant to be for the Bitch of the Year and Droopys Timing took full advantage.
Paradise Nikibel closed on Droopys Timing up the straight but she wasn’t going to be denied. Staying on to the line, Droopys Timing scored by a half length in 28.73. Paradise Nikibel had five lengths in hand on her nearest challenger, Burgess Rapid.
Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks
Semi-final draw
Heat 1
1 DROOPYS TIMING
2 QUIVERS MAGIC
3 BURGESS RAPID
4 SCOOBY DUCHESS
5 EASY RAZZLE (W)
6 DROOPYS NICE ONE (W)
Heat 2
1 BOBSLEIGH DREAM
2 BOYLESPORTS COCO
3 CRAFTY SHIVOO
4 GLENGAR MARTHA
5 UNDISPUTED
6 PARADISE NIKIBEL (W)
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BLUE SETS THE PACE AGAIN
Just ten spots separated the fastest and slowest heat winners in the second round of the GRI Summer Open 525.
Honour of going fastest again went to the rapidly progressive Hawkfield Blue as he dominated in the final heat.
The Keeley McGee trained and Jerry Connors owned son of Good News and Brownstown Tango held Salmic Fitz to lead around the bend before easing clear to eventually see off Urban View by five lengths in 28.55.
SYD POWERS CLEAR
Next fastest was the Denis Fitzgerald trained Churchtown Syd as he raced prominently before taking over at the three-quarter mark.
Hawkfield Ava set a strong gallop but couldn’t contain her rival. Michael Crotty’s Churchtown Syd (Droopys Sydney/ Skywalker Pearl) moved on between the last two bends before easing on to score by an ever-increasing six length margin in 28.57. Hawkfield Ava was second with Barro Ellie another four lengths back in third.
RAZOR-SHARP GARFIO DOMINATES
Capitan Garfio was again foot-perfect in Heat 2 as he led from the drop of the hat.
Ken Busteed’s talented and ultra consistent son of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac Petsy shot from trap four to lead into the turn and increased his advantage at this point as Bonkersinyonkers was forced to check wide.
Maintaining a strong gallop throughout, Capitan Garfio came hom with three lengths to spare over Bonkersinyonkers in 28.61. Feelsawumble was the third qualifier, a further length back.
BOLGER TOO STRONG
Millroad Bolger continued his impressive form in the opening heat, turning a close second before over-powering the early pace-setter Angry Grandad in the latter stages.
Trained by Michael Donnelly for Noel Moore, the son of Ballymac Bolger and Goldmine Larky emerged a length winner in 28.65. Faypoint Blue was the best of the remainder in third, a further three lengths adrift.
PIPER AND MUSIC IMPRESS IN RCETS 575
Racing commenced with the opening semi finals of the RCETS A1 575 and Music Glideaway set the standard for the second week running, getting loose early in the second heat while Pied Piper finally doubled his tally in the opening heat, moving to the front into the third turn to score.
Kilgraney Mac set a strong gallop to the turn in the opening heat but steered a middle to wide path, allowing Maurice Heffernan’s Pied Piper draw closer. Showing big back straight pace, the son of Droopys Jet and Higher Level ranged upsides the early leader soon after halfway before moving on as they approached the third turn.
Kilgraney Mac did rally on the run in but Pied Piper kept going to hold on for a three parts of a length victory in 31.42. there was a further eight length gap to Ranchers Master in third.
GLIDEAWAY GETS LOOSE
Music Glideaway won with quite a bit in hand in the second heat.
Trained by Pat Guilfoyle for the Pension Plan Syndicate, the son of Newinn Taylor and Glideaway Magic again relished the longer run to the bend, bettering Ballymac Run and Ballymac Nunez to turn in front.
It was all pretty straightforward thereafter. Ballymac Run gave chase throughout but Music Glideaway wasn’t gong to be stopped and he hit the line with five lengths to spare over his rival in 31.18. Crossfield Auric was the third qualifier another half length away.
KANE LEADS LATE
Tom Lynch’s Kane Tashadelek came through to add to his tally in the penultimate race on the card.
Third after a messy opening bend, the Neilus O’Connell trained son of Droopys Cain and Nina Tashadelek drew closer in the second half of the contest before pouncing late to beat Dogs Anonymous by a half length in 28.84.
BUBBLES TOO HOT
Racing concluded with Lets Go Bubbles emerging a comfortable winner for Owen McKenna and Peter Comerford.
She won the battle into the turn and was always in pole position thereafter. The daughter of Droopys Sydney and Jet Stream Lynx ran out a comfortable four length winner over Urban Fire in 28.84.