BAMBI BOUNCES TO CORN CUCHULAINN GLORY
Ian Fortune
Braveheart Bambi completed her unbeaten march through the Donal Beatty Memorial Corn Cuchulainn at a busy Shelbourne Park on Saturday night, once again confirming herself as a hugely talented and exciting young stayer.
Three from three over the trip prior to her final appearance, it was no surprise to see her come in for support before going to traps the 7-4 second favourite. While few were expecting her to dictate the pace, it was something of a surprise to see her turning second behind Air Flyer.
The latter had flown from trap four to dictate the pace with Braveheart Bambi getting the better of Droopys Comrade to slip around in second. In contrast, Jaytee Craze and Keelans Joker, who seemed the most likely leaders, both missed the kick.
There was traffic on the turn with Droopys Comrade forced to check his stride, holding up Keelans Koker in the process, and allowing Clona Ice to move third as they passed the stands.
It was now very clear that Braveheart Bambi was going to take some stopping. Air Flyer continued to set a searching gallop at the head of affairs but Braveheart Bambi was second with Clona Ice a close third.
Importantly, Braveheart Bambi held off the challenge of Clona Ice around bends three and four, leaving her in the perfect position to challenge Air Flyer.
Moving through the gears down the back straight, Darren McCoy’s brilliant daughter of Deerjet Sydney and Ambey Bamby quickly made up ground to go to the front before the fifth turn. It would prove a decisive manoeuvre.
The Pat Buckley trained star would ease on to eventually cross the line three lengths clear in 41.44. Her litter brother and kennel companion Clona Ice would come through to take second with Air Flyer finishing another two and a half lengths adrift in third. For Pat Buckley, it was a third victory in the classic after the successes of Droopys Ike in 2007 and Javielenko in 2018.
Arlene Beatty presents the trophy to Tony McCoy after Braveheart Bambi won the 2025 Donal Beatty Memorial Corn Cuchulainn, also included are Sean and Ronan Beatty, trainer Pat Buckley, handler Emma Buckley, Dylan Brennan Shelbourne Park Racing Manager, Louise McKenna GRI and the winning connections. Pic: Imelda Grauer
Boylesports Champion Stakes
LENNIE SHOWS REAL DESIRE AND TALENT
Lennies Desire always looked certain to appreciate the move up to 550yds and he needed every inch of it to win the opening heat in thrilling fashion. In victory, he again highlighted what an exceptionally talented and powerful greyhound he is.
Faypoint Harvey set a strong gallop after a fast start from four but was pressed hard for most of the journey by Kournikova. De Lahdedah and Lennies Desire turned third and fourth and always seemed capable of playing a part but needed to show all their qualities to do so.
De Lahdedah seemed set to get first crack at the leaders into the third turn but there was little room for him to manoeuvre. Instead, Lennies Desire steered a wider path to put himself into the picture off the final turn. Still a length or two back, the Paul Hennessy trained son of Signet Ace and Free From Desire clearly had the bit between his teeth.
Powering home, Lee Craze’s powerful galloper finally joined the front two in the dying strides to emerge a narrow winner by a short head in 29.74. Faypoint Harvey ran a big race in second with Kournikova just behind the pair in third, beaten a further half length.
BRUNO DELIVERS A KNOCKOUT BLOW
Shelbourne Open 600 champion Ballyhooly Bruno displayed all his many qualities to run out a tremendous winner of the second semi-finals for Tom O’Neill and his owners the Ashgrove Trio Syndicate.
It was left up to those on the inside of the track to do the pace-setting duties with Val Tashadelek and Cheque For Cash going up fastest, ahead of Ballyhooly Bruno. It was evident from this early stage that they were the only three to count with the remainder encountering first bend traffic.
Cheque For Cash would lead into the back straight with Val Tashadelek pushing him hard but one suspected Ballyhooly Bruno was too close. With his superior stamina likely to come into play, the son of Jacob Tashadelek and Foyle Lucy only needed to avoid traffic although there was a worrying moment for his supporters into the third turn.
As he attempted to challenge between the front two, he was forced to check his stride, as Cheque For Cash cut the corner to go on again. Ballyhooly Bruno made a swift recovery, however, and moving with purpose into the straight, he shot past Cheque For Cash on the run in to win by a length and a half in 29.85. Cheque For Cash was second with Val Tashadelek just a length further back in third.
DASHING DANICA TOO HOT TO HANDLE
The clues had been there that Ballymac Danica was very close to returning to her brilliant best. Improving with each run through the Oaks and subsequent start after her semi-final exit, she put it all together in the third semi-final, showing a top-class field a clean pair of heels from the outset.
