GOLD AND MONARCH SECURE DERBY FINAL PLACE WITH VICTORY
Ian Fortune
And then there were six.
The BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby field was halved for the final time at a busy Shelbourne Park on Saturday night and the racing was typically sensational with Bockos Gold and Bouncing Monarch earning their place in the blue riband decider on the back of a success.
For Bouncing Monarch, it was his fifth win of the classic and he is now set to start a hot favourite to go through the Derby unbeaten. But Bockos Gold took a big step forward, winning the opening semi-final despite a far from clear passage.
GOLDEN DISPLAY FROM BOCKOS
Waitingforastar was favourite to win the opening heat but, ultimately, a slow start ended his hopes and he could only finish fourth despite running on strongly.
Indeed, it was soon evident the dogs drawn on the outside were going to play a major part in this contest.
Hackney Dancer and Bockos Gold went up fast, cutting inwards from four and five. This left those on the inside short of room. Coloursaregreen missed the kick and had nowhere to go from three. Croydon Avenger was pinned to the fence in fourth into the corner but could never get close enough to worry the leaders.
Up front, Bockos Gold held a narrow advantage for the Jolly Good Company Syndicate and Graham Holland, although Hackney Dancer had the inside line on his rival. As the duo battled it out up front, Im Here drew closer in third and pounced as they entered the back straight.
At halfway, Im Here had just over a length in hand on Hackney Dancer with Bockos Gold drawing closer in third. Croydon Avenger was just behind the front three but that was as close as he could get.
Hackney Dancer got first crack at Im Here around the last two bends. Moving upsides off the final turn, he seemed certain to score but Bockos Gold has something up his sleeve. He edged inwards between the last two bends and when the gap opened along the fence, he made his move.
The son of Coolavanny Hoffa and Newinn Cuckoo engaged the turbos off the final turn and charged up the fence to challenge Hackney Dancer. In a tremendous finish, Bockos Gold came through to win by a half length in 29.37. Hackney Dancer was second with Im Here just a length away in third.
MORE MAGIC FROM MONARCH
The second semi-final was more straightforward with Dave Fradgley’s Bouncing Monarch continuing his unbeaten march through the competition, although he had to work a bit harder than previous weeks.
Sent to traps the 8-11 favourite, the son of Deerjet Sydney and Lemon Elsa faced a tough draw in four but his acceleration into the bend made the difference.
Sleight Of Hand shot from the inside box and probably led in the opening five strides but he simply couldn’t contain Bouncing Monarch into the turn. Wi Can James was also prominent on the inside of the track and this led to things getting tight on the corner.
Bouncing Monarch drove the bend to seize control but it left Sleight of Hand and Wi Can James tight of room. The pair clashed, although Sleight Of Hand maintained his balance to turn second. In contrast, Wi Can James lost valuable ground and was clipped from behind from the slow-starting Low Profile.
Suddenly, there was a very different shape to the race. Bouncing Monarch was clear into the back straight and unlikely to be stopped. Sleight Of Hand rode an opening bend bump to turn second with Glengar Phantom also riding a hefty bump to turn third.
Behind the front three, Wi Can James and Priceless Romeo were engaged in a battle with Low Profile out the back. With a clear lead passing halfway, Bouncing Monarch was never going to be stopped. The Michael O’Donovan trained superstar ran right to the line to emerge a two-length scorer over Sleight Of Hand in 29.35. Behind the front two, the real battle was or third spot. Glengar Phantom was under pressure from the advancing Priceless Romeo and Wi Can James.
Priceless Romeo made his move on the outside of Glengar Phantom on the final turn, while Wi Can James went up the inside. As he forced his way through, both Glengar Phantom and Priceless Romeo took a bump, although the latter held a narrow advantage when they straightened up.
In a desperate battle to the line, some seven and a half lengths behind Sleight Of Hand, Wi Can James got up on the line to deny Priceless Romeo by a short head.
BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby
Final draw
1 SLEIGHT OF HAND
2 BOUNCING MONARCH
3 WI CAN JAMES
4 HACKNEY DANCER
5 BOCKOS GOLD
6 IM HERE (W)
******
Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate
SETANTA SETS THE STANDARD IN PLATE
Ballymac Setanta set the standard in the semi-finals of the Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate, getting loose in the early yards to make virtually all in the second heat.
Liam Dowling’s brilliant son of Ballymac Kingdom and Ballymac Art shot into a race-winning lead by halfway and never looked under any pressure, although he did come back to his rivals somewhat in the latter stages.
