FUN AND BIRD TO DUKE IT OUT OCTOBER DECIDER IN DUBLIN

Ian Fortune

A huge crowd is due to descend on Shelbourne Park this evening with a large corporate event booked in and the racing on the track should add to the atmosphere with the feature being the final of the October Monthly Novice ON2 525.

Each of the six finalists remain open to much improvement but semi-final form suggests Fun Onthe Island and Speed Bird could be set to duke it out at the finish. The former went fastest last week, overcoming a little early crowding to emerge a good winner in 28.93.

Strangely the track was rated .20 fast, which seems wide of the mark. Have no doubt, with a clear passage, Michael Malone’s son of Hawkfield Ozark will go far faster.

The same can be said for Matthew and Bary Caul’s Speed Bird. He looked set to turn in front last week, only to have a ground taken from him. He was relegated to third but stormed home to win in 29.15. Again, with a clear passage, it would be somewhat surprising if the son of Droopys Flytline didn’t go significantly faster.

Bobby Boucher, Kickback Carlo and Fercullen Ryan all dipped under 29 seconds on debut but failed those efforts in the semi-finals, again suggesting the rating of the track seemed a little unnecessary seven days ago. Each of them could get involved but they need to come away racing.

It’s a fascinating contest but Fun Onthe Island and Speed Bird make most appeal. There is little between the pair but slight preference is for Fun Onthe Island on the strength of his draw in the stripes. He seems assured of a clear passage to the turn and that could make the difference in the €3,000 decider.

Much of the remainder of the card is made up of sweepstake action. The opening race is scheduled for 7.45pm with the final race set for 9.45pm.