FUTURE CHAMPION BEGINS AT ENNISCORTY

Ian Fortune

Enniscorthy kicks back into top gear this evening with the start of the 2026 Future Champions Open Unraced.

There are just four heats but the event really is bursting with quality. The starting point for so many brilliant trackers over the years, there will be great interest in proceedings.

CLONA TO GET PROCEEDINGS UNDERWAY

The opening heat is a prime example of the quality and wonderful pedigrees on show. Clona Chase boasts the best trial form for Kevin O’Brien and Pat Buckley.

 A son of Deerjet Sydney, he has twice dipped under 29 seconds around Tralee and a recent 18.91 sprint trial at Enniscorthy also reads well.

He is perhaps the most likely winner but Ballinabola Wild and Fercullen Swift also boast some impressive trial form.

A WIDE-OPEN CONTEST

Heat 2 is wide open with all six displaying a similar level of form in trials, although a couple seem certain to improve greatly on what that have shown to date.

Brendan Murphy has two runners in the form of Ballinabola Zola and Ballinabola Cool and both are respected, as are Colm O’Neill’s Ballyroe Bongo, Larry Byrne’s Alien Freek, the David Moris trained Monbeg United and Michael O’Keeffe’s Lisnakill Donnie. Picking a winner with any degree of certainty is almost impossible. 

HARUTO SETS THE STANDARD

Monalee Haruto sets the standard in Heat 3 with a 29.09 trial spin at Enniscorthy in the past fortnight. Many others are likely to improve on their form, however, including Droopys Gallant, Millpark Lexi and Monbeg Notorious. Liberty Border and Ballinabola Edel are also bred in the purple and likely to step up on their qualifying efforts.

BOBSLEIGH TO GET IN ON THE ACT

Pat Buckley sends out Bobsleigh Act in the final heat and a reproduction of her best form would see her make a bold bid.

She posted 28.75 in a trial at Tralee, highlighting her ability and she is chosen to come out on top. Monbeg Hero was the second fastest in qualifying and is respected, as are the well-bred Connemara Lady and Esmonde Bucks. The action at Enniscorthy gets underway at 8pm with the four heats of the Future Champion the first four races on the card.