WONDERFUL FARE AT SHELBOURNE

Ian Fortune

With the commencement of Christmas party season, there was a big crowd on hand to witness some top class racing at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night.

From start to finish, the action was out of the top drawer with the semi-finals of both the Paddy Merriman Memorial and RPGTV Puppy Oaks particularly good.

TOM TOO HOT

Both heats of the Paddy Merriman Memorial were won by the runner in the black jacket, albeit in very different fashion.

Uncle Tom set the standard in the opening heat with Mark Robinson’s rapid improver showing tremendous pace and determination to first get to the fence before going on to make virtually every yard.

Driving to the fence in the early yards, the son of Droopys Sydney and Skirk Grace ran a fine corner to slip around in front. My Man Sam was his nearest challenger and that remained the case throughout with Point Of Rescue third from the bend.

That was how they were to finish with Uncle Tom holding the staying on My Man Sam by a length in 28.50. Point Of Rescue, despite running quite wide throughout, was three and a half lengths away in third. 

MUSTANG GALLOPS TO GLORY

In contrast to the opening heat winner, Mustang Fever didn’t find her way to the front until the dying strides.

Whyaye Bonnylad flew into the turn after a level start to set a strong gallop but he could never quite get far enough clear.

Mustang Fever, after recording a career best 2.06 sectional, turned second before setting her sights on the pace-setter. Slowly but surely, the Pat Guilfoyle trained daughter of Droopys Sydney and Mustang Kay Cee started to bridge the gap.

By the third turn, she was almost on the heels of the leader. Owned jointly by Sean Bourke and Paul Horig, Mustang Fever stayed on strongly to take over inside the final ten strides to win by a neck in 28.53. Whyaye Bonnylad was second with Hot Rod four lengths away in third. 

Paddy Merriman Memorial A1

Final draw

1 MUSTANG FEVER

2 UNCLE TOM

3 WHYAYE BONNYLAD

4 MY MAN SAM (W)

5 HOT ROD (W)

6 POINT OF RESCUE (W)

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RPGTV Puppy Oaks

COUNTESS THE PUPPY OAKS STAR

Scooby Countess has clearly improved with each of her three career starts but her latest display in the opening semi-final of the RPGTV was more than just an improved performance.

It was a warning to those taking her on in the future that she is a serious performer.

After an eye-catching run in defeat seven days earlier, the impeccably well-bred daughter of Droopys Sydney and Scooby Princess rewarded her followers with a tremendous display of front-running as she saw off two hugely talented ladies in the shape of Singalong Dolly and Short Grip.

Scooby Countess broke smartly from trap two and displayed fine early dash to contain the Juvenile Derby runner-up and fastest opening round winner Short Grip into the turn. Singalong Dolly was just behind the pair and was soon challenging.

Scooby Countess needed to be on her toes into the back straight as her two pursuers were also moving with real purpose. Singalong Dolly, with the inside line in her favour, flew down the back straight to press the leader into the third turn but Scooby Countess was in no humour to surrender her advantage.

Trained by Jennifer O’Donnell for Steve Noble, Scooby Countess ran right to the line to emerge a brilliant two length scorer in a rapid 28.20. Singalong Dolly was second with Short Grip a little below her best in third, a further two and a half lengths adrift.

LEGACY LEAVES HER MARK

Lincoln legacy may have been a maiden going into the second semi-final of the RPGTV Puppy Oaks but there were very few that weren’t expecting the razor-sharp daughter of Droopys Sydney and Nemisis to set a searching gallop.

Again, Pat McGhee’s hugely promising youngster flew to the turn to open a clear advantage over Rushy Meadows in second. But unlike in previous starts, this time she was to remain in front throughout.

Rushy Meadows, Droopys Edel and Arent We All battled it out for the remaining qualifying places but they could never threaten Lincoln Legacy. The very young April ’22 whelp may have come back to her rivals in the closing yards but held on to beat Rushy Meadows by a length in 28.57. Droopys Edel filled the frame a further length back. 

RPGTV Puppy Oaks

Final draw

1 SCOOBY COUNTESS

2 RUSHY MEADOWS

3 SINGALONG DOLLY

4 SHORT GRIP

5 DROOPYS EDEL

6 LINCOLN LEGACY

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Undercard

KING ALWAYS IN CONTROL

Miami King continued his fine run of form in the ninth race on the card, getting loose into the turn before containing the challenge of both Scooby Pacemaker and Capuletto.

The Garry Dempsey trained son of Ballymac Vic and Newline Mo just had enough on Scooby Pacemaker into the turn to force the latter to check across his heels. 

It was the pivotal part of the race with Miami King quickening into a race-winning advantage. Capuletto took up the chase but was never getting to the leader. Instead Scooby Pacemaker stayed on well to grab second but Tony Howard and Dave Lawrence’s Miami King wasn’t for catching and he crossed the line a length to the good in 29.92.

AZURITE SHINES BRIGHT

There is something very likeable about Azurite. A recent unraced stake winner at Enniscorthy, she has shown plenty of ability including a 28.23 at Shelbourne Park and her victory in the eighth race was further evidence that she has a big future.

Here Move To Soon set a strong pace from an inside draw but Azurite slipped around second and 2quicjkly set her sights on the leader. Closing into the third turn, the pair slipped heels, costing both momentum but Azurite was soon challenging again.

Trained by peter Cronin for Sean Comerford, she challenged on the outside of the pace-setter at the third turn but really dug in to get to the front. Once doing so, she stayed on to see off a rallying Move To Soon by a length in 28.88.  

A DOUBLE FOR PETER AS FAYPOINT SHOOTS CLEAR

Some three quarters of an hour later, Peter Cronin completed a fine double with Faypoint Sydney showing exceptional early speed to win the finale over 525yds.

Chris Flanagan’s son of Dorotas Wildcat and Minor Racer really did fly into the bend after a reasonable start.

Once going to the front, he was pursued throughout by Bonkersinyonkers. The latter seemed to be getting to the leader off the last turn but Faypoint Sydney stuck to his task to win by a half length in 28.71. 

GLENLARA LEAVES RIVALS FEELING BLUE

Glenlara Blue was a tremendous winner of the tenth race over 575yds for Liam Kirley and Thomas Garry.

The long run to the corner really plays to his strengths with the son of Droopys Sydney and Glenlara Rosa taking charge on the bend.

It was clear thereafter that he was going to come out on top. Pulling right away to the third turn, the June ’21 whelp did come back to the staying on Prince Lucius on the run in but held on for a comfortable two length success in 32.22.

SUNSHINE FLIES EARLY TO MAKE ALL

A flying exit saw Sunshine Zoe emerge a good winner of the second race as she made every inch for Ollie Bray.

The daughter of Droopys Sydney and Silver Penny was chased hard throughout by Forest Willow but was never going to be stopped. At the line, Sunshine Zoe had three lengths in hand over her rival in 28.53.

FERNADES IN POLE

Fernandes returned to the winner’s enclosure as he opened proceedings with a comfortable trap to line success for Brendan Matthews and Gert Du-Plessis.

The talented son of Droopys Sydney and Follys View was never threatened once striking the front into the turn and he coasted to a six length victory over Darbys Molie in 28.79.

APOLLO TAKES OFF

Niall Foley’s Zaconey Apollo was in a class of his own in the sole sprint.

Producing a professional display of front running after a fast start from trap four, the son of Laughil Blake and Zaconey Belle eased right away from the chasing Urban Satellite to win by four and a half lengths in 18.83.