LIX THE PUPPY OAKS PRINCESS
Ian Fortune
Ballymac Lix may be very young and still finding her feet but she was far enough ahead in her development to capture the Suncroft Festival Puppy Oaks at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night, containing Glengar Blitz in a tremendous finish.
This really was a case of “early pace wins the race” with Liam Dowling’s daughter of Ballymac Kingdom and Ballymac Pete blessed with tremendous pace to the turn. She needed more than just early speed on this occasion, however.
She was forced to show wonderful balance and determination at the turn, while she also needed to really dig in from the third turn to contain those advancing in behind.
Ballymac Lix broke smartly from two but Droopys Croia, drawn in one, also came away well and seemed set to shoot up the fence. Ballymac Lix displayed fine early dash to hold her rival but there was just over a length between the first five on the turn.
Silent Noelle was on the right shoulder of Ballymac Lix with Glengar Blitz on her outer and Singalong Cherry in the pocket behind the duo. It was clear something had to give. Silent Noelle was forced to move off the turn, bumping Singalong Cherry and Glengar Blitz, while Droopys Croia ran out of room on the fence.
Suddenly, the race began to take shape. Ballymac Lix, despite opening bend traffic, quickly recovered to lead by a length on the second turn. Silent Noelle and Glengar Blitz chased her in second and third and it was race on.
By halfway, Ballymac Lix was two lengths to the good over Silent Noelle and Glengar Blitz. The leader looked a sitting duck but she found plenty. Silent Noelle seemed the main danger at this point but her challenge teetered out once failing to get to the front by the final turn.
Instead, Glengar Blitz took up the chase. Going second between the last two bends, she closed on Ballymac Lix to the line. In a wonderful finish, Ballymac Lix stayed tight to the fence to save ground and displayed bravery to hold her rival by a head in 28.87. Singalong Cherry ran on strongly to take third, just a length and a half further back.
This was one of those finals where it seems safe to suggest that many of those on show will go onto to big things. Ballymac Lix is improving all the time and will now surely be targeting the Puppy Oaks/ Irish Oaks double. She may well find herself renewing rivalry with a number of those that finished behind her on Saturday.
Sponsor Loraine Howard presents the trophy to Anna Barber after Ballymac Lix won the 2026 Suncroft Festival Puppy Oaks. Also included are sponsor Tony Howard, Louise McKenna GRI and friends and family of the sponsors. Pic: Imelda Grauer
Shelbourne Open 600
AWESOME ORLA SETS STANDARD
Lemon Orla was superb in the opening heat.
With only three rivals, all of which were immensely strong, it was important the Easter Cup champion got off to a fast start and she has clearly read the brief.
The Tom O’Neill trained daughter of Jacob Tashadelek and Foyle Lucy shot from four and was soon in front. Callaway Knegare also broke smartly but couldn’t contain his rival into the turn.
Behind the front two, Blue Belle sat third with Ballymac Chantry always playing catch-up after a tardy exit.
Lemon Orla was simply too good out front. TJ Lyons and Noel Crowley’s star maintained a relentless gallop to the line to contain the best efforts of Callaway Knegare to win by two and a half lengths in 32.30. Blue Belle ran a big race to contain Ballymac Chantry to take third, some two lengths further adrift.
GREGOR REMAINS UNBEATEN IN 600
Minutes later, Grouchos Gregor maintained his unbeaten record in the classic with another superb display of front running.
The Pat Buckley trained son of Ballymac Cooper and Ballymac Wisdom again made full use of the long run to the turn to better Lemon Hidalgo into the bend.
The latter turned second and continued to give chase down the back straight, but Grouchos Gregor was in determined humour and continued to kick up front. Lemon Hidalgo ran right to the line to close again on the leader up the home straight but could never quite get back on terms with Grouchos Gregor. Owned by Ken O’Connell and Billy Thompson, Grouchos Gregor toughed it out up front to hold off Lemon Hidalgo by a half length in 32.46. Mydras Opinion won the battle for third, a further length and a half back.
Shelbourne Open 600
Final draw
1 GROUCHOS GREGOR
2 BLUE BELLE
3 LEMON ORLA
4 CALLAWAY KNEGARE
5 MYDRAS OPINION (M)
6 LEMON HIDALGO (W)
******
SAPPHIRE SHINES BRIGHT
Clan Sapphire came in as a reserve in the opening semi-final of the Shelbourne Spring Opens AA0 525 and ran with real purpose to leave her rivals chasing shadows.
This was a brilliant effort from the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Susie Sapphire.
Trained by Hall of Fame handler Francie Murray for his long-time ally Howard Wallace, Clan Sapphire knew her job. Flashing from traps she never saw another rival. By halfway she had a half dozen lengths in hand and proceeded to cruise home five lengths clear of Exclusion Order in a fastest of the night 28.21.
MIST FIRES IN FINALE
Brian O’Donnell’s Indian Mist took the second semi-final, bringing the curtain down on proceedings, with a narrow victory over Coolemount Fame.
Neither set the early fractions. Instead, that job went to Gallant Hunter but Indian Mist would gun down her rival into the third turn.
Moving second as they straightened into the back straight, Indian Mist took over at the head of affairs at the third turn. Coolemount Fame was now advancing through the pack and stayed on well to close to the line but the Gerry Holian trained Indian Mist (Ballymac Cashout/ Ballymac India) kept finding to win by a neck in 28.61.
WINSOME A HANDSOME WINNER
Droopys Winsome emerged a comfortable winner of the second race, holding his inside position around the turn to assert down the back straight.
Both Torpedo Turtle and Aussie Reward were prominent into the bend but Droopys Winsome wasn’t giving away and inch despite taking a bump.
Once going to the front on his own, the Murt Leahy trained son of Pestana and Droopys Onestop eased right away to eventually see off Torpedo Turtle by five lengths in 28.52.
BOMBS AWAY FOR NINA
Jack Kennelly and Gavin Johns were on the mark in the sole sprint with Bomber Nina emerging an impressive winner for the duo.
A daughter of Ballymac Bolger and Ballymac Cams weighing in at a big 74lbs for a member of the fairer sex, she emerged from the pack after a level start to lead before the turn.
Driving across her rivals, she was clear by the time she hit the second turn. From there she stayed on well to win by five lengths from Stefans Galaxy in 18.59.
FREYA A PROSPECT
Paddy Kehoe’s Forest Freya looked a nice type in the A2 opener, showing fine pace from an inside draw to better the early leader Hawkfield Angel to halfway.
Turning second, the Gerry Barber trained daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac Freya shot past her rival before holding the Say You Will by two and a half lengths in 28.65.
SHORTS ALWAYS TO THE FORE
The Liam & Jeanne Murphy Memorial AO 525 was the seventh race on the card and after a tight contest, Hackney Shorts emerged on top for Deirdre Barry and owners, the Hackney Boys.
Amigos Star held a narrow advantage to the third turn but Hackney Shorts was always within a length on her inner.
Yacht View challenged the dup at the third turn but Hackney Shorts started to ease on. Staying on well, the daughter of Ballymac Inspeed and Piece By Piece saw off Yacht View by a length in 28.87.
Pic right: Presentation of trophies to Deirdre Barry after Hackney Shorts won the Liam Murphy Memorial AO 525. Included are Victoria and Sandra Shine, Monica Langan, Rachel O'Donoghue, Rebecca Martin, Brian Farrell, Kon Murphy, Jes Spedding, Alfie & Ollie Benson, Angela Park and Sean Murphy. Pic: Imelda Grauer