Grouchos Frank moved past Mydras Opinion on the bend to go second with Oriental King third and the order never changed thereafter. Ballymac Setanta went on to win by two and a half lengths in 29.41. Grouchos Frank stayed on in second with Oriental King a further length and a half adrift in third.
CLIFF POUNCES
The opening heat was a somewhat muddling affair with Swords Style and Ballymac Deniro doing each other no favours, allowing Ballyhooly Cliff to pounce at a crucial point of the contest.
Swords Style was fastest into stride and led the field early, although Ballymac Deniro was soon in pursuit and challenged on the bend.
The pair bumped at this point as Ballymac Deniro edged inwards. Swords Style held a narrow lead into the back straight where Ballymac Deniro again was forced to check his stride. Ballyhooly Cliff was now on the outside of the duo and challenging.
Passing halfway, the race was wide open with Swords Style on the inside, Ballymac Deniro now charging forward between runners and Ballyhooly Cliff poised out wide. Once again, Swords Style and Ballymac Deniro bumped.
Ballyhooly Cliff didn’t wait for a second invite. He shot to the front and proceeded to stay on well for the Ashgrove Trio and trained Tom O’Neill to see off Ballymac Deniro by two and a half lengths in 29.74. Coolemount Fame flew home to take third, just a half length further back.
Supporting card
SIUN WINS A DRAMA PACKED AFFAIR
There was a dramatic end to the racing action with Magical Major seemingly cramping up when set to emerge a facile winner in a sensational clock. Instead, the wheels began to come off at the third turn when he was a mile clear.
This left the door open for the chasers. Droopys Winsome got first crack at the leader but, as hard as he tried, he couldn’t contain the late charge of Ballymac Siun (King Elvis/ Ballymac Merkle). In a desperate finish, the pair came through to head Magical Major on the run in only or Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Siun to pounce on the line for a short head victory in 32.46.
FEATHER REMAINS UNBEATEN
Droopys Feather brought her career tally to three from three in the third race on the card, displaying superb early dash to put the race beyond the reach of her rivals, although Croydon Web ran a massive race to finish a close second.
Droopys Feather missed a stride soon after coming away but quickly recovered, showing superb early speed to go to the front. Entering the back straight with four lengths or more in hand, the daughter of Droopys Addition and Droopys Alyssa seemed certain to race to a facile victory but Croydon Web had other ideas.
She began to bridge the gap around the last two bends but Droopys Feather was not for catching. Kieran Grant’s potential superstar held on to win by a half length in a rapid 28.15.
CAROL ARRIVES LATE AND FAST
Dolores Merriman’s Oaks finalist Highview Carol made a successful return to racing action in the ninth race on the card, charging home to lead on the line for a narrow victory over the long-time pace-setter Gallant Hunter.
The Gerry Merriman trained daughter of Orchestrate and Highview Moment was last to the turn but found a seam to move third by the second turn. Still third into the home straight, she flew home to win by a neck in 28.49.
EDIT DASHES CLEAR TO HOLD ROBIN
A number of hugely talented trackers were on show in the second race on the card, an open maiden 525, and the early speed of Michael Dunohy’s Droopys Edit made the difference as he contained the incredible finish of Glengar Robin.
Trained by Robert Gleeson, Droopys (Droopys Addition/ Droopys Curio) Edit flew to the bend and opened a clear advantage. Indeed, but halfway, it seemed as though he was going to sail home alone only for Glengar Robin to make a massive move in the second half of the contest.
Finishing like a train, she closed with each stride only for Droopys Edit to hold on for a half length success in 28.25.
HEFFO GETS LOOSE
Blastoff Heffo appreciated the longer run to the turn over the 575yd trip in the penultimate race on the card. Last year’s Leger third went up strongly, striking the front into the bend before quickly moving into a race-winning advantage.
Philip Buckley’s son of Dorotas Wildcat and Blastoff Kat comfortably saw off the hot favourite Riverside Rex by three and a half lengths in 31.00.
AN UNREAL START
Racing commenced with Droopys Unreal making every inch after a flying start from the outside box to see off the always second Brayview Lad.
Trained by Ian Reilly for the Actindamaggot Syndicate, Droopys Unreal was never under any real pressure with the son of King Sheeran and Droopys Meteor going on to cross the line three lengths to the good in a quick 28.22.
CAPTAIN A GALLANT WINNER
Gallant Captain lived up to his name in the sixth race, getting to the front early to repel the persistent challenge of Connemara Lady.
Under the ownership of Jamie Magee and Gerry Connors, the son of Ballymac Cashout and Slippery Diva could never get away from his pursuer but dug in to hold on by a length in 28.34.
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