MICHEAL SEAMUS TOO HOT IN THE RAIN

Ian Fortune

Conditions at Shelbourne Park on Thursday were certainly attritional with constant rain throughout the day causing the track to run quite slow on the night.

The wet conditions didn’t stop Micheal Seamus from emerging a facile winner of the feature, the final of the October SPK Regulars A4/A5 525, however.

Trained by Ken Duce for the JLK Syndicate, the son of Good News and Brockvilla Aiya was in a league of his own on this occasion. Making a far better start than in his more recent outings in the stake, the powerful May ’23 whelp was perfectly positioned in second behind Thin Lizzy as they entered the back straight.

It was only a matter of when he would strike the front. That happened at the third turn and he duly pulled right away to win by an ever-increasing eight lengths in 29.05. The track was conservatively rated .40 slow. Thin Lizzy took second with a further two lengths to the strong finishing Lolos Littler in third. 

FLARE LEAVES IT LATE

Incidentally, there was a second final on the card, that of the Rásaíocht Con Éireann A4/A5 525, which went the way of Highview Flare.

A long way off the pace for much of the journey, the daughter of Ballymac Cashout and Highview Mission flew up the straight to come from fifth on the final turn to lead on the line.

Trained by Liam O’Rourke for Debbie O’Rourke and Brandon Price, Highview Flare would win by a short head from long-time pace-setter Norden Raider in 29.75 (.40 slow).