The comments on the card for Liam Dowling’s brilliant daughter of Ballymac Cooper and Ballymac Arminta will read fast away, always led. And that certainly does describe how her race went. Electric at boxes, she was always in control before emerging a good winner by three lengths in a fastest of the round 29.56.
Behind her, Seven Beach ran a pretty remarkable race in his Shelbourne Park return. Seen as a front runner, he had to work very hard to overcome a tardy start by his standards and opening bend traffic. Showing great determination, he got the better of Daleroad Duke into the third turn before chasing home Ballymac Danica. Third went to Daleroad Duke a further two lengths adrift.
Boylesports Champion Stakes
Final draw
1 Faypoint Harvey
2 Cheque For Cash
3 Ballyhooly Bruno
4 Ballymac Danica
5 Seven Beach (m)
6 Lennies Desire (w)
DIEGO STRIKES IN PLATE
Helo Diego set a really strong standard in the semi-finals of the Boylesports Champion Plate, emerging a comfortable winner of the opening heat in a fast 29.56. Although only fifth into the turn on the outside of the track, he was less than a length off the pace.
As room became scarce on the inside of the track, Hello Diego rode a bump to move second as they hit the second turn behind Clona Comet. Carrying superior momentum, the Paul Hennessy trained son of Jaytee Yankee and Darver Bridie soon asserted.
Ballymac Tibet emerged as the main threat at halfway but Hello Diego held a two-length advantage. Despite the best efforts of his pursuer, Hello Diego was always in control. Paul Hynes’ charge continued to find out front before powering up the straight to see off Ballymac Tibet by three lengths. Clona Comet held on to qualify in third, some five lengths further back.
JESTER LEAVES IT LATE
The second heat was a thrilling contest with Ballymac Jester somehow getting up on the line to deny Born Braver and the eye-catching Lennies Madge. Veteran performer Lotto Other News flashed from traps and really did fly to the corner.
Born Braver would turn second, some three lengths behind the pace-setter into the back straight, while Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Jester was another two lengths away in third. Born Braver really took off at this point, cutting down the leader to take over at the third turn.
By this point he had built a four length lead over Ballymac Jester and seemed certain to score only for the oxygen levels to drop as he turned for home. Ballymac Jester and Lennies Madge were now beginning to close, setting up an exciting finish.
Born Braver was all out up front but he just couldn’t hang on. Ballymac Jester hit the front in the final strides to win by a half length in 29.78. Born Braver held on for second with Lennies Madge only three parts of a length away in third.
Boylesports Champion Plate
Final draw
1 Born Braver
2 Clona Comet
3 Ballymac Jester (m)
4 Ballymac Tibet (m)
5 Lennies Madge (w)
6 Hello Diego (w)
ANOTHER RAPID DISPLAY
Ballymac Rapid is a very well named greyhound. The son of Ballymac Best and Ballymac Ariel followed up a superb early paced display from a fortnight earlier with another brilliant display of front running to win the A0 third race.
Liam Dowling’s youngster flew from the inside box and put real daylight between himself and Fahee Phantom. He may have tied up a little but was still far too good for those in chase, hitting the line a length clear of Fahee Phantom in 28.48.
MAGICAL RUN FROM MAG
Pat Guilfoyle has his team purring at present and he added another impressive winner to his yearly total with Magical Mag emerging a superb winner of the second race, a mini-open bitch 525.
The daughter of Ballymac Cashout and Mystical Luna was sharpest at boxes and proceeded to dominate.
At no point did she look under any danger, eventually going on to cross the line six lengths clear oft Breffni Una in 28.52.
SYDNEY WINS THE FINALE
Racing concluded with Darraghs Sydney claiming a second win in a row over the 575yd trip. Trained by Paul Duffy for Gerry Daly, the son of Droopys Sydney and Nothing Gained moved on at the turn from Kereight Pimple and proceeded to make every yard thereafter.
Kereight Pimple did close to challenge off the final turn but Darraghs Sydney kept rolling out front to emerge a comfortable two length winner in 31.15.
KAMARIA OBLIGES FOR DOLORES
Dolores Ruth sent out Razldazl Kamaria to win the fourth race.
ever far off the pace behind Kapuka Warrior, the son of Ballymac Best and Boylesportstwink would join and head the leader around the third and fourth turns. Once going to the front, he repelled the renewed challenge of Kapuka Warrior to win by a length in 28.74.
LASS UNLEASHES A POTENT FINISH
Delicate Lass produced a whirlwind finish to win the opener for Mary Kennedy, charging through the pack on the long run for home to lead late over the 600yd trip.
Still well off the pace into the straight, the daughter of Ballymac Cashout and Hugh Dream seemed to find another gear on the run in, getting up to score by three parts of a length from Da Real Madjack in 32.97.